Achalasia Center - Broken Arrow, OK
Broken Arrow 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 Broken Arrow * Sarah VonMuller MD  Cancer Treatment Centers of America  Gastroenterology Specialists Inc  Gastroenterology Specialists Inc  Gastroenterology Specialists Inc  Gastroenterology Specialists Inc  Gastroenterology Specialists Inc  Gastroenterology Specialists Inc  Adult Gastroenterology Associates  Adult Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Specialists Inc  Adult Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Specialists Inc  Adult Gastroenterology Associates  Adult Gastroenterology Associates  Warren Clinic Gastroenterology  Warren Clinic Gastroenterology  O U Physicians Internal Medicine  David S James DO  Adult Gastroenterology  Tulsa Gastroenterology  Tulsa Gastroenterology  Haresh Ajmera MD  Oklahoma Gastroenterology  Richard W Seifert MD  Oklahoma Gastroenterology  Tulsa Gastroenterology  Claremore Internal Medicine LLC  Gastroenterology Clinic  Muskogee Digestive  Muskogee Digestive  Stephen A Kirkpatrick MD  Gopi Vasudevan MD  James W Young MD  Warren Clinic McAlester Division  Thomas A Swafford MD  Thomas A Swafford MD  Warren Clinic Internal Medicine Broken Arrow, OklahomaUpcoming 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 Broken Arrow
Nearby Broken Arrow Hospitals *SouthCrest Hospital Southwestern Regional Medical Center Saint Francis South Shadow Mountains Behavioral Health Meadowbrook Specialty Hospital Laureate Psychiatric Clinic & Hospital Saint Francis Hospital Brookhaven Hospital Oklahoma Surgical Hospital Continuous Care Center of Tulsa St John Medical Center Children's Medical Center Hillcrest Medical Center Hillcrest Specialty Hospital Utica Campus Kaiser Rehabilitation Center Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic Select Specialty Hospital Tulsa Tulsa Spine & Specialty Hospital Hillcrest Specialty Hospital Riverside Campus Oklahoma State University Medical Center Select Specialty Hospital Tulsa Riverside St John Owasso Continuous Care Center Sapulpa St John Sapulpa Bailey Medical Center Claremore Indian Hospital Claremore Regional Hospital Wagoner Community Hospital George Nigh Rehabilitation Institute Jack C Montgomery VA Medical Center Muskogee Regional Medical Center Okmulgee Memorial Hospital Mayes County 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. |
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