Achalasia Center - Arlington Heights, IL
Arlington Heights 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 Arlington Heights * Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  Advocate Medical Group Arlington Heights  Riverside Medical  Fahey Medical Center  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  K Krishnankutty MD  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Eduardo Villa MD  Mark E Dubin MD  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  Thomas G Neumann MD  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  John M Wieland MD  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  Digestive Disease Associates of the North Shore  Northwest Healthcare  Joseph Lagattuta MD  Northwest Healthcare  Northwest Healthcare  George Zahrebelski MD  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Jeffrey J Glass MD  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gloria J Caruso MD PC  Mohammad Bawani MD  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Northshore Center for Gastroenterology  Dyer GI Clinics of Illinois  Northshore Center for Gastroenterology  Northshore Center for Gastroenterology  Ravinia Associates Ltd  Ravinia Associates Ltd  Ravinia Associates Ltd  Associates In Gastroenterology & Liver Disease LLC  Associates In Gastroenterology & Liver Disease LLC  Associates In Gastroenterology & Liver Disease LLC  Associates In Gastroenterology & Liver Disease LLC  Associates In Gastroenterology & Liver Disease LLC  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine Specialists SC  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine Specialists SC  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine Specialists SC  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine Specialists SC  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine Specialists SC  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine Specialists SC  Midwest GI Associates  Specialists In Gastroenterology  Fox Glen Gastroenterology  Specialists In Gastroenterology  Sinha Chunduri MD  Manuel C Iglesias MD  Ashok Jilhewar MD  Jan H Faibisoff MD  North Shore University Healthcare System  North Shore University Healthcare System  Mohamad Z Sait MD Ltd  Shahid B Ilahi MD  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Gastroenterology Consultants of the North Shore  Gastroenterology Consultants of the North Shore  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants Arlington Heights, IllinoisUpcoming Local Events2012-05-19
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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 Arlington Heights
Nearby Arlington Heights Hospitals *Northwest Community Hospital Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center Alexian Brothers Medical Center Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital Glenbrook Hospital Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital St Alexius Medical Center Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Streamwood Behavioral Health Center Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center Highland Park Hospital Condell Medical Center Adventist GlenOaks Hospital RUSH North Shore Medical Center Chicago-Read Mental Health Center Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Kindred Hospital Northlake Lake Forest Hospital Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital NorthShore University HealthSystems Sherman Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Francis Hospital Elgin Mental Health Center Kindred Hospital Chicago Central Swedish Covenant Hospital Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital RUSH Oak Park Hospital Loyola University Medical Center North Chicago VA Medical Center Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center Kindred Hospital Chicago North Riveredge Hospital Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Methodist Hospital of Chicago Kindred Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Central DuPage Hospital Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Loretto Hospital Provena Saint Joseph Hospital Hartgrove Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Weiss Memorial Hospital Thorek Memorial Hospital Norwegian-American Hospital Sacred Heart Hospital Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital RML Specialty Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center MacNeal Hospital Advocate Bethany Hospital Vista Medical Center West Children's Memorial Hospital Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Joseph Hospital Lincoln Park Hospital Jesse Brown VA Medical Center John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County Saint Anthony Hospital Johnston R Bowman Health Center Rush University Medical Center University of Illinois Medical Center Vista Medical Center East Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Centegra Northern Illinois Medical Center Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Northwestern Memorial Hospital Prentice Women's 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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Esophageal Cancer
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Vitiligo
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis
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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
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The Digestive System
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Esophageal Cancer
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