Achalasia Center - Brockton, MA
Brockton 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 Brockton * Gastrointestinal Specialists  Gastrointestinal Specialists  Gastrointestinal Specialists  Gastrointestinal Specialists  Gastrointestinal Specialists  Gastrointestinal Specialists  Rheumatology & Gastroenterology Associates  Rheumatology & Gastroenterology Associates  Rheumatology & Gastroenterology Associates  Caritas Medical Practice Corp  Signature Healthcare Bridgewater Goddard Park Medical Associates  Signature Healthcare Bridgewater Goddard Park Medical Associates  Signature Healthcare Bridgewater Goddard Park Medical Associates  Harbor Medical  South Suburban Gastroenterology  South Suburban Gastroenterology  South Suburban Gastroenterology  South Suburban Gastroenterology  South Suburban Gastroenterology  South Suburban Gastroenterology  Harbor Medical & Associates  Harbor Medical & Associates  Signature Healthcare Bridgewater Goddard Park Medical Associates  Granite Medical Group  Granite Medical Group  Eric Cohen MD  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates  George L Barrett MD  South Shore Internal Medicine  South Shore Internal Medicine  Robert A Sepersky MD  Thomas J Kenney Jr. MD Inc  Thomas J Kenney Jr. MD Inc  Mohammad Farivar MD  Southwestern Gastroenterological Associates PC  Associates In Internal Medicine  Robert F Kelliher MD  Gastroenterology Associates at Faulkner  Gastroenterology Associates at Faulkner  Gastroenterology Associates at Faulkner  Gastroenterology Associates at Faulkner  Pham Medical Associates  Gastroenterology Associates at Faulkner  Gastroenterology Associates at Faulkner  Gastroenterology Associates at Faulkner  VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Boston University Medical Group  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  Boston University Medical Group  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  VA Boston Healthcare System  VA Boston Healthcare System  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Blackwell Medical Associates  Blackwell Medical Associates  Blackwell Medical Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Liver Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Gastroenterology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Liver Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Liver Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Liver Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Liver Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Liver Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Liver Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Liver Center  David I Soybel MD  Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Gastroenterologic Oncology  Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Gastroenterologic Oncology  Charles Trey & Associates PC  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Ram Chuttani MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Gastroenterology  Harvey Goldman MD Brockton, MassachusettsUpcoming 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 Brockton
Nearby Brockton Hospitals *Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital Boston VA Healthcare System Brockton Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center Kindred Specialty Hospital Stoughton Kindred Specialty Hospital Braintree New England Sinai Hospital & Rehabilitation Center South Shore Hospital Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital Massachusetts Hospital School Quincy Medical Center Caritas Norwood Hospital Milton Hospital Morton Hospital & Medical Center Pembroke Hospital Taunton State Hospital Caritas Carney Hospital Westwood Lodge Hospital Massachusetts Mental Health Center VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury Campus Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged Faulkner Hospital Bournewood Hospital Sturdy Memorial Hospital Radius Specialty Hospital Boston Arbour Hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham Boston Medical Center New England Baptist Hospital VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus Brigham & Women's Hospital Children's Hospital Boston Dana Farber Cancer Institute Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Tufts New England Medical Center Arbour HRI Hospital Kindred Hospital Boston Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary Franciscan Hospital for Children M I T Medical Massachusetts General Hospital Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston Burn Hospital Caritas St Elizabeth's Medical Center Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Arbour-Fuller Hospital Cambridge Hospital Youville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center Newton Wellesley Hospital Mount Auburn Hospital Kindred Specialty Hospital Natick MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital Jordan Hospital Somerville Hospital Lawrence F Quigley Memorial Hospital Whidden Memorial Hospital McLean Hospital Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island New Bedford Rehabilitation Hospital Lawrence Memorial Hospital MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Union Hospital Butler Hospital Landmark Medical Center The Miriam Hospital Melrose Wakefield Hospital Milford Regional Medical Center Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island Charlton Memorial Hospital Bradley Hospital Winchester Hospital HEALTHSOUTH New England Rehabilitation Hospital Hasbro Children's Hospital Rhode Island Hospital Tobey Hospital Our Lady of Fatima Hospital Providence VA 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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Vitiligo
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis
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Dysphagia
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Esophagitis
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The Digestive System
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