Esophageal Spasms And Chamomile

Chamomile has been used in herbal remedies since the time of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and is sometimes called the “star among medicinal species.” In modern cultures, people drink more than a million cups of chamomile tea per day to treat everything from hay fever to hemorrhoids, according to the journal "Molecular Medicine Reports." Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties that may also make it beneficial in treating the painful condition known as esophageal spasms.

Esophageal Spasms

The esophagus is the long hollow tube leading from the throat to the stomach, and in some people, the muscles in the esophagus contract forcefully and cause sudden, severe chest pain and sometimes regurgitation of food or liquids. The condition may only happen occasionally, but it can also become chronic. It's not known what causes esophageal spasms, although triggers may include heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease -- commonly known as GERD -- or anxiety or depression. Doctors treat spasms by treating the underlying condition or with muscle-relaxant medications.

Chamomile Health Benefits

Chamomile is a member of the daisy family, with hollow, bright gold and white flowers, and includes two species widely used in food and medicine, German chamomile and Roman chamomile. The most common chamomile products are dried chamomile powder and chamomile-flower tea. Chamomile contains at least 36 different types of flavonoids, a category of antioxidant that helps fight free-radical damage to cells and DNA in your body, according to a 2010 review published in "Molecular Medicine Reports." Several of these same flavonoids are what give chamomile its anti-spasmodic properties.

Research Studies

The German Commission E is a governmental regulatory agency composed of scientists, toxicologists, physicians and pharmacists who evaluate the usefulness of over 300 herbs. As part of the Commission's review, they recommend chamomile to treat gastrointestinal spasms and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Although no studies have tested chamomile specifically as a therapy for esophageal spasms, the herb has demonstrated anti-spasmodic effects on guinea pigs, in a study published in the "Pharmacological Investigations with Compounds of Chamomile" in 1980. Chamomile can also fight factors that may contribute to esophageal spasms: It was shown as reducing gastric acid production and ulcers, according to the journal "Phytomedicine" in 2006 in a study of a multi-herb preparation that included chamomile; it was also shown to decrease inflammation in a study published in "Life Sciences" in 2009.

Considerations

Allergic reactions to chamomile are common, especially if you are also allergic to ragweed, asters, chrysanthemums and other members of the Asteraceae plant family. Drugs.com recommends against using chamomile during pregnancy because "unreferenced adverse reactions have been cited." It may also have negative interactions with warfarin and cyclosporine. Check with your doctor before using chamomile to control esophageal spasms or any other medical conditions.