Achalasia Center - Galveston, TX
Galveston 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 Galveston * University of Texas Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Texas Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Texas Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Texas Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Texas Hospital Gastroenterology  University of Texas Hospital Gastroenterology  Dickinson Medical Clinic  UTMB Specialty Care  UTMB Specialty Care  UTMB Specialty Care  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Stephen C Marcum & Richard Warneke MDs  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Kalyanam D Subramanyam MD  Stephen C Marcum & Richard Warneke MDs  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Sathya Kalangi MD  Gastroenterology Diagnostic Clinic  Arun K Mukhopadhyay MD  Rafael Sanchez MD  Mazen Alasadi MD  Ludie Hernandez-Buck MD PA  Rukan Daccak MD  Digestive Health Center  Nizar Charafeddine MD  Liver Associates of Texas PA  Digestive & Liver Center  Digestive & Liver Center  Gulf Coast Gastroenterology  Leroy Odom MD  Leo Chretien MD  John R Mathias MD  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  Garland W Gossett MD  Garland W Gossett MD  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  Narayana P Narayana MD  Nisar Ahmed MD  Antonio Bernal MD  John B Clemmons Jr. MD  Diagnostic Clinic of Houston  Ben H Echols MD  Alfred J Hernandez Jr. MD  Diagnostic Clinic of Houston  Midtown Physicians  M Radwan Al-Sabbagh MD  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  Alberto O Barroso MD  Margaret Bridges MD  Stuart M Dobbs MD  Brian Douglas MD  Liver Associates of Texas PA  Atilla Ertan MD  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  F Lyone Hochman MD  Ray A Verm MD  Brian Kaplan MD  John C McKechnie MD  Frank Meriano MD  Texas Childrens Hospital GI Division  Ian L Sachs MD  Ray A Verm MD  Peter J Schwarz MD  Stuart M Dobbs MD  Fernando M Urrutia MD  Ray A Verm MD  Karen L Woods MD  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Digestive Associates of Houston  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Digestive Associates of Houston  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology Galveston, TexasUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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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 Galveston
Nearby Galveston Hospitals *Shriners Hospital Galveston University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Mainland Medical Center CHRISTUS St John Hospital Clear Lake Regional Medical Center Clear Lake Rehabilitation Hospital Cornerstone Hospital of Houston at Clearlake Triumph Hospital Clear Lake Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Alexander Campus Triumph Hospital Baytown Bayside Community Hospital Vista Medical Center Hospital of America Bayshore Medical Center San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Garth Rd 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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