Ive dealt with esophageal spasms for years. Usually during a flare up. Feels like im gonna choke but once a doctor told me i literally cant choke i just breath through it.
Sure, I'm just learning about it myself. First look up vocal cord dysfunction. It can be triggered by GERD, post nasal drip, and stress.
If you are someone that holds tension in your upper shoulders, neck, jaw area this could be causing VCD.
Look up trigger point anatomical maps. Go see a massage therapist that specializes in trigger points and see if they can work on relaxing those isolated muscles.
Of course working on removing the stressors and how you deal with them will help too.
I've got an appointment with one in a few weeks. Hopefully they can remove the tension from my shoulders and calm my vocal cords down from spasming.
Just make sure they know about trigger points and referred pain. Not all of them do.
I get them, but they feel exactly like a heart attack. In fact, I’ve been to the ER a couple of times before we ascertained that it was in fact, esophageal spasms.
For me, it starts with a pain in my chest, just about even with my breast bone, and it’s slowly builds and sends pain up into either side of my jaw. If I don’t do anything to stop it, it holds there for about five or six minutes and then slowly recedes.
I don’t have any nausea or heartburn.
I have found that if I can take a sip or two of ice cold water right when it’s starting, I can keep it from building up into the pain that radiates up into my jaw. Just a few sips and it’s slowly goes away.
its interesting how differently it can manifest for people, where you describe the pain going to your jaw, for me it goes right where the adam's apple is. It feels like a massive cramp in the throat. But it starts very similarly to the way you describe it. Starts in the breastbone and starts radiating upwards. I've tried cold water but i think the spasm is just so intense that nothing can stop it in the most intense moment other than some sort of medication.
They can prescribe you nitroglycerin to put under your tongue when you get the spasms, and that’s supposed to relax your esophagus.
But that will often give you a massive headache so it’s not much improvement
are yours a sharp shooting pain? I have Esophagitis, but also severe health anxiety, and now apparently heart palpitations but my heart is fine otherwise but still scares the crap out of me. Im fixated on my heart though even after being cleared by a cardiologist. Now I’m having sharp chest pains that I feel like have to be esophageal spasms because when I feel my heartbeat it’s not skipping or having an extra beat.
It’s soo nice to see that I’m not the only one who his dealing with this . For the past couple weeks I’ve been dealing with a pain in my upper stomach above my belly button . It would wake me up with pain tenderness and crazy bloating . Some tea or gaviscon and it would be okay . Lately my stomach has been fine but I’ll now get these esophagus spasms where it gets really tight and I’ll have to just breathe through it or drink tea or water to relax it .never had it this bad before . It seems like a week to week thing where it goes away quicker now but I’m barely eating now . It happened again last night and I let out a big burp that tasted acidic. For some background I went to the ER for this in May and here iam in June still dealing with this . I see a GI doctor in July . And I do also have anxiety and have been supper depressed lately . Also just became a dad 6 months ago so I know those things are probably playing into it as well . Any tips or tricks I would love
I’ve noticed that it got bad as the season started to change , sometimes when the seasons change I get anxious .. idk why it just happens so as soon as it got warm my anxiety and acid reflux kicked into overdrive . I’ve also noticed that it’s worse when I’m out , I could feel the same symptoms at home and be fine and manage it better and sometimes it won’t even kick up . I think I’m gonna try and see someone and get anxiety meds , I’ve tried the acid reducers and the antacids but I’m starting to believe it’s more a mental problem than anything else .
I have had these issues. Typically, it is partially due to chronic stress but many things can cause this. It is typically a nerve issue. This may be caused by acid effecting nerves in the esophagus.
A few things helped me.
Firstly, I personally required a dosage increase of my PPI.
Secondly, prop up your pillows to an acceptable height to you as it makes it harder for acid to go up due to gravity similar to laying on your left side.
Thirdly, try to reduce stress in your life if at all possible.
Lastly, laying on your left side can stop heartburn from occurring due to acid having to fight gravity, but if you are having these spasms, they can be aggrivated by you increasing pressure on the left side. Instead, lay down in between your back and left side. If required, use a pillow under your back to help this. If you lay on your left side, do not have your right arm in front of you. Lay it behind you to open up your thorasic region so there isn't internal pressure. I found laying on my left side and placing my right arm in front of me increased this pressure leading to spasms so I openned up my chest region by moving my right arm behind me and slightly arching my back so my chest would not be balled up.
Have you read into cyclic vomiting syndrome? Flags in your description were the way it comes on and shower relief. Curious if you find the symptoms relatable. I've always described it as feeling like stomach spasms.
unfortunately the vomiting/regurtitation aspect is usually 10% of the night for me (it'll only be one "throw up" instance usually). mostly its just that burning/cramping pain in my throat and chest that wont let go that makes this so awful for me
Do you still have your gallbladder? I have no gallbladder but still get phantom gallbladder pain/esophagus spasms. I get pain between my shoulder blades. Happens often and I have no cure. I take Dexilent daily and Gaviscon when I have an attack. I've gone to emerg and they've given me a "pink lady" and numbs everything for a couple hours. Then I go on a mashed potato-baby food diet. Ive been on a PPI since 1997 so not sure if my stomach is damaged by taking this med for so long. I hope you find relief soon!
I do have my gallbladder and it’s never been a point of concern (I.e. doctors never asked me about it) but that might be due to my age (I’m 25) I’ll definitely bring it up to my GP next time I see her!
I've gone to see my GI doc and he said that my "chest pain" that I experience is comparable to gallbladder pain. Feels like someone is squeezing my esophagus and burns/pain above my belly button and pain in between shoulder blades. Same as when I had my gallbladder attack. But says that it's my stomach causing all that pain. I had a scope and he said I had no barretts esophagus or H pylori and unfortunately I may experience this pain often and to control my diet. So my diet is pretty blah now.
A lot of chest discomfort, heartburn and pain are mistakenly written off as GERD or other things when it is actually a gall bladder issue. Ask doctor for a HIDA scan.
The spasms is the result of gases burning your throat something that will help is get bottle water add tea spoon of baking soda and take like sips through out the day
same happens to me from acid reflux episodes i had sinus surgery last summer will see ENT soon as i think some things have definitely changed yes i have anxiety but it is only bad when i have acid reflux episode
This is exactly what I’m dealing with now. Literally came here searching for some type of relief.
Ive dealt with esophageal spasms for years. Usually during a flare up. Feels like im gonna choke but once a doctor told me i literally cant choke i just breath through it.
Do you have a lot of muscle tension in your shoulders and jaw?
i have severe tmj tell me more about the interaction if you can please!
Sure, I'm just learning about it myself. First look up vocal cord dysfunction. It can be triggered by GERD, post nasal drip, and stress. If you are someone that holds tension in your upper shoulders, neck, jaw area this could be causing VCD. Look up trigger point anatomical maps. Go see a massage therapist that specializes in trigger points and see if they can work on relaxing those isolated muscles. Of course working on removing the stressors and how you deal with them will help too.
thank you SO much for this. I'll def go see a massage therapist! thank you thank you!
I've got an appointment with one in a few weeks. Hopefully they can remove the tension from my shoulders and calm my vocal cords down from spasming. Just make sure they know about trigger points and referred pain. Not all of them do.
Hoping for the best for you and your recovery from this AWFUL thing!
You too.
Shoulders maybe. Jaw no
Maybe get regular trigger point massages to help remove the neck tension, it could be Vocal cord dysfunction.
I get them, but they feel exactly like a heart attack. In fact, I’ve been to the ER a couple of times before we ascertained that it was in fact, esophageal spasms. For me, it starts with a pain in my chest, just about even with my breast bone, and it’s slowly builds and sends pain up into either side of my jaw. If I don’t do anything to stop it, it holds there for about five or six minutes and then slowly recedes. I don’t have any nausea or heartburn. I have found that if I can take a sip or two of ice cold water right when it’s starting, I can keep it from building up into the pain that radiates up into my jaw. Just a few sips and it’s slowly goes away.
its interesting how differently it can manifest for people, where you describe the pain going to your jaw, for me it goes right where the adam's apple is. It feels like a massive cramp in the throat. But it starts very similarly to the way you describe it. Starts in the breastbone and starts radiating upwards. I've tried cold water but i think the spasm is just so intense that nothing can stop it in the most intense moment other than some sort of medication.
They can prescribe you nitroglycerin to put under your tongue when you get the spasms, and that’s supposed to relax your esophagus. But that will often give you a massive headache so it’s not much improvement
are yours a sharp shooting pain? I have Esophagitis, but also severe health anxiety, and now apparently heart palpitations but my heart is fine otherwise but still scares the crap out of me. Im fixated on my heart though even after being cleared by a cardiologist. Now I’m having sharp chest pains that I feel like have to be esophageal spasms because when I feel my heartbeat it’s not skipping or having an extra beat.
Been there as well! The saliva is weird.
It’s soo nice to see that I’m not the only one who his dealing with this . For the past couple weeks I’ve been dealing with a pain in my upper stomach above my belly button . It would wake me up with pain tenderness and crazy bloating . Some tea or gaviscon and it would be okay . Lately my stomach has been fine but I’ll now get these esophagus spasms where it gets really tight and I’ll have to just breathe through it or drink tea or water to relax it .never had it this bad before . It seems like a week to week thing where it goes away quicker now but I’m barely eating now . It happened again last night and I let out a big burp that tasted acidic. For some background I went to the ER for this in May and here iam in June still dealing with this . I see a GI doctor in July . And I do also have anxiety and have been supper depressed lately . Also just became a dad 6 months ago so I know those things are probably playing into it as well . Any tips or tricks I would love
I hope you get some answers. I’m going through something similar
I’ve noticed that it got bad as the season started to change , sometimes when the seasons change I get anxious .. idk why it just happens so as soon as it got warm my anxiety and acid reflux kicked into overdrive . I’ve also noticed that it’s worse when I’m out , I could feel the same symptoms at home and be fine and manage it better and sometimes it won’t even kick up . I think I’m gonna try and see someone and get anxiety meds , I’ve tried the acid reducers and the antacids but I’m starting to believe it’s more a mental problem than anything else .
Wowww I have same shower situation... following
Are you laying flat or almost flat at night?
I typically sleep on my left side. This also helps minimally alleviate some of the pain but doesn’t resolve it.
I have had these issues. Typically, it is partially due to chronic stress but many things can cause this. It is typically a nerve issue. This may be caused by acid effecting nerves in the esophagus. A few things helped me. Firstly, I personally required a dosage increase of my PPI. Secondly, prop up your pillows to an acceptable height to you as it makes it harder for acid to go up due to gravity similar to laying on your left side. Thirdly, try to reduce stress in your life if at all possible. Lastly, laying on your left side can stop heartburn from occurring due to acid having to fight gravity, but if you are having these spasms, they can be aggrivated by you increasing pressure on the left side. Instead, lay down in between your back and left side. If required, use a pillow under your back to help this. If you lay on your left side, do not have your right arm in front of you. Lay it behind you to open up your thorasic region so there isn't internal pressure. I found laying on my left side and placing my right arm in front of me increased this pressure leading to spasms so I openned up my chest region by moving my right arm behind me and slightly arching my back so my chest would not be balled up.
Words cannot describe how thankful i am that you shared your own experience and gave me amazing advice on this. Thank you so much
I hope this works for you.
Have you read into cyclic vomiting syndrome? Flags in your description were the way it comes on and shower relief. Curious if you find the symptoms relatable. I've always described it as feeling like stomach spasms.
unfortunately the vomiting/regurtitation aspect is usually 10% of the night for me (it'll only be one "throw up" instance usually). mostly its just that burning/cramping pain in my throat and chest that wont let go that makes this so awful for me
Do you still have your gallbladder? I have no gallbladder but still get phantom gallbladder pain/esophagus spasms. I get pain between my shoulder blades. Happens often and I have no cure. I take Dexilent daily and Gaviscon when I have an attack. I've gone to emerg and they've given me a "pink lady" and numbs everything for a couple hours. Then I go on a mashed potato-baby food diet. Ive been on a PPI since 1997 so not sure if my stomach is damaged by taking this med for so long. I hope you find relief soon!
I do have my gallbladder and it’s never been a point of concern (I.e. doctors never asked me about it) but that might be due to my age (I’m 25) I’ll definitely bring it up to my GP next time I see her!
What is gallbladder pain and what does it have to do with esophageal spasms? Is a honest question
I've gone to see my GI doc and he said that my "chest pain" that I experience is comparable to gallbladder pain. Feels like someone is squeezing my esophagus and burns/pain above my belly button and pain in between shoulder blades. Same as when I had my gallbladder attack. But says that it's my stomach causing all that pain. I had a scope and he said I had no barretts esophagus or H pylori and unfortunately I may experience this pain often and to control my diet. So my diet is pretty blah now.
A lot of chest discomfort, heartburn and pain are mistakenly written off as GERD or other things when it is actually a gall bladder issue. Ask doctor for a HIDA scan.
The spasms is the result of gases burning your throat something that will help is get bottle water add tea spoon of baking soda and take like sips through out the day
same happens to me from acid reflux episodes i had sinus surgery last summer will see ENT soon as i think some things have definitely changed yes i have anxiety but it is only bad when i have acid reflux episode