Esophageal diverticulosis involves the appearance of a small pote, called diverticulums, in the part of the digestive tract between the mouth and stomach, causing symptoms such as:
The onset of these types of symptoms is usually more common after age 30 and it is common for an isolated symptom, such as cough, to worsen over time or with other symptoms.
- Esophageal diverticulosis is not a serious problem.
- However.
- Diverticulums can increase over time and this can cause blockage of the throat.
- Causing pain when swallowing.
- Impossibility of food reaching the stomach and even recurrent pneumonia.
- For example.
Diagnosis of esophageal diverticulosis is usually made by a gastroenterologist after certain diagnostic tests such as:
This type of test should be done whenever symptoms similar to diverticulosis appear, as there is no specific cause to suggest the development of diverticulums in the esophagus.
Treatment of esophageal diverticulosis varies depending on the symptoms that occur, and when they cause few changes in the patient’s life, only a few precautions are recommended, such as a varied diet, chewing food well, drinking 2 liters of water a day and sleeping with high headboard, for example.
In cases where diverticulosis causes great difficulty swallowing or the onset of recurrent pneumonia, the gastroenterologist may recommend surgery to remove the diverticulums and strengthen the lining of the esophagus, thus avoiding recurrence.
However, surgery should only have been used in cases where symptoms are severe because there are risks, such as damage to the lungs, spleen or liver, as well as thrombosis, for example.