US Medical Term · anatomy
Esophagus
Esófago
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Esophagus |
| Spanish (Español) | Esófago |
| Chinese (中文) | 食道 |
| Korean (한국어) | 식도 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Thực quản |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Esophagus |
| Portuguese (Português) | Esôfago |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | หลอดอาหาร |
| Japanese (日本語) | 食道 |
What it means
The esophagus is the muscular tube, about ten inches long, that connects your mouth and throat to your stomach. When you swallow, muscles in the esophagus wall contract in a wave-like motion called peristalsis to push food and liquid down to the stomach. At the bottom of the esophagus is a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter that acts as a valve, opening to let food in and closing to stop stomach acid from coming back up. When this valve is weak, acid reflux or GERD — gastroesophageal reflux disease — occurs. The esophagus sits behind the trachea and in front of the spine in the chest.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I have GERD — does that mean the acid is damaging my esophagus over time?
Tengo ERGE. ¿Eso significa que el ácido está dañando mi esófago con el tiempo?
I have trouble swallowing food and sometimes it feels like it is stuck in my esophagus.
Me cuesta tragar alimentos y a veces siento que se quedan atascados en el esófago.
The endoscopy showed some inflammation in my esophagus from the acid reflux.
La endoscopia mostró algo de inflamación en mi esófago por el reflujo ácido.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026