The upper esophageal sphincter is a muscular valve that is located at the upper portion of the esophagus, which is typically about 8 inches long.
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How the Upper Esophageal Sphincter Works
During swallowing, the upper esophageal sphincter opens to allow food and liquids to pass into the esophagus. It can also reduce the backflow of food and liquids from the esophagus into the pharynx.
In addition to eating, we use this part of the esophagus while simply breathing. It also comes into play during unpleasant bodily functions, such as burping or throwing up, that serve to expel gas or harmful materials from the body.
The cluster of muscles that make up the upper esophageal sphincter prevents food from traveling down thetrachea, or windpipe. This is known as aspiration and refers to foreign materials in the airway. Aspiration can lead to choking or even pneumonia if food journeys to the lungs. When food goes down the “wrong pipe,” the best advice is to cough, which helps the food go down the esophagus instead.
Also Known As: The upper esophageal sphincter is abbreviated as UES. It is also known as the inferior pharyngeal sphincter since it’s positioned at the lower end of the pharynx and protects the opening into theesophagus.
Upper Esophageal Sphincter Dysfunction
If the upper esophageal sphincter doesn’t function properly, an acid that has flowed back into the esophagus is allowed into the throat.
This can lead to painful medical conditions, such asheartburnor gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the term used to describe repeated cases of heartburn.
GERD and LPR: Similar, But Different Reflux Conditions
Causes Upper Esophageal Sphincter Dysfunction
Upper esophageal sphincter dysfunction can occur for various reasons. It can be a side effect of the normal aging process. It can also be the result of any number of neurological or medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and stroke.
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR): A Guide to Silent Reflux
Why the Upper Esophageal Sphincter Is Unique
The UES plays a special role in regulating the passage of food and liquid down the throat, but it and the LES are not the onlysphincters in the body. There’s also the anal sphincter, the muscle group near the anus that regulates the passage of stool out of the body. Then, there’s the sphincter of Oddi, which regulates the passage of bile and pancreatic secretions into the small intestine.
While sphincters appear in different areas of the body, they all function to control the flow of substances through organs and to open and shut different body parts. Sphincters play an important role in keeping the body sound and healthy.
The Bottom Line
While learning about the body parts that play key roles in the development of acid reflux won’t make your discomfort disappear, it can turn you into an informed patient, knowledgeable enough to pursue a variety of options to find the right treatment.
Chronic heartburn or GERD can seriously affect one’s quality of life. If you’re having repeated episodes of acid reflux, consult your healthcare provider about how to remedy the problem. Antacids, surgery or even home remedies and lifestyle changes can alleviate your symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sivarao DV, Goyal RK.Functional anatomy and physiology of the upper esophageal sphincter.Am J Med. 2000;108 Suppl 4a:27S-37S. doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(99)00337-xTorrico S, Kern M, Aslam M, et al.Upper esophageal sphincter function during gastroesophageal reflux events revisited.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2000;279(2):G262-7. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.2000.279.2.G262Yang H, Yi Y, Han Y, Kim HJ.Characteristics of cricopharyngeal dysphagia after ischemic stroke.Ann Rehabil Med. 2018;42(2):204-212. doi:10.5535/arm.2018.42.2.204Johns Hopkins Medicine.GERD Diet: Foods That Help with Acid Reflux (Heartburn).Additional ReadingCarol Ann Rinzler, Ken DeVault, MD.Heartburn & Reflux for Dummies. Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2004.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sivarao DV, Goyal RK.Functional anatomy and physiology of the upper esophageal sphincter.Am J Med. 2000;108 Suppl 4a:27S-37S. doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(99)00337-xTorrico S, Kern M, Aslam M, et al.Upper esophageal sphincter function during gastroesophageal reflux events revisited.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2000;279(2):G262-7. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.2000.279.2.G262Yang H, Yi Y, Han Y, Kim HJ.Characteristics of cricopharyngeal dysphagia after ischemic stroke.Ann Rehabil Med. 2018;42(2):204-212. doi:10.5535/arm.2018.42.2.204Johns Hopkins Medicine.GERD Diet: Foods That Help with Acid Reflux (Heartburn).Additional ReadingCarol Ann Rinzler, Ken DeVault, MD.Heartburn & Reflux for Dummies. Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2004.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sivarao DV, Goyal RK.Functional anatomy and physiology of the upper esophageal sphincter.Am J Med. 2000;108 Suppl 4a:27S-37S. doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(99)00337-xTorrico S, Kern M, Aslam M, et al.Upper esophageal sphincter function during gastroesophageal reflux events revisited.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2000;279(2):G262-7. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.2000.279.2.G262Yang H, Yi Y, Han Y, Kim HJ.Characteristics of cricopharyngeal dysphagia after ischemic stroke.Ann Rehabil Med. 2018;42(2):204-212. doi:10.5535/arm.2018.42.2.204Johns Hopkins Medicine.GERD Diet: Foods That Help with Acid Reflux (Heartburn).
Sivarao DV, Goyal RK.Functional anatomy and physiology of the upper esophageal sphincter.Am J Med. 2000;108 Suppl 4a:27S-37S. doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(99)00337-x
Torrico S, Kern M, Aslam M, et al.Upper esophageal sphincter function during gastroesophageal reflux events revisited.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2000;279(2):G262-7. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.2000.279.2.G262
Yang H, Yi Y, Han Y, Kim HJ.Characteristics of cricopharyngeal dysphagia after ischemic stroke.Ann Rehabil Med. 2018;42(2):204-212. doi:10.5535/arm.2018.42.2.204
Johns Hopkins Medicine.GERD Diet: Foods That Help with Acid Reflux (Heartburn).
Carol Ann Rinzler, Ken DeVault, MD.Heartburn & Reflux for Dummies. Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2004.
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