Achalasia Center - Hoover, AL
Hoover 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 Hoover * Alabama Gastroenterology Associates PC  Alabama Gastroenterology Associates PC  Alabama Gastroenterology Associates PC  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Associates West PC  Simon Williamson Clinic PC  Gastroenterology Associates West PC  George R McWhorter MD  Alabama Digestive Diseases  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  Alabama Digestive Diseases  Alabama Digestive Diseases  Alabama Digestive Diseases  Alabama Digestive Diseases  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  Southview Medical Group  Drs Coleman Folse & Newman  Drs Coleman Folse & Newman  Drs Coleman Folse & Newman  Southview Medical Group  UAB Hospital Gastroenterology  Dr's Bajaj, Malik & Mehra MDs  Eastern Medical Specialists  Dr's Bajaj, Malik & Mehra MDs  Dr's Bajaj, Malik & Mehra MDs  Haritha Ramasastry MD  Central Alabama Digestive Diseases  Luis R Davila MD  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  GI Associates of West Alabama PC  GI Associates of West Alabama PC  GI Associates of West Alabama PC  GI Associates of West Alabama PC  Howard S Brown MD  Haroon A Shaikh MD  James S Hixon MD  Donald C Rosen MD  Pankaj K Kashyap MD  Medical Specialists in Alabama  Digestive Disease Specialists  Digestive Disease Specialists  Digestive Disease Specialists  Digestive Disease Specialists  Digestive Disease Specialists  John C Hendrix MD PC  Digestive Disorder & Liver Diseases  Montgomery Gastroenterology Specialists  Decatur Digestive Diseases  Decatur Digestive Diseases  Decatur Digestive Diseases  Robert R Brinson MD  Decatur Gastroenterology  Decatur Gastroenterology  Comm Med Arts Center  Thomas D Bianchi MD  Winter B Wilson DO  Alabama Digestive Disorders Center PC  Colon & Digestive Disease Center  Michael Dohrenwend MD  James P Holmes MD  Eghierhua Ugheoke MD  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Center for Colon & Digestive Disease  Digestive Disease Center PC  Digestive Disease Center PC  Digestive Disease Center PC Hoover, AlabamaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-09
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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 Hoover
Nearby Hoover Hospitals *Brookwood Medical Center HEALTHSOUTH Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital St Vincent's Hospital UAB Highlands Hospital Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital Children's Hospital Cooper Green Hospital Princeton Baptist UAB Hospital Birmingham VA Medical Center Trinity Medical Center UAB Medical West Shelby Baptist Medical Center Hill Crest Behavioral Health Services St Vincent's East Bradford Health Services St Vincent's St Clair 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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