In this guide
6 min readSymptom Guide
Food sticking in the chest or difficulty swallowing should not be ignored, especially when it worsens over time. It may be due to reflux-related narrowing, rings, inflammation, motility disorders or serious causes.
Key Takeaways
- GERD-related stricture
- Food pipe narrowing
- Inflammation or ulcers
- Motility disorder
- Tumor or growth in selected cases
Common causes
Swallowing difficulty can involve the throat or food pipe.
- GERD-related stricture
- Food pipe narrowing
- Inflammation or ulcers
- Motility disorder
- Tumor or growth in selected cases
Warning signs
Progressive difficulty, weight loss, vomiting, anemia, black stool or inability to swallow liquids needs urgent evaluation.
How endoscopy helps
Endoscopy can directly examine the food pipe, detect narrowing, take biopsy if needed and plan treatment such as dilation in selected cases.
Preparation
Fasting is usually required. Bring previous endoscopy, barium swallow, CT or prescription reports if available.