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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor may confirm a diagnosis of esophageal spasm by these methods:
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Barium swallow (esophagram). This is the best imaging study to help diagnose esophageal spasms and a common test for people who have difficulty swallowing. A barium swallow uses a series of X-rays to examine your esophagus. During the test, you'll drink a thick liquid (barium) that temporarily coats the lining of your esophagus so that the lining shows up clearly on X-ray images. You may also be asked to swallow a barium pill to see if it gets hung up in the esophagus.
After the test, you can eat normally and resume your daily activities, although you'll need to drink extra water to help flush the barium from your system and prevent constipation.
- Esophageal motility (manometry) test. In this test, your doctor inserts a thin tube through your nose or mouth into your esophagus to measure the effectiveness of your esophageal muscles in the swallowing process.
- Esophageal computerized tomography (CT) scan. CT scans use an X-ray-generating device that rotates around your body and a powerful computer to create cross-sectional images, like slices, of the inside of your body. This test may show abnormal thickening of your esophageal muscles, a possible indicator of esophageal spasms. This test is usually done to rule out other causes of your symptoms.
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). In this test, you're sedated and an endoscope is passed through your mouth and down your throat to look directly at your esophagus. This test is useful for finding any blockages in your esophagus that may cause pain or difficulty swallowing, and it may also show irritation of your esophagus from acid reflux.
