Achalasia Center - High Point, NC
High Point 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 High Point * High Point Gastroenterology  High Point Gastroenterology  Reeder Gastroenterology PC  Reeder Gastroenterology PC  High Point Gastroenterology  High Point Gastroenterology  High Point Gastroenterology  High Point Gastroenterology  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  LeBauer HealthCare Main  LeBauer HealthCare Main  LeBauer HealthCare Main  LeBauer HealthCare Main  LeBauer HealthCare Main  LeBauer HealthCare Main  LeBauer HealthCare Main  Greensboro Medical Associates PA  Piedmont Surgeons For Children  Eagle Internal Medicine at Tannenbaum  Eagle Internal Medicine at Tannenbaum  Eagle Gastroenterology  Eagle Gastroenterology  Eagle Gastroenterology  Eagle Gastroenterology  Eagle Gastroenterology  Eagle Gastroenterology  Eagle Gastroenterology  Guilford Medical Center PA  Guilford Medical Center PA  Medoff Medical  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  WFUBMC Gastroenterology  Randolph Gastroenterology Center  Asheboro GI Associates  Asheboro Digestive Disease Clinic  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Salem Gastroenterology Associates  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Piedmont Digestive Disease Associates PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Digestive Health Specialists PA  Kernodle Clinic West  Kernodle Clinic West  Rockingham Gastroenterology  Rockingham Gastroenterology  Rockingham Gastroenterology  Alliance Medical Associates LLC  Advanced Gastroenterology Associates  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Northeast Digestive Health Center  Glenn Pfitzner MD  Mark Lee Appler MD  Piedmont Healthcare PA  Piedmont Healthcare PA  Piedmount Healthcare  Tri-County Gastroenterology  Carolina Digestive Health Associates PA  Pinehurst Medical Clinic Inc  Pinehurst Medical Clinic Inc  Pinehurst Medical Clinic Inc  Pinehurst Medical Clinic Inc  Pinehurst Medical Clinic Inc  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology PLLC  Chapel Hill Internal Medicine  Chapel Hill Internal Medicine  Mid Carolina Gastroenterology Associates PA  Mid Carolina Gastroenterology Associates PA  Mid Carolina Gastroenterology Associates PA  UNC Gastroenterology  UNC Physicians & Associates High Point, North CarolinaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-28
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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 High Point
Nearby High Point Hospitals *High Point Regional Health System Thomasville Medical Center Wesley Long Community Hospital Moses Cone Behavioral Health Center The Women's Hospital of Greensboro Kindred Hospital Greensboro The Moses H Cone Memorial Hospital Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Forsyth Medical Center Medical Park Hospital Lexington Memorial Hospital Randolph Hospital Alamance Regional Medical Center Davie County Hospital Rowan Regional Medical Center WG Bill Hefner VA Medical Center Annie Penn Hospital Chatham 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. |
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