Achalasia Center - Bridgeport, CT
Bridgeport 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 Bridgeport * Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  GI Health Specialists  David M Chess MD  Tarun K Gupta MD LLC  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine Westport  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine of Orange  Norwalk Medical Group PC  Norwalk Medical Group PC  William B Hale MD  Dennis Meighan DO  Arbor Medical Group LLC  Digestive Disease Center  Gastroenterology Center of New England  Gastroenterology of New Haven LLC  Gastroenterology of New Haven LLC  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Melchinger Street Rosenthal & Breier MD  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Associates  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Associates  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Associates  Soundview Medical Associates  Soundview Medical Associates  Soundview Medical Associates  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Shoreline Medical LLP  Southbury Medical Associates  Fiedler & Kapel MDs  Gerald Fette MD  Gastroenterology Associates  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Stephen W Kingsley MD  Beacon Falls Medical Associates  Beacon Falls Medical Associates  Fiedler & Kapel MDs  Gerald O Franklin MD  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  William M Pintauro MD  Sanford H Benjamin MD  Medical Associates of Stamford PC  Ronald J Cirillo MD  Peter W Gardner & Stuart Waldstreicher MDs Bridgeport, ConnecticutUpcoming 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 Bridgeport
Nearby Bridgeport Hospitals *Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center Bridgeport Hospital St Vincent's Medical Center Milford Hospital Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services Griffin Hospital Norwalk Hospital VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus Silver Hill Hospital Hospital of St Raphael Connecticut Mental Health Center Yale-New Haven Hospital Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital St Charles Hospital John T Mather Memorial Hospital Stony Brook University Medical Center Danbury Hospital Northport VA Medical Center Stamford Hospital St Catherine of Siena Medical Center Four Winds Hospital Huntington Hospital Greenwich Hospital Gaylord Hospital Masonic Healthcare Center Pilgrim Psychiatric Center St Mary's Hospital Waterbury Hospital Northern Westchester Hospital Center Putnam Hospital Center Sagamore Children's Psychiatric Center New Milford Hospital Rye Hospital Center Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center St Vincent's Hospital Westchester Syosset Hospital Glen Cove Hospital The Hospital of Central Connecticut Bradley Campus New York Presbyterian Westchester Southside Hospital The Burke Rehabilitation Hospital White Plains Hospital Center Peconic Bay Medical Center Plainview Hospital Blythedale Children's Hospital MidState Medical Center Maria Fareri Children's Hospital Westchester Medical Center Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center Stony Lodge Hospital New Island 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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