The esophagus extends between the pharynx and the stomach.
The esophagus is the sector of the digestive tube that develops from the pharynx to the stomach . The term comes from the medieval Latin oesophagus , in turn derived from the Greek oisophágos .
The esophagus is present in vertebrates and also in invertebrates. In the case of humans , it measures about 25 centimeters and its extension goes from the seventh or sixth cervical vertebra to the eleventh thoracic vertebra.
The esophagus and food
This part of the digestive system is crossed by food, which enters through the mouth , passes through the pharynx , crosses the esophagus and reaches the stomach . In this process, the esophagus plays an active role, since its walls contract to propel the food forward.
For food to access the esophagus, the opening of the upper esophageal sphincter is generated. Then peristalsis occurs (waves of muscle contractions) that push it down until it slides through the lower esophageal sphincter and thus enters the stomach .
It is important to mention that, if the esophagus is at rest, the sphincters remain closed to prevent the reflux of gastric acid and food from the stomach to the mouth. With swallowing , however, they open. Aging causes the contractions of the esophagus and the pressure of the sphincters to lose strength, which means that the propensity to suffer from reflux increases with age.
Different disorders can affect the esophagus.
Various disorders and conditions
Esophageal cancer , Barrett's esophagus , and esophageal achalasia are some of the disorders and diseases that can occur in this region of the body. Among the symptoms that help detect them are dysphagia (problems swallowing) and odynophagia (pain when swallowing).
Esophageal cancer usually starts in the cells that line the inside of the esophagus and can occur in any of its regions. It should be noted that it is more common in the male population than in the female population and that it is the sixth cause of death on the list of the most common causes of some type of cancer worldwide. In some countries, the appearance of this disease is attributed to excessive consumption of substances such as alcohol or tobacco, obesity or poor eating habits.
esophageal cancer
In addition to the two mentioned above, some of the specific symptoms of esophageal cancer are the following:
* decrease in body weight spontaneously, without following a weight loss regimen;
* burning, pressure or pain in the chest;
* indigestion or heartburn in the stomach, with a severity that escalates as the days go by;
* hoarseness or cough.
Barrett's disease and achalasia
Regarding the disease called Barrett's esophagus, it is characterized by the presence of acid reflux, which causes significant damage to the lining of the esophagus, making it thicker and altering its color from pink to reddish. It all starts with gastroesophageal reflux disease , a chemical damage that arises as a result of failures of the lower sphincter, and which usually causes regurgitation and heartburn . When it causes an alteration in certain cells in its lower part, Barrett's esophagus occurs.
Achalasia occurs when the esophagus cannot carry food to the stomach normally. Once again, poor functioning of the lower sphincter is among the causes; In this particular case, it does not relax as it should to allow the food to pass through. The general muscular activity of the esophagus may also be reduced or nullified. One of the origins of this condition is damage to the esophageal nerves, but it can also result from cancer or a parasitic infection caused by Chagas disease.