Achalasia Center - Gainesville, FL
Gainesville 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 Gainesville * Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Dean Kramer MD  Jagan R Vyapaka MD  7 Hill Gastroenterology PA  7 Hill Gastroenterology PA  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  John D Anderson MD  Mohammad A Faisal MD & Ricardo J Rosado MD  Mohammad A Faisal MD & Ricardo J Rosado MD  Mitchell Duterte & Rizwana Thanawala MDs  Gastroenterology Associates  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Gastro Intestinal Consultants PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Citrus Gastroenterology PA  Professional Gastroenterology & Associates  Professional Gastroenterology & Associates  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Digestive Disease Consultants  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland Groover Clinic  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Professional Gastroenterology & Associates  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Gaurang Shah MD  Digestive Disease Consultants  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Ngoclan Thi Dinh MD  Alejandro A Radi MD  Jeffrey A Goodman MD  Ronald Roth MD  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Badri N Mehrotra MD  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Transplant Center  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Transplant Center  Mayo Clinic Transplant Center  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Transplant Center  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Gastro Intestinal Consultants PA  Gastro Intestinal Consultants PA  P K Paul MD  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  Borland-Groover Clinic PA  University of Florida Beaches Digestive & Liver  Wallace M Combs MD  Premier Gastroenterology  John Zak III MD  Azzam Muftah MD Gainesville, FloridaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-20
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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 Gainesville
Nearby Gainesville Hospitals *Shands at AGH Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center Shands at the University of Florida North Florida Regional Medical Center Shands Rehabilitation Hospital Shands at Vista Nature Coast Regional Hospital Shands at Starke Lake Butler Hospital Hand Surgery Center Kindred Hospital Ocala Munroe Regional Medical Center Ocala Regional 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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