Print OverviewAchalasia is a rare disorder that makes it difficult for food and liquid to pass from the swallowing tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus) into your stomach. Achalasia occurs when nerves in the esophagus become damaged. As a result, the esophagus becomes paralyzed and dilated over time and eventually loses the ability to squeeze food down into the stomach. Food then collects in the esophagus, sometimes fermenting and washing back up into the mouth, which can taste bitter. Some people mistake this for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, in achalasia the food is coming from the esophagus, whereas in GERD the material comes from the stomach. There's no cure for achalasia. Once the esophagus is paralyzed, the muscle cannot work properly again. But symptoms can usually be managed with endoscopy, minimally invasive therapy or surgery.Products & ServicesA Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th EditionNewsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital EditionShow more products from Mayo Clinic SymptomsAchalasia symptoms generally appear gradually and worsen over time. Signs and symptoms may include: Inability to swallow (dysphagia), which may feel like food or drink is stuck in your throat Regurgitating food or saliva Heartburn Belching Chest pain that comes and goes Coughing at night Pneumonia (from aspiration of food into the lungs) Weight loss Vomiting Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get the latest health information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive your in-depth guide to digestive health, plus the latest on health innovations and news. You can unsubscribe at any time. Click here for an email preview. Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry CausesThe exact cause of achalasia is poorly understood. Researchers suspect it may be caused by a loss of nerve cells in the esophagus. There are theories about what causes this, but viral infection or autoimmune responses have been suspected. Very rarely, achalasia may be caused by an inherited genetic disorder or infection. By Mayo Clinic Staff Achalasia care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment May 11, 2023 Print Show references Zaninotto G, et al. The 2018 ISDE achalasia guidelines. Diseases of the Esophagus. 2018; doi:10.1093/dote/doy071. Achalasia. National Organization for Rare Disorders. https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/achalasia/. Accessed April 6, 2020. Achalasia. Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/achalasia/. Accessed April 6, 2020. Swanstrom LL. Achalasia: Treatment, current status and future advances. Korean Journal of Internal Medicine. 2019; doi:10.3904/kjim.2018.439. Jung HK, et al. 2019 Seoul consensus on esophageal achalasia guidelines. Neurogastroenterology and Motility. 2020; doi:10.5056/jnm20014. Achalasia. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/esophageal-and-swallowing-disorders/achalasia. Accessed April 6, 2020. Ahmed Y, et al. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia. Journal of Thoracic Disease. 2019; doi:10.21037/jtd.2019.07.84. Brown AY. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. March 12, 2020. Blackmon SH (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. April 8, 2020 Related Products & Services A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic AchalasiaSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCare atMayoClinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. 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There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get the latest health information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive your in-depth guide to digestive health, plus the latest on health innovations and news. You can unsubscribe at any time. Click here for an email preview. Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry