How are esophageal spasms treated?

How are esophageal spasms treated?

Esophageal spasm treatments focus on relaxing the esophageal muscles to relieve your symptoms. If esophageal spasms don’t cause symptoms, you may not need treatment.

Treatments include:

• Home remedies: Research has shown that peppermint oil may help calm esophageal muscles. Drinking water with a few drops of peppermint oil may relieve minor symptoms. Identifying what triggers your symptoms could help you avoid future spasms.
• Medication: Medication can treat esophageal spasms in different ways. Taking calcium channel blockers (blood pressure medicine) before eating helps many people swallow more easily. Tricyclic antidepressants can target the faulty esophageal nerves, relieving pain.
• Botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections: Botox injections temporarily paralyze the esophagus muscles, stopping spasms. If other therapies haven’t helped, your provider may recommend this option. Treatment benefits usually last one year.
• Surgery: For severe cases, your provider may recommend surgery to fix the problem permanently. During a myotomy surgery, a provider makes an incision along the lower esophagus muscle. This incision stops the muscle from working entirely, which stops abnormal contractions. With the esophageal muscle no longer in use, gravity helps move food and liquid into the esophagus.