Achalasia Center - Chicago, IL
Chicago 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 Chicago * Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Greg Cohen MD  Robert M Craig MD  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Robin R Fintel MD  Melvin J Goldstein MD  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Chicago Lakeshore Medical Associates Ltd  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Chicago Lakeshore Medical Associates Ltd  Edward Olinger MD  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Marshall S Sparberg MD  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Perry L Kamel MD  Dr BH Gerald Rogers  Fox Glen Gastroenterology  China Square Clinic  Stuart A Issleib MD  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  William Markey MD  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Hepatology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Hepatology  Calvin Hall Jr. MD  University of Illinois Chicago Gastroenterology  University of Illinois Chicago Gastroenterology  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  Lawrence E Gluskin MD  Benjamin K Matsumoto MD  Amrit P Patel MD  St Joseph Hospital  Chicago Gastro  Dyer GI Clinics of Illinois  Ramamoorthy Sundaresan MD  Arias Castillo Duarte & Heydarpour MDs  Arias Castillo Duarte & Heydarpour MDs  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  David N Butler MD & Nadira Ali Kahn MD SC  Huck & Uzer MDs  Garcia Medical Center  Garcia Medical Center  Garcia Medical Center  Eduardo Villa MD  The Center for Endoscopic Research and Thera  University of Chicago Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Chicago Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Chicago Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Chicago Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Chicago Hospital Gastroenterology  The Center for Endoscopic Research and Thera  University of Chicago Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Chicago Hospital Gastroenterology  University Of Chicago Hepatology  University Of Chicago Hepatology  University Of Chicago Hepatology  University of Chicago Hepatology  University Of Chicago Hepatology  Adolfo Maglaya MD  Albert Saporta MD  Right Care Medical Center  Anthony P Merza MD  Victorino Yu MD  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Physician Care Services  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Claude Mandel Medical Center  Manuel Alva MD  Ashok Jilhewar MD  Allen J Rosenbaum MD  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD Chicago, IllinoisChicago is a city of world-class status and unsurpassed beauty. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan in the heart of the Midwest, Chicago is home to world-championship sports teams, an internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra, renowned architecture, award-winning theater, and much more. Upcoming Local Events2012-05-27
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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 Chicago
Nearby Chicago Hospitals *Northwestern Memorial Hospital Prentice Women's Hospital Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Rush University Medical Center Johnston R Bowman Health Center University of Illinois Medical Center John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Mercy Hospital & Medical Center Lincoln Park Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Children's Memorial Hospital Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Joseph Hospital Norwegian-American Hospital Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Saint Anthony Hospital Sacred Heart Hospital Advocate Bethany Hospital Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Thorek Memorial Hospital Provident Hospital of Cook County Weiss Memorial Hospital CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago North Kindred Hospital Chicago Central Methodist Hospital of Chicago University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital University of Chicago Hospital Bernard Mitchell Loretto Hospital Hartgrove Hospital Swedish Covenant Hospital Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center St Bernard Hospital & Health Care Center Kindred Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Holy Cross Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago RUSH Oak Park Hospital MacNeal Hospital Jackson Park Hospital & Medical Center La Rabida Children's Hospital South Shore Hospital Chicago-Read Mental Health Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Francis Hospital Riveredge Hospital Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center Loyola University Medical Center Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital Advocate Trinity Hospital Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center NorthShore University HealthSystems RUSH North Shore Medical Center Roseland Community Hospital Kindred Hospital Northlake Advocate Christ Medical Center & Hope Children's Hospital Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Adventist Hinsdale Hospital MetroSouth Medical Center RML Specialty Hospital Palos Community Hospital Glenbrook Hospital Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center Ingalls Memorial Hospital Saint Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers North Campus Select Specialty Hospital Northwest Indiana Regency Hospital of Northwest Indiana St Catherine 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. |
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