The chewed food is pushed from the mouth into the oesophagus. The oesophagus is a large tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
If the mouth is the gateway to the body, then the esophagus is a highway for food and drink to travel along to make it to the stomach. This body part has a very simple function, but can have many disorders.
Function
The esophagus is a tube that connects the throat (pharynx) and the stomach. It is about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long. The esophagus isn’t just a hollow tube that food slips down like a water slide, though. The esophagus is made of muscles that contract to move food to the stomach. This process is called peristalsis, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
At the top of the esophagus is a band of muscle called the upper esophageal sphincter. Another band of muscle, the lower esophageal sphincter is at the bottom of the tube, slightly above the stomach. When a person swallows, these sphincters relax so food can pass into the stomach. When not in use, they contract so food and stomach acid do not flow back up the esophagus.
Conditions and diseases
As a person ages, the sphincters weaken, making some people more prone to backflow of acid from the stomach, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD can cause severe damage to the esophagus, according to the National Library of Medicine.
“GERD is due to the reflux of acid contents of the stomach that get refluxed up into the esophagus," Dr. Lisa Ganjhu, a clinical assistant professor of medicine and gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Live Science. "Acid is not meant to be in the esophagus so the symptoms of that may be a burning sensation in the chest, the pain can be so intense that it feels like a heart attack. It is always best to seek medical attention if you are having those symptoms.”
Some people are sensitive to certain foods that lower the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter and this allows the acid to wash up into the esophagus. Anxiety also increases the sensitivity of the esophagus so the sensation is more severe.
GERD can also cause esophagus ulcers. An ulcer is an open sore that, in this case, is located in the esophagus. Some symptoms are pain, nausea, heartburn and chest pain, according to the University of Minnesota Medical Center.
Barrett’s esophagus is a condition that may occur when the lining of the esophagus changes to be more like the lining of the intestine, according to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This condition can turn into a rare cancer called esophageal adenocarcinoma. There is no known cause of this disorder, but doctors have found that those with GERD are more likely to get Barrett’s.