The diagnosis of nutcracker esophagus is typically made with an esophageal motility study, which shows characteristic features of the disorder. Esophageal motility studies involve pressure measurements of the esophagus after a patient takes a wet (fluid-containing) or dry (solid-containing) swallow. Measurements are usually taken at various points in the esophagus.

Nutcracker esophagus is characterized by a number of criteria described in the literature. The most commonly used criteria are the Castell criteria, named after American gastroenterologist D.O. Castell. The Castell criteria include one major criterion: a mean peristaltic amplitude in the distal esophagus of more than 180 mm Hg. The minor criterion is the presence of repetitive contractions (meaning two or more) that are greater than six seconds in duration. Castell also noted that the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes normally in nutcracker esophagus, but has an elevated pressure of greater than 40 mm Hg at baseline.

Three other criteria for definition of the nutcracker esophagus have been defined. The Gothenburg criterion consists of the presence of peristaltic contractions, with an amplitude of 180 mm Hg at any place in the esophagus. The Richter criterion involves the presence of peristaltic contractions with an amplitude of greater than 180 mmHg from an average of measurements taken 3 and 8 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter. It has been incorporated into a number of clinical guidelines for the evaluation of dysphagia. The Achem criteria are more stringent, and are an extension of the study of 93 patients used by Richter and Castell in the development of their criteria, and require amplitudes of greater than 199 mm Hg at 3 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), greater than 172 mm Hg at 8 cm above the LES, or greater than 102 mm Hg at 13 cm above the LES.

Once a patient complains of dysphagia they should have an "upper endoscopy" (EGD). Commonly patients are found to have esophagitis and may have an esophageal stricture. Biopsies are usually done to look for evidence of esophagitis even if the EGD is normal. Usually no further testing is required if the diagnosis is established on EGD. Repeat endoscopy may be needed for follow up.

If there is a suspicion of a proximal lesion such as:

- history of surgery for laryngeal or esophageal cancer

- history of radiation or irritating injury

- achalasia

- Zenker's diverticulum

a "barium swallow" may be performed before endoscopy to help identify abnormalities that might increase the risk of perforation at the time of endoscopy.

If achalasia suspected an upper endoscopy is required to exclude a malignancy as a cause of the findings on barium swallow. Manometry is performed next to confirm. A normal endoscopy should be followed by manometry, and if manometry is also normal, the diagnosis is functional dysphagia.

The patient is generally sent for a GI, pulmonary, or ENT, depending on the suspected underlying cause. Consultations with a speech therapist and registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) are also needed, as many patients may need dietary modifications such as thickened fluids.

In patients who have dysphagia, testing may first be done to exclude an anatomical cause of dysphagia, such as distortion of the anatomy of the esophagus. This usually includes visualization of the esophagus with an endoscope, and can also include barium swallow X-rays of the esophagus. Endoscopy is typically normal in patients with nutcracker esophagus; however, abnormalities associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, which associates with nutcracker esophagus, may be seen. Barium swallow in nutcracker esophagus is also typically normal, but may provide a definitive diagnosis if contrast is given in tablet or granule form. Studies on endoscopic ultrasound show slight trends toward thickening of the muscularis propria of the esophagus in nutcracker esophagus, but this is not useful in making the diagnosis.

The patient swallows a barium solution, with continuous fluoroscopy (X-ray recording) to observe the flow of the fluid through the esophagus. Normal peristaltic movement of the esophagus is not seen. There is acute tapering at the lower esophageal sphincter and narrowing at the gastro-esophageal junction, producing a "bird's beak" or "rat's tail" appearance. The esophagus above the narrowing is often dilated (enlarged) to varying degrees as the esophagus is gradually stretched over time. An air-fluid margin is often seen over the barium column due to the lack of peristalsis. A five-minutes timed barium swallow can provide a useful benchmark to measure the effectiveness of treatment.

Because of its sensitivity, manometry (esophageal motility study) is considered the key test for establishing the diagnosis. A catheter (thin tube) is inserted through the nose, and the patient is instructed to swallow several times. The probe measures muscle contractions in different parts of the esophagus during the act of swallowing. Manometry reveals failure of the LES to relax with swallowing and lack of functional peristalsis in the smooth muscle esophagus.

Characteristic manometric findings are:

- Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) fails to relax upon wet swallow (<75% relaxation)

- Pressure of LES 100 is considered achalasia, > 200 is nutcracker achalasia.

- Aperistalsis in esophageal body

- Relative increase in intra-esophageal pressure as compared with intra-gastric pressure

The diagnosis of GERD is usually made when typical symptoms are present. Reflux can be present in people without symptoms and the diagnosis requires both symptoms or complications and reflux of stomach content.

Other investigations may include esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Barium swallow X-rays should not be used for diagnosis. Esophageal manometry is not recommended for use in diagnosis, being recommended only prior to surgery. Ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring may be useful in those who do not improve after PPIs and is not needed in those in whom Barrett's esophagus is seen. Investigation for H. pylori is not usually needed.

The current gold standard for diagnosis of GERD is esophageal pH monitoring. It is the most objective test to diagnose the reflux disease and allows monitoring GERD patients in their response to medical or surgical treatment. One practice for diagnosis of GERD is a short-term treatment with proton-pump inhibitors, with improvement in symptoms suggesting a positive diagnosis. Short-term treatment with proton-pump inhibitors may help predict abnormal 24-hr pH monitoring results among patients with symptoms suggestive of GERD.

Endoscopy, the looking down into the stomach with a fibre-optic scope, is not routinely needed if the case is typical and responds to treatment. It is recommended when people either do not respond well to treatment or have alarm symptoms, including dysphagia, anemia, blood in the stool (detected chemically), wheezing, weight loss, or voice changes. Some physicians advocate either once-in-a-lifetime or 5- to 10-yearly endoscopy for people with longstanding GERD, to evaluate the possible presence of dysplasia or Barrett's esophagus.

Biopsies performed during gastroscopy may show:

- Edema and basal hyperplasia (nonspecific inflammatory changes)

- Lymphocytic inflammation (nonspecific)

- Neutrophilic inflammation (usually due to reflux or "Helicobacter" gastritis)

- Eosinophilic inflammation (usually due to reflux): The presence of intraepithelial eosinophils may suggest a diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) if eosinophils are present in high enough numbers. Less than 20 eosinophils per high-power microscopic field in the distal esophagus, in the presence of other histologic features of GERD, is more consistent with GERD than EE.

- Goblet cell intestinal metaplasia or Barrett's esophagus

- Elongation of the papillae

- Thinning of the squamous cell layer

- Dysplasia

- Carcinoma

Reflux changes may not be erosive in nature, leading to "nonerosive reflux disease".

It can be diagnosed with an X-ray while the patient swallows barium (called a barium study of the esophagus), by a computerized tomography scan, a biopsy, or by an endoscopy.

If it is caused by esophagitis, in turn caused by an underlying infection, it is commonly treated by treating the infection (typically with antibiotics). In order to open the stricture, a surgeon can insert a bougie – a weighted tube used to dilate the constricted areas in the esophagus. It can sometimes be treated with other medications. For example, an H2 antagonist (e.g. ranitidine) or a proton-pump inhibitor (e.g. omeprazole) can treat underlying acid reflux disease.

It is not clear exactly what causes esophageal spasms. Sometimes esophageal spasms start when someone eats hot or cold foods or drinks. However, they can also occur with eating or drinking. The increased release of acetylcholine may also be a factor, but the triggering event is not known.

Several radiographic findings are suggestive of DES, such as a "rosary bead esophagus" or "corkscrew" appearance on barium swallow x-ray, although these findings are not unique to DES.

A gastroenterologist is a medical professional that can diagnose esophagitis. To diagnose esophagitis, the doctor will interview the patient regarding their signs and symptoms. If the doctor suspects esophagitis, tests can be ordered. Esophagitis can be diagnosed by an upper endoscopy, biopsy, upper GI series (or barium swallow), and laboratory tests.

An upper endoscopy is a procedure to look at the esophagus by using an endoscope. While looking at the esophagus, the doctor is able to take a small biopsy. The biopsy can be used to confirm inflammation of the esophagus.

An upper GI series uses a barium contrast, fluoroscopy, and an X-ray. During a barium X-ray, a solution with barium or pill is taken before getting an X-ray. The barium makes the organs more visible and can detect if there is any narrowing, inflammation, or other abnormalities that can be causing the disease. The upper GI series can be used to find the cause of GI symptoms. An esophagram is if only the throat and esophagus are looked at.

Laboratory tests can be done on biopsies removed from the esophagus and can help determine the cause of the esophagitis. Laboratory tests can help diagnose a fungal, viral, or bacterial infection. Scanning for white blood cells can help diagnose eosinophil esophagitis.

Some lifestyle indicators for this disease include: stress, unhealthy eating, smoking, drinking, family history, allergies, and an immunodeficiency. It is important for the doctor to review the patient's medical history before diagnosing with esophagitis. Specific subtypes and other causes should be taken into account when making the final diagnosis.

In an emergency room setting, someone with food bolus obstruction may be observed for a period to see if the food bolus passes spontaneously. This may be encouraged by administering fizzy drinks that release gas, which may dislodge the food.

Glucagon relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter and may be used in those with esophageal food bolus obstruction. There is little evidence for glucagon's effectiveness in this condition, and glucagon may induce nausea and vomiting, but considering the safety of glucagon this is still considered an acceptable option as long it does not lead to delays in arranging other treatments. Other medications (hyoscine butylbromide, benzodiazepines and opioids) have been studied but the evidence is limited.

Historical treatment of food bolus obstruction included administration of proteolytic enzymes (such as meat tenderizers) with the purpose of degrading the meat that was blocked; however, it is possible that these methods may increase the risk of perforation of the esophagus. Other modalities rarely used now include removal of boluses using catheters, and the use of large-bore tubes inserted into the esophagus to forcefully lavage it.

After the initial diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus is rendered, affected persons undergo annual surveillance to detect changes that indicate higher risk to progression to cancer: development of epithelial dysplasia (or "intraepithelial neoplasia").

Considerable variability is seen in assessment for dysplasia among pathologists. Recently, gastroenterology and GI pathology societies have recommended that any diagnosis of high-grade dysplasia in Barrett be confirmed by at least two fellowship-trained GI pathologists prior to definitive treatment for patients. For more accuracy and reproductibility, it is also recommended to follow international classification system as the "Vienna classification" of gastrointestinal epithelial neoplasia (2000).

Screening endoscopy is recommended among males over the age of 60 who have reflux symptoms that are of long duration and not controllable with treatment. Among those not expected to live more than 5 years screening is not recommended.

Esophageal spasm is rare. Often, symptoms that may suggest esophageal spasm are the result of another condition such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or achalasia. The symptoms can also include dysphagia, regurgitation, noncardiac chest pain, heartburn, globus pharyngis (which is a feeling that something is stuck in the throat) or a dry cough.

The standard treatment of food bolus obstruction is the use of endoscopy or fibre-optic cameras inserted by mouth into the esophagus. Endoscopes can be used to diagnose the cause of the food bolus obstruction, as well as to remove the obstruction. Traditional endoscopic techniques involved the use of an overtube, a plastic tube inserted into the esophagus prior to the removal of the food bolus, in order to reduce the risk of aspiration into the lungs at the time of endoscopy. However, the "push technique", which involves insufflating air into the esophagus, and gently pushing the bolus toward the stomach instead, has emerged as a common and safe way of removing the obstruction.

Other tools may be used to remove food boluses. The Roth Net® is a mesh net that can be inserted through the endoscope, and opened and closed from the outside; it can be used to retrieve pieces of obstructed food. Snares, which are normally used to remove polyps can be used to macerate the food causing the obstruction. Dormia baskets, which are metal baskets used to remove stones from the common bile duct in a procedure known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, can be opened and closed from the outside in a similar manner to macerate food and facilitate removal. Forceps used for biopsies can also be employed in a similar manner.

Esophageal webs and rings can be treated with endoscopic dilation.

A Schatzki ring is usually diagnosed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy or barium swallow. Endoscopy usually shows a ring within the lumen of the esophagus which can be of variable size (see picture). The ring is usually located a few centimetres above the gastro-esophageal junction, where the esophagus joins the stomach. Schatzki rings can often resemble a related entity called an esophageal web. Esophageal webs also contain extra mucosal tissue, but do not completely encircle the esophagus.

Endoscopies and barium swallows done for other reasons often reveal unsuspected Schatzki rings, meaning that many Schatzki rings are asymptomatic.

Two varieties of Schatzki rings have been described. The original description by Schatzki and Gary was of a ring of fibrous tissue seen on autopsy; this is the less common type of Schatzki ring. More commonly, the ring consists of the same mucosal tissue that lines the entire esophagus. Although many hypotheses have been proffered, the cause of Schatzki rings remains uncertain; both congenital and acquired factors may be involved.

About 6 to 14 percent of patients who receive a routine barium swallow test of the esophagus are found to have a Schatzki ring.

Several drugs are used to treat DES, including nitroglycerin, hyoscine butylbromide, calcium channel blockers, hydralazine, and anti-anxiety medications. Acid suppression therapy, such as proton pump inhibitors, are often the first line therapy. Botulinum toxin, which inhibits acetylcholine release from nerve endings, injected above the lower esophageal sphincter may also be used in the treatment of DES. Small studies have suggested benefit from endoscopic balloon dilation in certain patients, but all of the above have a low percentage of success in treating the condition; whilst the treatments work in some sufferers, it does not work for everyone. In extremely rare cases, surgery may be considered.

The simple barium swallow will normally reveal the diverticulum. It may also be found with upper GI endoscopy, or CT with oral contrast.

Treatments for esophagitis include medications to block acid production, to manage pain, and to reduce inflammation. Other treatments include antibiotics and intravenous nutrition.

To treat reflux esophagitis, over the counter antacids, medications that reduce acid production (H-2 receptor blockers), and proton pump inhibitors are recommended to help block acid production and to let the esophagus heal. Some prescription medications to treat reflux esophagitis include higher dose H-2 receptor blockers, proton pump inhibitors, and prokinetics, which help with the emptying of the stomach.

To treat eosinophilic esophagitis, avoiding any allergens that may be stimulating the eosinophils is recommended. As for medications, proton pump inhibitors and steroids can be prescribed. Steroids that are used to treat asthma can be swallowed to treat eosinophil esophagitis due to nonfood allergens. The removal of food allergens from the diet is included to help treat eosinophilic esophagitis.

For infectious esophagitis, a medicine is prescribed based on what type of infection is causing the esophagitis. These medicines are prescribed to treat bacterial, fungal, viral, and/or parasitic infections.

An endoscopy can be used to remove ill fragments. Surgery can be done to remove the damaged part of the esophagus. For reflux esophagitis, a fundooplication can be done to help strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter from allowing backflow of the stomach into the esophagus. As for patients that have a narrowing esophagus, a gastroenterologist can perform a procedure to dilate the esophagus.

Some home remedies and lifestyle changes to help with esophagitis include losing weight, stop smoking, lowering stress, avoid sleeping/lying down after eating, raise your head while laying down, taking medicines correctly, avoiding certain medications, and avoiding foods that cause the reflux that might be causing the esophagitis.

If the disease remains untreated, it can cause scarring and discomfort in the esophagus. If the irritation is not allowed to heal, esophagitis can result in esophageal ulcers. Esophagitis can develop into Barrett's esophagus and can increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

The prognosis for a person with esophagitis depends on the underlying causes and conditions. If a patient has a more serious underlying cause such as a digestive system or immune system issue, it may be more difficult to treat. Normally, the prognosis would be good with no serious illnesses. If there are more causes than one, the prognosis could move to fair.

No cure for the condition as such exists. A number of treatments may provide partial relief:

- Botox injections may temporarily disable the muscle and provide relief for 3-4 months per injection

- Muscle relaxants

- Lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium) and other benzodiazepines relax the smooth muscle in the throat, slowing or halting contractions. In some people, benzodiazepines may have addictive properties.

- Stress reduction

- High stress levels make these spasms more noticeable

- It is advisable to take note of when your symptoms are at their worst

- Warm fluids

- Hot fluids may be helpful for some people with cricopharyngeal spasm (or other esophageal disorders)