Achalasia Center - Antioch, CA
Antioch 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 Antioch * Ramakrishna Gollapudi MD  Varujan Keledjian MD  Varujan Keledjian MD  Varujan Keledjian MD  Varujan Keledjian MD  Kaiser Permanente Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Gastroenterology  Eugene J Burbige MD  Gastroenterology Medical Group  David N Varon MD  Bay Area Colon & Rectal Surgeons  Tri Valley Gastroenterology  Tri Valley Gastroenterology  S Saeed Zamani MD  Henry Kung MD  Gerald Tarder MD  S Saeed Zamani MD  David H Lin MD  Steven A Friedman MD  Anderson Rowe MD  Valley Digestive Care Medical Associates  Inter Community Medical Group  Camacho & Musni MDs  Phillip A Wolfe & Eric Rowen MDs  Phillip A Wolfe & Eric Rowen MDs  Family Doctor Medical Group  NorthBay Healthcare  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  Miles F Adler MD  Vinod Sawhney MD  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Mahesh G Modi MD  Laurence J Mazzotta MD  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Alameda County Medical Center  Alameda County Medical Center Highland Hospital Campus  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kenneth A Kelsen MD  Fremont Medical Group  Ismail M Wadiwala MD  Mission Primary Care  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Washington Township Medical Group  Shakir Hyder MD  Center for Digestive Disorders  Center for Digestive Disorders  Center for Digestive Disorders  Lakshmare Tiyyagura MD  Kaiser Stockton Medical Specialties  Kaiser Stockton Medical Specialties  Iftikhar A Malik MD  Sohan S Mahil MD  George E Rishwain MD  Robert Protell MD  Charles H Halsted MD  David R Aarons MD  Mazen Mardini MD Antioch, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-20
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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 Antioch
Nearby Antioch Hospitals *Sutter Delta Medical Center John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus John Muir Behavioral Health Center John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Campus Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center VA Northern CA Healthcare System at Martinez Contra Costa Regional Medical Center San Ramon Regional Medical Center Telecare Solano Psychiatric Health Facility NorthBay Medical Center ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton Valley Memorial Hospital Sutter Solano Medical Center St Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center VacaValley Hospital Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Alta Bates Campus Eden Medical Center Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Herrick Campus John George Psychiatric Pavilion Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus Livermore Division of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System San Leandro Hospital Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus Sutter Tracy Community Hospital Doctor's Medical Center San Pablo Dameron Hospital Lodi Memorial Hospital West St Joseph's Behavioral Health Center St Joseph's Medical Center Alameda Hospital Lodi Memorial Hospital St Rose Hospital Napa State Hospital Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center San Joaquin General Hospital Washington Hospital Queen of the Valley Medical Center Fremont Hospital Kaiser Permanente Hospital Manteca 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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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the esophagus. Risk factors of cancer of the esophagus include smoking, heavy alcohol use, Barrett's esophagus, being male and being over age 60. Severe weight loss, vomiting, hoarseness, coughing up blood, painful swallowing, and pain in the throat or back are symptoms. Treatment depends upon the size, location and staging of the cancer and the health of the patient.
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Vitiligo
- Vitiligo is a condition in which the skin turns white due to the loss of pigment from the melanocytes, cells that produce the pigment melanin that gives the skin color.
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Eosinophilic esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus. Eosinophilic esophagitis has many causes including acid reflux, heartburn, viruses, medications that become stuck in the esophagus, allergy, asthma, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Eosinophilic esophagitis symptoms include difficulty swallowing food, abdominal pain, chest pain, and heartburn.
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Dysphagia
- Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing, swallowing problems. Dysphagia is due to problems in nerve or muscle control. It is common, for example, after a stroke. Dysphagia compromises nutrition and hydration and may lead to aspiration pneumonia and dehydration.
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Esophagitis
- Esophagitis is caused by an infection or irritation of the esophagus. Infections that cause esophagitis include candida yeast infection of the esophagus as well as herpes.
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The Digestive System
- Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
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Esophageal Cancer
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