Esophageal Pain

During the last quarter century, there has been an explosion of knowledge in the areas of visceral and esophageal pain. The effectiveness of acid inhibition drugs (proton pump inhibitors), still the mainstay of treatment, is increasingly questioned as significant numbers of patients show little benefit from such therapy. Newer mechanisms of esophageal pain have been uncovered during last twenty years and it is quite clear that novel approaches are emerging in the treatment of pain. Comprising contributions for leading expert authors, this is the first in-depth coverage of all aspects of esophageal pain. In great detail, chapters cover the scope of the problem; basic science - with regards to the nature of neural pathways, receptors involved in sensing pain and the role of central nervous system in sensing the pain; different stimuli responsible for the genesis of esophageal pain, including the role of acid, muscle spasm and reflux; hypersensitivity of pain receptors, spinal nerves and central nervous system; current state of the art in diagnosis and treatment strategies; and, lastly, newer pharmacological treatments currently in research and trial stages.