What is achalasia characterized by?

Achalasia is a specific esophageal disorder that represents a significant impairment in esophageal motility. It primarily occurs due to a degeneration of the ganglion cells in the myenteric plexus, leading to a failure of the lower esophageal sphincter to relax properly during swallowing. This contributes to the hallmark symptoms of the condition, which include dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), regurgitation of undigested food, and chest pain.

Dysphagia occurs because food cannot pass easily from the esophagus into the stomach, and regurgitation happens when food and liquid back up into the esophagus due to the sphincter's inability to relax. Chest pain may result from both the discomfort of swallowing and the muscle spasms of the esophagus.

In contrast, severe gastric reflux involves the backward flow of stomach contents into the esophagus, which is not characteristic of achalasia. A bacterial infection causing esophagitis would involve inflammation of the esophagus due to infection rather than a disorder of esophageal motility. Rapidly progressing esophageal cancer presents with different symptoms and implications than those seen in achalasia. Thus, the correct characterization of achalasia revolves around its nature as a global esophageal motor disorder with its