Achalasia Center - Elmhurst, IL
Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst * Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Dyer GI Clinics of Illinois  Midwest GI Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Sinha Chunduri MD  Manuel C Iglesias MD  Mohamad Z Sait MD Ltd  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Digestive Health Services SC  Digestive Health Services SC  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Digestive Health Services SC  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Joseph Lagattuta MD  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  K Krishnankutty MD  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  Advocate Medical Group Arlington Heights  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Fahey Medical Center  BHS Digestive Disease  BHS Digestive Disease  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Manuel Alva MD  Allen J Rosenbaum MD  Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gloria J Caruso MD PC  Ashok Jilhewar MD  Mark E Dubin MD  Thomas G Neumann MD  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  John M Wieland MD  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  Eduardo Villa MD  Gastrointestinal Health Specialists LLC  Garcia Medical Center  Digestive Disease Associates of the North Shore  Garcia Medical Center  Garcia Medical Center  David N Butler MD & Nadira Ali Kahn MD SC  Riverside Medical  Right Care Medical Center  Northwest Healthcare  Jan H Faibisoff MD  Northwest Healthcare  Midwest GI Associates  Northwest Healthcare  Midwest GI Associates  George Zahrebelski MD  North Shore University Healthcare System  North Shore University Healthcare System  Albert Saporta MD  Midwest Center for Digestive Health  Southwest Gastroenterology  Southwest Gastroenterology Elmhurst, IllinoisUpcoming 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 Elmhurst
Nearby Elmhurst Hospitals *Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Kindred Hospital Northlake Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Loyola University Medical Center Adventist GlenOaks Hospital Riveredge Hospital Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center RML Specialty Hospital Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital RUSH Oak Park Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Alexian Brothers Medical Center Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital Chicago-Read Mental Health Center Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center MacNeal Hospital Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital Hartgrove Hospital Loretto Hospital Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago Central Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center Northwest Community Hospital Central DuPage Hospital Advocate Bethany Hospital Sacred Heart Hospital Norwegian-American Hospital Saint Anthony Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Kindred Hospital Chicago North Swedish Covenant Hospital Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Streamwood Behavioral Health Center Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Glenbrook Hospital John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Johnston R Bowman Health Center Rush University Medical Center University of Illinois Medical Center Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital Edward Hospital Methodist Hospital of Chicago Advocate Christ Medical Center & Hope Children's Hospital RUSH North Shore Medical Center St Alexius Medical Center Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Children's Memorial Hospital Linden Oaks Hospital at Edward Thorek Memorial Hospital Lincoln Park Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Francis Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Weiss Memorial Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Joseph Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Northwestern Memorial Hospital Prentice Women's Hospital Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Mercy Hospital & Medical Center Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital NorthShore University HealthSystems Palos Community Hospital Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers St Bernard Hospital & Health Care Center Provident Hospital of Cook County 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
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Vitiligo
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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
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The Digestive System
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Esophageal Cancer
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