The Esophagus

The esophagus is a flattened, muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. As food is swallowed, the esophagus expands as needed, and it takes food between one to eight seconds to pass through, depending on the food's degree of softness. One common medical problem of the esophagus is heartburn, which is a burning sensation caused by acid leaking from the stomach and irritating the lower part of the esophagus.