Natural Cure For Esophageal Motility Disorder With Remedies

ABSTRACT

Esophageal motility disorder (EMD) is a disorder of the esophagus where the tube which carries food from mouth to stomach is unable to empty food into the stomach and leads to various symptoms like causing difficulty in swallowing and chest pain. It is a rare disease of the esophagus that occurs less commonly than other inflammatory diseases of the esophagus. It affects 1 in a million population of the world and can occur at any age but is common in individuals after 40 years of age. Here we will discuss natural herbal ways to prevent the condition of esophageal dysmotility.

INTRODUCTION OF ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER

Esophagus is a hollow muscular organ which is 25 cm in length. It has three parts cervical, thoracic and abdominal where cervical having UES (upper esophageal sphincter) and abdominal having LES (lower esophageal sphincter) located at the distal part of the esophagus. The function of the esophagus is to transport food from mouth to stomach through peristaltic waves triggered by the swallowing center in the brain stem and in some cases UES unable to relax and pass food bolus through it.

Esophageal motility disorders are of two types:-

Primary

1. Achalasia (fails of LES to relax during swallowing)
2. Spastic EMD like hypertrophic LES (where LES resting pressure is measured), diffuse esophageal.

Secondary

1. Diabetes
2. Alcohol consumption
3. Neuromuscular diseases are included
4. Nonspecific esophageal motility disorder where incomplete lower esophageal relaxation and loss of peristalsis occur
5. Presbyesophagus: Abnormal motility in the elderly is referred to as presbyesophagus people become symptomatic with chest pain or dysphagia.

AYURVEDIC VIEW ON ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER

According to ayurveda esophageal motility disorder can be related to anavaha strotas (digestive channel) leading to dushti (imbalance) of vata by impairing normal functioning of nerves and muscle causing dysphagia and pitta doshas, causing various symptoms like dysphagia, kanthdaha (inflammation of food pipe), heartburn, tikta udgara (sour eructations), weight loss ultimately leading to krishta (malnutrition). Symptoms of this disorder are managed accordingly by following sadvritta, dietary measures and some herbal ayurvedic medicines like saunf (fennel), ajwain, sajjikshara, triphala (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica, Emblica officinalis), ghritkumari (Aloe barbadensis), ginger, elaichi (cardamom) possessing antioxidant, antacid, anti inflammatory and various other properties to aid in digestive ailments (heartburn, gastritis and regurgitation) caused in esophageal motility disorder.

CAUSES OF ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER

There is no exact cause of this disorder but there are certain risk factors leading to the development of this condition as follows:-

1. History of GERD
2. Anxiety and depression
3. Consuming very hot and cold beverages
4. Certain cancer treatments and surgery of the neck

CLINICAL FEATURES OF ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER

Esophageal motility disorder causes various clinical features according to its causes given below:-

1. Dysphagia to both solid and liquid foods
2. Regurgitation
3. Retrosternal pain
4. Heartburn
5. GERD like symptoms
6. Weight loss
7. Malnutrition

INVESTIGATION ON ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER

1. X-RAY:- may show dilated esophagus with sigmoid appearance as seen in achalasia
2. Barium swallow to look at the anatomy of the esophagus
3. Endoscopy for diagnosing ringed esophagus
4. Esophageal manometry to measure contractions while a person drinks
5. Esophageal Ph test to detect stomach acid coming back into the esophagus
6. Clinical history suggests EMD in early symptoms

TREATMENT OF ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER

Though esophageal motility disorder is a rare disease, its management is done by reducing its symptoms by following methods.

1. Muscle relaxants to reduce spasm like calcium channel blockers and nitroglycerine
2. Botulinum injection into the area of dysmotility
3. Balloon dilatation of LES
4. Surgery like myotomy

If a patient is not responding to medication then he is advised surgery to avoid the disorder but research needs to be done to prove the efficacy of the surgery.

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT ON ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER

The condition of this motility disorder is managed naturally by reducing the spasm of the esophagus cause the nerves and muscle do not work properly thus preventing the food from entering into the stomach thus swallowing becomes difficult. Spasms are reduced using peppermint oil by relaxing the muscles of those including esophagus and since the disorder is caused by the vitiation of vata dosha so there is a need of balancing vata dosha by ensuring its anulomana properties. So, along with the digestion promoting herbs, vata balancing herbs are also included to make anulomana of aggravated vata.Planet ayurveda provides a blend of certain herbs helpful in managing the motility disorders symptoms and maintaining vata and pitta balance.

HOW PLANET AYURVEDA AIDS IN ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER

Planet ayurveda provides various polyherbal medicines containing triphala (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica, Emblica officinalis), sajjikshara (sodium carbonate), shunti (zingiber officinalis), saunf (foeniculum vulgare), Indian bay leaf (cinnamomum tamala), sankha bhasma (calyx of conch shell) etc having anti inflammatory, antacid and pitta balancing properties which aids in overall digestive health aggravated in esophageal motility disorder.

1. Avipattikar Churna

Avipitikar churna contains various herbs like amla (Emblica officinalis), haritki (Terminalia chebula), sonth (zingiber officinalis), vida lavana etc having all antioxidant and digestive properties to pacify imbalanced pitta dosha thus aids in esophageal motility disorder.

Dosage: 1 tsf twice daily before or after food with lukewarm water.

2. Mahashankh Vati

Mahashankh vati is a polyherbal medicine having herbs like sankha bhasma (calyx of conch shell), shunti (zingiber officinalis), rock salt and other herbs having carminative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties to mitigate vata and pitta dosha and reducing acidity and abdominal pain.

Dosage: 1 to 2 tablets twice daily with lukewarm water after food.

3. Digesto Plan Syrup

Digestoplan syrup is made from the combination of various digestive, anti inflammatory and antioxidants herbs like haritki (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica, Emblica officinalis) carminative like jeera (Cuminum cyminum), saunf (foeniculum vulgare), saunth (zingiber officinale) and pudina (Mentha piperita) for the dysmotility disorder.

Dosage: 1 to 2 tsf twice a day with lukewarm water after food.

4. Digestion Support

Digestion support is a polyherbal medicine containing herbs like triphala (Terminalia bellirica, Emblica officinalis), pippali (Piper longum), jeera (Cuminum cyminum), dhania (Coriander sativum) and others which pacify all three doshas (vata, pitta, kapha) for improving overall circulation and proper assimilation of food.

Dosage: 1 capsules twice daily with plain water after a meal.

5. Acido Plan Syrup

Dosage: 1 to 2 tsf twice a day with water before or after food.

Lifestyle Changes

Doctor may recommend certain dietary changes to avoid occurrence of esophageal motility disorder

1. Avoid alcohol
2. Quit smoking
3. Avoid constrictive clothing
4. Sticky food should not be taken
5. Do not take heavy meals altogether
6. Losing weight if you are overweight
7. Avoiding certain food items leading to the aggravation of GERD like symptoms

CONCLUSION

Esophageal motility disorder though a rare disorder caused by mechanical barriers or various other factors as discussed above can be managed symptomatically by obtaining a certain lifestyle and usage of natural herbs mentioned in the planet ayurveda are rich in properties aiding in this disorder condition and are prepared by the natural extracts of those herbs free from any type of preservatives and side effects and can be taken by any age group.