Achalasia Center - Hamden, CT
Hamden 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 Hamden * Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Gastroenterology Center of New England  Broadway Medical Group LLC  Melchinger Street Rosenthal & Breier MD  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Digestive Disease Associates  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Gastroenterology of New Haven LLC  Gastroenterology of New Haven LLC  Digestive Disease Associates  Gerald Fette MD  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine of Orange  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Martin E Gordon MD  Janet B Dickinson MD  Beacon Falls Medical Associates  Beacon Falls Medical Associates  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Digestive Disease Center Connecticut  Digestive Disease Center Connecticut  Digestive Disease Center Connecticut  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Ralph A Giarnella MD  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Eduardo G Mari MD  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  David Delucia & Hector Pun MDs  Ronald A Zlotoff MD  Grove Hill Medical Center Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Bristol Gastroenterology Associates PC  Bristol Gastroenterology Associates PC  Bristol Gastroenterology Associates PC  Bristol Gastroenterology Associates PC  David M Chess MD  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  Southbury Medical Associates  GI Health Specialists  Tarun K Gupta MD LLC  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  CT Gastroenterology Associates PC  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  The Carole & Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center  University of Connecticut Health Center Gastroenterology Clinic Hamden, ConnecticutUpcoming 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 Hamden
Nearby Hamden Hospitals *Hospital of St Raphael Connecticut Mental Health Center Yale-New Haven Hospital Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital Masonic Healthcare Center Gaylord Hospital VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus Griffin Hospital The Hospital of Central Connecticut Bradley Campus MidState Medical Center St Mary's Hospital Milford Hospital Waterbury Hospital Middlesex Hospital Connecticut Valley Hospital Riverview Hospital for Children & Youth Rushford Center Bridgeport Hospital Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center The Hospital of Central Connecticut New Britain Campus St Vincent's Medical Center Bristol Hospital Hospital for Special Care Veterans Home & Hospital Rocky Hill VA Connecticut Healthcare System Newington Campus Cedarcrest Hospital University of Connecticut Health Center John Dempsey Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services Connecticut Children's Medical Center Institute of Living Hartford Hospital Hartford Hospital Danbury Hospital St Francis Hospital & Medical Center New Milford Hospital The Hospital at Hebrew Healthcare Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital St Francis Care Hospital Mount Sinai Campus St Charles Hospital John T Mather Memorial Hospital Norwalk Hospital Silver Hill Hospital Peconic Bay Medical Center Manchester Memorial Hospital Eastern Long Island Hospital Stony Brook University 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. |
Suggested Reading on Achalasia by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the esophagus. Risk factors of cancer of the esophagus include smoking, heavy alcohol use, Barrett's esophagus, being male and being over age 60. Severe weight loss, vomiting, hoarseness, coughing up blood, painful swallowing, and pain in the throat or back are symptoms. Treatment depends upon the size, location and staging of the cancer and the health of the patient.
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Vitiligo
- Vitiligo is a condition in which the skin turns white due to the loss of pigment from the melanocytes, cells that produce the pigment melanin that gives the skin color.
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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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