An oesophageal diverticulum is a pouch or a sac that can bulge out of certain organs. If you have more than one diverticulum, it is referred to as diverticula. This condition can also be associated with inflammation or infection in the diverticula, which is more serious than the presence of a regular diverticulum.
An oesophageal diverticulum can be expressed with symptoms that range widely from mild to quite severe. The symptoms of this condition can also worsen over time as the pouches stretch out or grow. The symptoms of this condition are:
Some people only experience symptoms related to this condition when they bend over or when they lie down. Other patients might experience the symptoms of this condition all the time.
The causes of this condition can vary. The condition is not well understood, but oesophageal disorders, muscle spasms, or regurgitation are related to other kinds of health problems that are related to the stomach or digestion. Some people seem to develop this condition spontaneously as well.
The most common causes of oesophageal diverticulum are:
The most common way to diagnose this condition is to do a barium swallow test. This test requires that the patient ingest food that has been treated with barium, which is visible on the X-ray. This allows X-rays to be taken at set intervals to track the progression of the food through the oesophagus. If there are oesophageal diverticula in the oesophagus, the food will collect in the pouches and be revealed by the X-rays.
There are many instances where oesophageal diverticulum does not need to be treated. If the pouches become big enough, they might need to be removed via surgery. Patients should also be sure to eat a bland diet, avoid eating large bites of food, and they will need to chew slowly and completely when they eat. Patients should also drink enough water while they eat a meal and make sure that they sit upright while they eat.
Prevention of this condition is not usually possible. This condition can happen spontaneously, which makes it hard to prevent. If you do know that you have oesophageal diverticulum, you will need to be sure to avoid foods that make your condition worse and to be certain to take care to eat small bites and to chew slowly.
For those with motility conditions, treatment of these problems can have a big impact on the prevention of oesophageal diverticulum. Other patients can benefit from speech and language therapy which can help with swallowing and issues with the voice related to the condition.