The esophagus is an aspect of the human body that is often taken for granted. When food is ingested, the esophagus contracts and pushes the food down into the stomach. However, if the esophagus is not contracting correctly, the patient might not be able to swallow food. To determine why the patient is struggling, doctors have a test known as esophageal manometry. Receiving training for this diagnostic test can open up career opportunities and might be necessary for the current position you hold.

Receiving Training in Esophageal Manometry

With esophageal manometry, the technician places a tube down the esophagus. The purpose of the tube is to test how well the esophagus is able to contract. It measures the force of the contraction and how well the contractions are coordinated. 

Accredited esophageal manometry training will instruct you on how the procedure is performed. You will learn about situations in which the patient might need this test performed and also what conditions this procedure might identify.

Diagnosing the Patient

When the food is about to enter the stomach, the esophageal sphincter might not relax correctly and the food won't want to enter the stomach. The patient might struggle to swallow and they might also regurgitate food back into the mouth.

When a patient is struggling to swallow, they might have muscle contractions in the esophagus that are forceful but poorly coordinated. This is referred to as a diffuse esophageal spasm and esophageal manometry can detect it. 

The muscles in the lower esophagus might also stop moving. This can lead to a severe case of gastroesophageal reflux. Once you are able to determine the medical condition the patient is suffering from, you will be able to determine the best treatment option. Before performing the test, you must prepare the patient.

Preparing the Patient for the Procedure

The patient needs to be instructed not to eat or drink before the procedure. The patient will usually not be given a sedative and most patients can handle the procedure very well. However, the patient's throat will be sprayed with a numbing medication.

A catheter is guided from the nose into the esophagus. The patient then lies on their back. Manometry relies on pressure sensors. It detects the movement of the esophagus because the patient has small sips of water to trigger muscle movement for the esophagus. Once the procedure has been completed, the clinic will be able to determine what treatments the patient might need. 

For more info about esophageal manometry training, contact a local company.