Achalasia Center - Berwyn, IL
Berwyn 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 Berwyn * Manuel Alva MD  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Allen J Rosenbaum MD  BHS Digestive Disease  BHS Digestive Disease  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Sinha Chunduri MD  Manuel C Iglesias MD  David N Butler MD & Nadira Ali Kahn MD SC  Midwest GI Associates  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Midwest GI Associates  Midwest GI Associates  Victorino Yu MD  Garcia Medical Center  Garcia Medical Center  Garcia Medical Center  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  Arias Castillo Duarte & Heydarpour MDs  University of Illinois Chicago Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Hepatology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Hepatology  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Midwest Center for Digestive Health  Southwest Gastroenterology  Southwest Gastroenterology  Midwest Center for Digestive Health  Southwest Gastroenterology  Midwest Center for Digestive Health  Southwest Gastroenterology  Midwest Center for Digestive Health  Midwest Center for Digestive Health  Southwest Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Ashok Jilhewar MD  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Right Care Medical Center  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  GI Associates  GI Associates  GI Associates  GI Associates  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Southwest Medical Consultants  Southwest Medical Consultants  China Square Clinic  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Fox Glen Gastroenterology  Anthony P Merza MD  Albert Saporta MD  Chicago Gastro  Dyer GI Clinics of Illinois  Eduardo Villa MD  Calvin Hall Jr. MD  Advocate Health Center Beverly  Stuart A Issleib MD  William Markey MD  Adolfo Maglaya MD  Ramamoorthy Sundaresan MD Berwyn, IllinoisUpcoming Local Events2012-06-03
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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 Berwyn
Nearby Berwyn Hospitals *MacNeal Hospital Hartgrove Hospital Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center Riveredge Hospital Loretto Hospital Loyola University Medical Center RUSH Oak Park Hospital Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital Advocate Bethany Hospital Saint Anthony Hospital Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Sacred Heart Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Norwegian-American Hospital John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County University of Illinois Medical Center Johnston R Bowman Health Center Kindred Hospital Northlake Rush University Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Kindred Hospital Chicago Central RML Specialty Hospital Chicago-Read Mental Health Center Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Advocate Christ Medical Center & Hope Children's Hospital Mercy Hospital & Medical Center Children's Memorial Hospital St Bernard Hospital & Health Care Center Lincoln Park Hospital Northwestern Memorial Hospital Prentice Women's Hospital Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Kindred Hospital Chicago North Provident Hospital of Cook County Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Joseph Hospital University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital Swedish Covenant Hospital University of Chicago Hospital Bernard Mitchell Thorek Memorial Hospital Methodist Hospital of Chicago Weiss Memorial Hospital Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Jackson Park Hospital & Medical Center Palos Community Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago Lakeshore La Rabida Children's Hospital South Shore Hospital Roseland Community Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Francis Hospital Advocate Lutheran General Hospital MetroSouth Medical Center Advocate Trinity Hospital Adventist GlenOaks Hospital RUSH North Shore Medical Center Alexian Brothers Medical Center Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center NorthShore University HealthSystems Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County 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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Vitiligo
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Dysphagia
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Esophagitis
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The Digestive System
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