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What Causes Nausea In An Elderly Person?
i'm 70 yrs of age female and lately have noted I cannot tolerate certain foods. I feel my oesophagus is narrowing and have to be cautious what I eat .on some occasion I feel nausea for no reason.
I can only tolerate light vegetable soups or steamed vegetables ...should I have an endoscopy ?
my email is YYYY@YYYY my name is Lina
I can only tolerate light vegetable soups or steamed vegetables ...should I have an endoscopy ?
my email is YYYY@YYYY my name is Lina
Tue, 25 Apr 2017
Hi Lina,
I am sorry to hear that.
If I were your treating Doctor for this case of nausea and difficulty swallowing, I would come up with two possibilities, these include:
1. Achalasia: This failure of muscle fibers of your esophagus to relax, which can cause a sphincter to remain closed and fail to open when needed.
Patients with Achalasia would come with difficulty swallowing liquids first.
You need to get Barium swallow and manometry and EGD with biopsy.
Meanwhile, I would suggest you eat slowly, chew very well, drink plenty of water with meals, and avoid eating near bedtime. Raising the head of the bed or sleeping with a wedge pillow promotes emptying of the esophagus by gravity. For nausea use ondansetron whenever symptomatic.
If it is diagnosed as achalasia after the above tests, You may have to take Nifedipine or nitrates.
If symptoms do not resolve with above, we may have to go to dilate the sphincter or undergo POEM surgery through endoscopy.
2. Esophageal cancer: Difficulty swallowing in elderly could also be from oesophageal cancer which would be diagnosed by endoscopy and biopsy of the tumor and treated by resection. But patients with Esophageal cancer would come with difficulty swallowing solids first and liquids later.
Hope, this answers your question. If you have additional questions or follow up questions then please do not hesitate in writing to us.
I will be happy to answer your questions.
Wishing you good health.
Dr. Sindhu
I am sorry to hear that.
If I were your treating Doctor for this case of nausea and difficulty swallowing, I would come up with two possibilities, these include:
1. Achalasia: This failure of muscle fibers of your esophagus to relax, which can cause a sphincter to remain closed and fail to open when needed.
Patients with Achalasia would come with difficulty swallowing liquids first.
You need to get Barium swallow and manometry and EGD with biopsy.
Meanwhile, I would suggest you eat slowly, chew very well, drink plenty of water with meals, and avoid eating near bedtime. Raising the head of the bed or sleeping with a wedge pillow promotes emptying of the esophagus by gravity. For nausea use ondansetron whenever symptomatic.
If it is diagnosed as achalasia after the above tests, You may have to take Nifedipine or nitrates.
If symptoms do not resolve with above, we may have to go to dilate the sphincter or undergo POEM surgery through endoscopy.
2. Esophageal cancer: Difficulty swallowing in elderly could also be from oesophageal cancer which would be diagnosed by endoscopy and biopsy of the tumor and treated by resection. But patients with Esophageal cancer would come with difficulty swallowing solids first and liquids later.
Hope, this answers your question. If you have additional questions or follow up questions then please do not hesitate in writing to us.
I will be happy to answer your questions.
Wishing you good health.
Dr. Sindhu
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