Achalasia Center - Honolulu, HI
Honolulu 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 Honolulu * Straub Clinic & Hospital King Street  Straub Clinic & Hospital King Street  Michael D Dung & Stephen K Buto MD  Steven S. Sameshima, MD  Bernard K Chun MD  Gerald Hiatt MD  Rodney M Kazama MD  Herbert L Lim MD  Howard S Minami MD  Eugene Kamemoto MD  Central Medical Clinic  Donn R Marutani MD  Warren I Ono MD  Mark A. Morisaki, M.D., Inc.  Mark A Morisaki MD  Anthony Chiu MD  Glenn M Pang MD & Scott K Kuwada MD  Glenn M Pang MD & Scott K Kuwada MD  Out Patient Clinic of Kailua  Carlson Wong MD  Fernando V Ona MD  Gastroenterology Clinic at Moanalua  Gastroenterology Clinic at Moanalua  Gastroenterology Clinic at Moanalua  Frank Hiroshi Nakmura MD  Darrell Lee & Yousif A-Rahim MDs  Darrell Lee & Yousif A-Rahim MDs  Darrell Lee & Yousif A-Rahim MDs  Amod Jain MD  Robert V Jao MD  Alquero Family Clinic  Joseph Hew Jr. MD  Kaiser Permanente Maui Wailuku Clinic Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu is the capital of and the most populous census-designated place (CDP) in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Although Honolulu refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and the county are consolidated, known as the City and County of Honolulu, and the city and county is designated as the entire island. The City and County of Honolulu is the only incorporated city in Hawaii, as all other local government entities are administered at the county level. In the Hawaiian language, Honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter." Upcoming Local Events2012-05-19
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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 Honolulu
Nearby Honolulu Hospitals *Queen's Medical Center Straub Clinic & Hospital Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific Kuakini Medical Center Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children Shriners Hospital for Children Hawaii Medical Center East Le'ahi Hospital Tripler Army Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center Castle Medical Center Hawaii State Hospital Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi Kahi Mohala Behavioral Healthcare Hawaii Medical Center West Wahiawa General Hospital Kahuku 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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