Vickie306

Symptoms can vary alittle, but the most common complaint of esophageal spasms is the feeling of a heart attack. That's why it's very common to see yourself winding up in the ER dept. Once they rule out cardiovascular and give you xanax and a GI cocktail and the symptoms instantly go away.....you feel kinda stupid. Or at least the first 2 times I felt really stupid. I mean one minute your positive you dying and the next your fine with no symptoms at all.

The spasms can range from mild to severe. The mild ones I just deal with. For me those are the days when my throat feels alittle tight when trying to swallow starting at the bottom of my throat to about middle chest. Also during those periods I notice my chest may feel alittle tight as well.

The moderate ones give me mild cardio symptoms.....like palps, left side of neck tight or maybe some jeft side jaw pain. I find doing some stretches, like pushing your chest up and out, and pulling your shoulders back can actually break a spasm. Making the chest muscles work in a different way.

And ok....don't laugh your head off at this one......but I've been known to break out in a loud chorus of a favorite song. This also forces muscles in throat to work in a different way. If I'm out somewhere where I can't break into song....or start stretching....I take the med instead.

The full blown attack brings on the sensation of an elephant sitting on your chest, pain running up your neck into your jaw and even down your left arm. Sweating, nausea, etc. Those are the really really bad ones. In these cases, it's the full blown med management of xanax/GI cocktail. And I get as quiet and still as quickly as I can.