Symptoms

Symptoms of Esophageal Scleroderma

Symptoms of esophageal scleroderma depend on the extent of the disease. Symptoms may include:

Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
Odynophagia (pain when swallowing)
Heartburn
Feeling that food is stuck in the esophagus
Chest pain from esophageal spasms
Choking
Dysphonia (hoarseness or voice loss)
Regurgitation (the return of partially digested food from the stomach to the mouth)

Scleroderma Foundation

Scleroderma

Scleroderma causes abnormal growth of connective tissue and can scar the esophagus, leading to heartburn and trouble swallowing.

Esophageal Varices

With esophageal varices, blood vessels in the esophagus become abnormally enlarged. They may then rupture (burst) and bleed.