Achalasia Center - Gary, IN
Gary 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 Gary * Drs Dalal & Kota  Drs Dalal & Kota  Digestive Disease Clinic  Internal Medicine Associates  Internal Medicine Associates  Internal Medicine Associates  Internal Medicine Associates  Internal Medicine Associates  Hammond Clinic Specialty Center  I W Chang MD  I W Chang MD  Hammond Clinic Specialty Center  Hammond Clinic Specialty Center  Muhammad Kudaimi MD  Consultants in Gastroenterology  Consultants in Gastroenterology  Consultants in Gastroenterology  Consultants in Gastroenterology  Consultants in Gastroenterology  Navin V Barot MD & Associates  Digestive Healthcare Associates  Digestive Healthcare Associates  Digestive Healthcare Associates  Digestive Healthcare Associates  Digestive Health Care Associates  Digestive Health Care Associates  Digestive Health Care Associates  A B Agrawal MD  Michiana Gastroenterology Inc  Michiana Gastroenterology Inc  Michiana Gastroenterology Inc  Michiana Gastroenterology Inc  Michiana Gastroenterology Inc  Michiana Gastroenterology Inc  South Bend Surgery & Specialty Clinic  South Bend Surgery & Specialty Clinic  Clarian Arnett Clinic North Lafayette  Clarian Arnett Clinic North Lafayette  Clarian Arnett Clinic North Lafayette  Clarian Arnett Clinic North Lafayette  Lafayette Gastroenterology  Elkhart Clinic LLC  Elkhart Clinic LLC  Burton Boron MD Gary, IndianaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-03
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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 Gary
Nearby Gary Hospitals *Methodist Hospital Northlake Campus Regency Hospital of Northwest Indiana St Catherine Hospital St Mary Medical Center Porter Portage Hospital Campus The Community Hospital Saint Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers North Campus Select Specialty Hospital Northwest Indiana Methodist Hospital Southlake Campus Franciscan Physicians Hospital Saint Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers South Campus St Anthony Medical Center Advocate Trinity Hospital South Shore Hospital Roseland Community Hospital La Rabida Children's Hospital Ingalls Memorial Hospital Jackson Park Hospital & Medical Center Porter Valparaiso Hospital St James Hospital & Health Centers Chicago Heights MetroSouth Medical Center Advocate South Suburban Hospital University of Chicago Hospital Bernard Mitchell University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital St Bernard Hospital & Health Care Center Provident Hospital of Cook County Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers St James Hospital & Health Center Olympia Fields Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County Holy Cross Hospital Mercy Hospital & Medical Center St Anthony Memorial Health Centers Tinley Park Mental Health Center Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Northwestern Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Advocate Christ Medical Center & Hope Children's Hospital Prentice Women's Hospital Palos Community Hospital University of Illinois Medical Center Johnston R Bowman Health Center Rush University Medical Center Jesse Brown VA Medical Center  John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County  Saint Anthony Hospital  Advocate Bethany Hospital  Lincoln Park Hospital  Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center  Children's Memorial Hospital  Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital  Resurrection Health Care Saint Joseph Hospital  Sacred Heart Hospital  Norwegian-American Hospital  Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center  MacNeal Hospital  Hartgrove Hospital  Loretto Hospital  Thorek Memorial Hospital  Weiss Memorial Hospital  Chicago Lakeshore Hospital  Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center  CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago  RUSH Oak Park Hospital  Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital  John J Madden Mental Health Center  Kindred Hospital Chicago Central  Kindred Hospital Chicago North  Methodist Hospital of Chicago  Riveredge Hospital  Loyola University Medical Center  Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital  Kindred Hospital Chicago Lakeshore  LaPorte Hospital & Health Services  Swedish Covenant 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. |
Suggested Reading on Achalasia by Our Doctors
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Dysphagia
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Esophagitis
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The Digestive System
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