X-RAY EVIDENCE OF EMOTIONAL INFLUENCES UPON ESOPHAGEAL FUNCTION
WILLIAM B. FAULKNER JR. M. D.1
1 The Thoracic Surgical Departments of St. Mary's and Mary's Help Hospitals, San Francisco.
1. Esophageal function is definitely altered by emotional factors.
2. Fear, anxiety, apprehension, anger and inadequacy often cause esophageal spasm with narrowing of the esophageal lumen and the production of esophageal symptoms.
3. Joy, achievement, sense of well-being and other positive emotions usually cause the esophageal spasm to disappear and the lumen opens.
4. These changes can be observed directly with the esophagoscope while they are occurring, and indirectly with the fluoroscope and x-ray.
5. Since emotional-functional alteration and organic disease may coexist, a primary diagnosis of psychosomatic dysfunction should not be made until all other causes of malfunction have been eliminated.
