Could Botox Really Treat My Achalasia?

Achalasia is a disorder of the lower esophageal sphincter (or esophagus itself) in which patients have a hard time swallowing. Achalasia sufferers may also have other symptoms, such as acid reflux. In this post, we’ll briefly discuss the different treatment options available for achalasia, and hone in on one popular treatment: Botox injections. We’ll also answer the following common questions: how successful is Botox for achalasia, does Botox help with achalasia, and how long does Botox last for achalasia?

What Are My Achalasia Treatment Options?

When it comes to treating your achalasia, there are a few things you can attempt. First and foremost, your doctor will probably recommend that you try making some lifestyle changes, such as chewing your food more completely, drinking more liquids with your meal, and eating more frequent and smaller meals. 

If these tips don’t help you, your options are either surgery, medication, or injection. In this post, we’ll be focusing on only one form of achalasia treatment: Botox injections.

Does Botox Help With Achalasia?

So, how successful is Botox for achalasia? Does Botox help with achalasia or is it in your best interest to choose a different treatment method? 

Now, Botox, also known as botulinum toxin, injections are completely safe and can be a viable treatment option for patients who cannot have surgery; Botox does, indeed, relieve patients’ symptoms. Plus, the complications of Botox injections are generally very mild. However, patients need to keep in mind that Botox is temporary, and each injection you receive will cause an increase in the chance that complications will occur if you ever do choose to have a surgical achlasia treatment.

How Long Does Botox Last for Achalasia?

A single Botox injection will last about six months. Repeat injections will be required in order to maintain a symptom-free life. For this reason, the team at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center generally recommends a surgical approach to achalasia treatment over medications - including Botox. If you cannot have surgery, and you want a more longer-lasting solution to your achalasia, you may wish to discuss balloon dilation with your reflux specialist.

Which Achalasia Treatment Is Permanent?

Now that we’ve determined that Botox injections are not permanent, what methods are? If you don’t want to keep coming into the office for repeat injections, your best option is a surgical one. For example, here at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center, we offer Heller Mmotomy surgeries. This surgery will cut the LES and rebuild it to allow food to pass through unobstructed.

Do you have achalasia? If you’ve been looking into treatment methods and aren’t sure which one is right for you, get in touch with our team of reflux and achalasia specialists today.