Achalasia Center - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton 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 Boca Raton * Prosper Abitbol DO  Digestive Disease Consultants of South Florida  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Robert L Mellman MD & Cheryl Moss-Mellman MD  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Alberto E Angulo MD  Digestive Disease Institute  Digestive Disease Institute  Digestive Disease Institute  Jose C Meeroff MD  Subhash Gupta MD  Harold Rosen MD  South Palm GI PA  South Palm GI PA  South Palm GI PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  South Palm GI PA  HGR Medical Associates  Moshe Hirth MD  Boca Raton Gastroenterology Associates PA  Boca Raton Gastroenterology Associates PA  Boca Raton Gastroenterology Associates PA  Andrew H Zwick MD  Leslie Jacob MD  Jerold A Cohen MD  Jose M Flores MD  Peter H Gach MD  Imperial Point Medical Group  Imperial Point Medical Group  Guy V Zingaro MD  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  Daniel S Kosches MD PA  Edgar Ibanez MD  Gastroenterology Associates PA  The Gastroenterology Institute of Fort Lauderdale  Gastroenterology Associates PA  The Gastroenterology Institute of Fort Lauderdale  The Gastroenterology Institute of Fort Lauderdale  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  Litzenblatt Piecher & Lopez MD PA  Litzenblatt Piecher & Lopez MD PA  Holy Cross Medical Group  Litzenblatt Piecher & Lopez MD PA  Holy Cross Medical Group  Leib H Singer MD  Dr Gupta  GI Consultants of North Broward PA  GI Consultants of North Broward PA  Digestive Disease Associates  GI Consultants of North Broward PA  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  GI Consultants of North Broward PA  Digestive Disease Associates  Gastrocare LLP  Digestive Disease Associates  Douglas M Weissman MD  David C Hellman MD  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates PA  Bradley Towbin MD  Craig A Peller MD  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates  Bachar Dahman MD  Medical Multi Specialty Group of West Broward PA  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates  South Florida Gastroenterology Associates  Edward Cane MD  Neil T Tucker MD  Eisenman & Eisenman Gastroenterology  Eisenman & Eisenman Gastroenterology  Leonel J Hernandez MD  W John Dickerson II MD  Harvey S Kleiner DO & Armando A Fernandez MD  Murali P Shankar MD  Hahn & Adler Associates Boca Raton, FloridaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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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 Boca Raton
Nearby Boca Raton Hospitals *Boca Raton Community Hospital North Broward Medical Center Delray Medical Center Fair Oaks Pavilion Pinecrest Rehabilitation Hospital West Boca Medical Center Imperial Point Medical Center Northwest Medical Center Bethesda Memorial Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Atlantic Shores Hospital Coral Springs Medical Center University Hospital & Medical Center St John's Rehabilitation Hospital Florida Medical Center Fort Lauderdale Hospital Kindred Hospital Fort Lauderdale A G Holley State Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Sunrise Rehabilitation Hospital Plantation General Hospital JFK Medical Center Broward General Medical Center Select Specialty Hospital Palm Beach Westside Regional Medical Center Hollywood Pavilion Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital at Memorial Memorial Regional Hospital Kindred Hospital Hollywood Memorial Hospital Pembroke Memorial Regional Hospital South Wellington Regional Medical Center Palms West Hospital Cleveland Clinic Hospital Good Samaritan Medical Center Aventura Hospital & Medical Center Memorial Hospital West Geo Care South Florida State Hospital Oakwood Center of the Palm Beaches St Mary's Medical Center & Children's Hospital Columbia Hospital Hospice of Palm Beach County Jackson North Medical Center Kindred Hospital The Palm Beaches West Palm Beach VA Medical Center Memorial Hospital Miramar St Catherine's Rehabilitation Hospital Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center North Shore Medical Center 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
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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
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Esophageal Cancer
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