Achalasia Center - Frederick, MD
Frederick 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 Frederick * Digestive Disease Consultant  William O Miller MD  Frederick Gastroenterology Assoc  Frederick Gastroenterology Assoc  Frederick Gastroenterology Assoc  Frederick Gastroenterology Assoc  Frederick Gastroenterology Assoc  David W Kossoff MD PA  Gastroenterology Specialists  Gastroenterology Specialists  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Associates  Digestive Disorders Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates  Digestive Disorders Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates  Digestive Disorders Consultants  Digestive Disorders Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates of the Shenandoah Valley Inc  Boo K Kim MD  T Ann Tonnu MD  Birns Gloger & Witten MD PC  Birns Gloger & Witten MD PC  Neil L Julie MD  Arthur Schoengold MD  Birns Gloger & Witten MD PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Drs Stern & Gantt  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Ghanshyam Gupta MD  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Drs Stern & Gantt  Jatinder Sekhon MD  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Rockville Internal Medical Group  S Grace Woo MD LLC  Marc Kozam MD  Montgomery Internal Medicine Associates PA  Neel Kamal MD  Cristian Alba MD  Caroll Digestive Associates  Caroll Digestive Associates  Caroll Digestive Associates  MONTROSE PEDIATRIC GI  Digestive Disease Associates  Woodholme Gastroenterology Associates PA  Sanford Richman MD  Northwest Gastroenterology Associates  Digestive Disease Clinic  Gary M Roggin MD  Montgomery Gastroenterology  Montgomery Gastroenterology  Montgomery Gastroenterology  Ajay Bakshi MD  T Jake Liang MD  Digestive Disease Branch  Steven A Burger MD  V P Chandar MD PA  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Washington Gastroenterology  Robynne K Chutkan MD  Washington Gastroenterology  Washington Gastroenterology  Washington Gastroenterology  Washington Gastroenterology  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Associates  Megan Willard MD  Bernard A Heckman MD  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Wondwosen Abdi MD  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Kempanna Sudhakar MD  Digestive Disease Associates  Gastro Center of Maryland  Maryland Digestive Disease Center Frederick, MarylandUpcoming Local Events2012-06-09
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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 Frederick
Nearby Frederick Hospitals *Frederick Memorial Hospital North Spring Behavioral Healthcare Brook Lane Health Services Washington County Hospital Graydon Manor Behavioral Health Inova Loudoun Hospital Center Springfield Hospital Center Carroll Hospital Center Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Waynesboro Hospital Jefferson Memorial Hospital Montgomery General Hospital Martinsburg VA Medical Center City Hospital Gettysburg Hospital Howard County General Hospital Reston Hospital Center Suburban Hospital National Institutes of Health Northwest Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Sheppard Pratt at Ellicott City 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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