Achalasia Center - Annandale, VA
Annandale Gastroenterologist Doctors for AchalasiaType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Annandale * Mu K Hong MD  Gastroenterology Center of Northern Virginia  Northern Virginia Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Center of Northern Virginia  Gastroenterology Center of Northern Virginia  Gastroenterology Center of Northern Virginia  Northern Virginia Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Center of Northern Virginia  Carol Schuffler MD  Internal Medicine Associates of Northern Virginia  Internal Medicine Associates of Northern Virginia  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Howard Heit MD  Vinod K Rustgi MD  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Richard C Ranard MD & Lucy S Beck MD  Bayani L Manalo MD  Richard C Ranard MD & Lucy S Beck MD  Han Ton-That MD  Kaiser Permanente  Ramesh Desai MD  Robert A Nussbaum MD  Digestive Disease Physicians PC  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Digestive Disease Physicians PC  Digestive Disease Physicians PC  Digestive Disease Physicians PC  Digestive Health  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Michael Mogadam MD  Digestive Health  Gil Ascunce MD  Leonardo Mendez MD  Virginia Gastroenterology  Kok S Lee MD PC  Ram Nimmagadda MD  Mc Lean Neuroscience  Ronald E Gurney MD  Aly Sabet MD  Rajeshwar Singh Kadian MD  Tobin S Naidorf MD  Tanya Davis-Spaulding MD  A Bruce Shauer MD  Myriam Urrutia-Eder MD  McCone Endoscopy Centers  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Gastroenterology Associates of N Virginia  Houshang Makipour MD  Associates In Gastroenterology  Associates In Gastroenterology  Associates In Gastroenterology  Associates In Gastroenterology  Paul I Miller MD  M Hossein Razavi MD  Lance Lasner MD  Ryan P Crenshaw MD  Sanjeev Wasan MD  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Colon, Stomach & Liver Center  Colon, Stomach & Liver Center  Robert D Lafsky MD & Nadeem A Khan MD  Robert D Lafsky MD & Nadeem A Khan MD  Gastroenterology Assoc PLLC  Center Virginia Surgical Center  Center Virginia Surgical Center  Fall Hill Gastroenterology Associates MAHA  Fall Hill Gastroenterology Associates MAHA  Fall Hill Gastroenterology Associates MAHA  Pratt Medical Center Specialty Care  Gastroenterology Associates of Fredericksburg  Gastroenterology Associates of Fredericksburg  Gastroenterology Associates of Fredericksburg  Gastroenterology Associates of Fredericksburg  Blue Ridge Gastroenterology  John Michaels MD  Horace J Jackson MD  Winchester Gastroenterology Associates  Winchester Gastroenterology Associates  Winchester Gastroenterology Associates  Winchester Gastroenterology Associates  Winchester Gastroenterology Associates  Samuel Pasternack MD  Richmond Gastroenterology Associates Inc  Richmond Gastroenterology Associates Inc Annandale, VirginiaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-09
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AchalasiaWhat is achalasia?Achalasia is a rare disease of the muscle of the esophagus (swallowing tube). The term achalasia means "failure to relax" and refers to the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter (a ring of muscle situated between the lower esophagus and the stomach) to open and let food pass into the stomach. As a result, patients with achalasia have difficulty in swallowing food.
How does the normal esophagus function?The esophagus has three functional parts. The uppermost part is the upper esophageal sphincter, a specialized ring of muscle that forms the upper end of the tubular esophagus and separates the esophagus from the throat. The upper sphincter remains closed most of the time to prevent food in the main part of the esophagus from backing up into the throat. The main part of the esophagus is referred to as the body of the esophagus, a long, muscular tube approximately 20 cm (8 in) in length. The third functional part of the esophagus is the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring of specialized esophageal muscle at the junction of the esophagus with the stomach. Like the upper sphincter, the lower sphincter remains closed most of the time to prevent food and acid from backing up into the body of the esophagus from the stomach. The upper sphincter relaxes with swallowing to allow food and saliva to pass from the throat into the esophageal body. The muscle in the upper esophagus just below the upper sphincter then contracts, squeezing food and saliva further down into the esophageal body. The ring-like contraction of the muscle progresses down the body of the esophagus, propelling the food and saliva towards the stomach. (The progression of the muscular contraction through the esophageal body is referred to as a peristaltic wave.). By the time the peristaltic wave reaches the lower sphincter, the sphincter has opened, and the food passes into the stoma... Recommended Reading Related to AchalasiaWhat is dysphagia?Dysphagia is the medical term for the symptom of difficulty swallowing, derived from the Latin and Greek words meaning difficulty eating. Mechanism of swallowing Swallowing is a complex action.
Other Related Achalasia ArticlesEmergency Contact for Annandale
Nearby Annandale Hospitals *Inova Fairfax Hospital Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute Dominion Hospital Inova Alexandria Hospital Virginia Hospital Center Sibley Memorial Hospital Georgetown University Hospital Inova Mount Vernon Hospital The George Washington University Hospital The Specialty Hospital of Washington-Hadley Psychiatric Institute of Washington Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Saint Elizabeth's Hospital Howard University Hospital The Specialty Hospital of Washington Children's National Medical Center National Rehabilitation Hospital Washington Hospital Center Washington DC VA Medical Center Reston Hospital Center National Institutes of Health Fort Washington Hospital Walter Reed Army Medical Center Providence Hospital Suburban Hospital The HSC Pediatric Center Potomac Hospital United Medical Center Washington Adventist Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital Prince William Hospital Prince George's Hospital Center Southern Maryland Hospital Center Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health Adventist HealthCare Doctors Community Hospital Inova Loudoun Hospital Center Montgomery General Hospital Civista Medical Center Laurel Regional Hospital Graydon Manor Behavioral Health North Spring Behavioral Healthcare Howard County General Hospital Fauquier Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Achalasia by Our Doctors
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Dysphagia
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