The esophagus Throat and Esophagus The throat (pharynx) lies behind and below the mouth. When food and fluids leave the mouth, they pass through the throat. Swallowing of food and fluids begins voluntarily and continues automatically... read more (the hollow tube that leads from the throat to the stomach) is rather difficult to injure but it can be injured gradually by backflow of acid from the stomach (gastroesophageal reflux Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In gastroesophageal reflux disease, stomach contents, including acid and bile, flow backward from the stomach into the esophagus, causing inflammation in the esophagus and pain in the bottom... read more 
or GERD). The esophagus may also be injured suddenly by swallowing caustic or acidic chemicals Caustic Substances Poisoning Caustic substances are highly acidic or alkaline chemicals that can cause severe burns to the mouth and digestive tract when swallowed. When swallowed, caustic substances can burn all tissues... read more , irritating drugs, or sharp objects, or by extreme pressure. Extreme pressure can occur during violent vomiting, and violent vomiting can cause tears in the esophagus Esophageal Laceration (Mallory-Weiss Syndrome) An esophageal laceration (Mallory-Weiss syndrome) is a tear that does not penetrate the wall of the esophagus. The tear can be caused by forceful vomiting. Symptoms include blood in vomit. The... read more 
. A very serious injury is rupture of the esophagus Esophageal Ruptures Esophageal ruptures are tears that penetrate the wall of the esophagus. Ruptures can be caused by surgical procedures, severe vomiting, or swallowing a large piece of food that becomes stuck... read more . This injury is rare and can be caused by surgical procedures or by vomiting or swallowing a large mass of food.
Symptoms
Sudden injuries of the esophagus usually cause pain, often felt as sharp pain under the breastbone. They may also cause bleeding, and blood may appear in vomit or stool. Fainting may occur due to this pain, especially if the esophagus ruptures. This rupture allows food contents to spill into the mediastinum (the area of the chest bordered by the sternum in front, the spinal column in back, the entrance to the chest cavity above, and the diaphragm below) and causes mediastinitis Mediastinitis Mediastinitis is inflammation of the mediastinum (the chest cavity, which contains the heart, the thymus gland, some lymph nodes, and parts of the esophagus, aorta, thyroid, and parathyroid... read more .
Diagnosis and Treatment
Depends on the injury
Doctors use various methods to diagnose injuries of the esophagus. Methods include upper endoscopy Endoscopy Endoscopy is an examination of internal structures using a flexible viewing tube (endoscope). In addition to examinations, doctors can use endoscopy to do biopsies and give treatment. Endoscopes... read more and different types of x-rays.
Treatment of injuries to the esophagus depends on the cause of the injury.
