What Is Esophageal Stricture?
An esophageal stricture is one of the many conditions that affects the functioning of the esophagus and, in turn, the whole digestive system. Typically benign, an esophageal stricture results as the esophagus is narrowed by the buildup of scar tissue. Generally speaking, the esophagus is the tube that transports food and liquid from the mouth into the stomach, so even though a stricture is most often noncancerous, it can cause significant health issues.
The narrowing of the esophagus can cause difficulty swallowing and also increase an individual’s risk of choking; however, the condition involves several other symptoms as well. Dysphagia or the difficulty with swallowing or feeling food as it passes to the stomach is one of the most common symptoms of an esophageal stricture. Additional symptoms include pain when swallowing, unexpected and unintended weight loss, regurgitation of food and liquids, involuntary reversal of food and heartburn.
The root cause of an esophageal stricture involves damage to the esophagus that causes scar tissue to form, but several factors contribute to that damage. Chronic heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease is the most common cause of scar tissue that causes esophageal stricture. Additional causes include prolonged use of a nasogastric tube, ingestion of an acidic or corrosive substance, treatment of esophageal varices and radiation therapy.
No matter the cause, esophageal stricture can be treated naturally to safely and effectively heal the issue. One of the main factors that needs to be treated when dealing with esophageal stricture is inflammation. Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is considered especially effective for treating esophageal stricture. Additional supplements that may be of help include goldenseal root, Echinacea, geranium, marshmallow and slippery elm. These supplements ease throat pain and soothe the inflammation that contributes to esophageal stricture.
