Achalasia Center - Lowell, MA
Lowell 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 Lowell * Gastroenterology Consultants of Greater Lowell  Gastroenterology Consultants of Greater Lowell  Gastroenterology Consultants of Greater Lowell  Gastroenterology Consultants of Greater Lowell  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Pentucket Medical at RiverWalk  Pentucket Medical at RiverWalk  Lahey Clinic Gastroenterology  Lahey Burlington Gastroenterology  Lahey Clinic Gastroenterology  Lahey Burlington Gastroenterology  Lahey Burlington Gastroenterology  Eric D Goldberg MD  Lahey Burlington Gastroenterology  Lahey Burlington Gastroenterology  Lahey Clinic Gastroenterology  Lahey Clinic Gastroenterology  Lahey Burlington Gastroenterology  Lahey Clinic Gastroenterology  Mark P Epstein MD  Andrea Fribush MD  North Reading Medical Associates  Mark C Nitzberg MD  Richard F Sawyer Jr MD  Middlesex Gastroenterology  Middlesex Gastroenterology  Lahey Medical Center Lexington Internal Medicine  Daniel M Friedlander MD  Digestive Health Associates  Digestive Health Associates  Digestive Health Associates  David Siegenberg MD  Fehmida Chipty MD  Digestive Health Associates  Enrico Souto MD  Richard Schwartz MD  Middlesex Gastroenterology  Pentucket Medical Associates Haverhill Internal Medicine & Gastroenterology  Mount Auburn Healthcare at Waltham  Merrimack Valley GI PC  Digestive Health Associates  Digestive Health Associates  Lahey Clinic Arlington Internal Medicine  Lahey Clinic Arlington Internal Medicine  Carlo Cecchetti MD  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Internal Medicine Medford  Melrose Medical Associates  Kinnari R Kher MD  Melrose Internal Medicine  Bay State Gastroenterology PC  Gastroenterology Healthcare Associates PC  Gastroenterology Healthcare Associates PC  Newton Wellesley Hospital Gastroenterology  Carla H Ginsburg MD  Gastroenterology Healthcare Associates PC  R J Klingenstein MD  Alexander Kopp MD PC  Gastroenterology Healthcare Associates PC  John Chobanian MD  Mt Auburn Gastroenterology Associates  Mt Auburn Gastroenterology Associates  Cambridge Gastroenterology Associates  Torre Morgan MD  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates  Michael T Foley MD  St Elizabeth Medical Center Gastroenterology  St Elizabeth Medical Center Gastroenterology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Specialties Cambridge  Caritas Surgical Group  Manish Tandon MD PC  Harvard Vanguard Medical Specialties Cambridge  Women's Health Associates  Women's Health Associates  Cambridge Hospital Medical Specialists  Women's Health Associates  Pastor Medical Group  Lawrence Handler MD  Michael Pisick MD  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Surgery  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Ram Chuttani MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Gastroenterology  Harvey Goldman MD  Ciaran P Kelly MD  John T. Lamont, MD  Anthony J Lembo MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr Digestive Disease Ctr  Beth Israel Deaconess  Ira Michaelson MD Lowell, MassachusettsUpcoming 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 Lowell
Nearby Lowell Hospitals *Saints Medical Center Lowell General Hospital HC Solomon Mental Health Center Tewksbury Hospital Isham Health Center Caritas Holy Family Hospital and Medical Center Lawrence General Hospital Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Northeast Rehabilitation Health Network Southern New Hampshire Medical Center St Joseph Hospital Lahey Clinic Medical Center Emerson Hospital Nashoba Valley Medical Center HEALTHSOUTH New England Rehabilitation Hospital Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Haverhill Merrimack Valley Hospital Winchester Hospital Baldpate Hospital Parkland Medical Center Hampstead Hospital Melrose Wakefield Hospital McLean Hospital Lawrence Memorial Hospital North Shore Medical Center Somerville Hospital Kindred Hospital Boston North Shore Mount Auburn Hospital Whidden Memorial Hospital Youville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center Cambridge Hospital Newton Wellesley Hospital Caritas St Elizabeth's Medical Center Franciscan Hospital for Children Lawrence F Quigley Memorial Hospital Kindred Hospital Boston Arbour HRI Hospital North Shore Children's Hospital Salem Hospital & the Birthplace Beverly Hospital M I T Medical Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston Burn Hospital UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Children's Hospital Boston Dana Farber Cancer Institute Brigham & Women's Hospital HealthAlliance Hospital Leominster Campus Tufts New England Medical Center Elliot Hospital New England Baptist Hospital VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus Anna Jaques Hospital UMass Memorial Clinton Hospital Boston Medical Center Arbour Hospital Health Alliance Burbank Hospital Kindred Specialty Hospital Natick MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital Radius Specialty Hospital Boston Bournewood Hospital Catholic Medical Center MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Union Hospital Faulkner Hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Manchester VA Medical Center Massachusetts Mental Health Center VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury Campus Westborough State 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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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Esophageal Cancer
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Vitiligo
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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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