Achalasia Center - Malden, MA
Malden 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 Malden * Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Internal Medicine Medford  Ira Michaelson MD  Cambridge Hospital Medical Specialists  Digestive Health Associates  Digestive Health Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  Bay State Gastroenterology PC  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  Massachusetts General Hospital Gastroenterology  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  Pediatric GI & Nutritional Associates at MGH  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  MGH Gastroenterology Associates  Harvard Vanguard Medical Specialties Cambridge  Harvard Vanguard Medical Specialties Cambridge  Carlo Cecchetti MD  Kinnari R Kher MD  Melrose Internal Medicine  Melrose Medical Associates  Rong J Guan MD  Human Nutrition Research Center  Tufts New England Medical Center Dept Gastroenterology  Tufts Medical Center  New England Medical Center Adult Nutritional Support Services  Tufts Medical Center  Tufts Medical Center  New England Medical Center Adult Nutritional Support Services  Tufts Medical Center  Lahey Clinic Arlington Internal Medicine  Lahey Clinic Arlington Internal Medicine  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  John Chobanian MD  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Mt Auburn Gastroenterology Associates  Mt Auburn Gastroenterology Associates  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Cambridge Gastroenterology Associates  Torre Morgan MD  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Surgery  Harvard Vanguard Gastroenterology  Boston University Medical Group  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  Boston University Medical Group  BMC Gastroenterology  BMC Gastroenterology  Pastor Medical Group  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Fehmida Chipty MD  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  Digestive Health Associates  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Gastroenterology  Beth Israel Deaconess Malden, 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 Malden
Nearby Malden Hospitals *Whidden Memorial Hospital Lawrence Memorial Hospital Somerville Hospital Lawrence F Quigley Memorial Hospital Cambridge Hospital Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Youville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston Burn Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital M I T Medical Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary Melrose Wakefield Hospital Mount Auburn Hospital Tufts New England Medical Center Winchester Hospital Arbour HRI Hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston Medical Center Children's Hospital Boston Dana Farber Cancer Institute Brigham & Women's Hospital Franciscan Hospital for Children Kindred Hospital Boston Caritas St Elizabeth's Medical Center New England Baptist Hospital HEALTHSOUTH New England Rehabilitation Hospital VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus McLean Hospital Radius Specialty Hospital Boston Arbour Hospital Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Massachusetts Mental Health Center Faulkner Hospital North Shore Medical Center Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged Bournewood Hospital Lahey Clinic Medical Center Caritas Carney Hospital Newton Wellesley Hospital VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury Campus Kindred Hospital Boston North Shore Milton Hospital Salem Hospital & the Birthplace North Shore Children's Hospital Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital Quincy Medical Center Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham Beverly Hospital Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital Emerson Hospital Tewksbury Hospital Westwood Lodge Hospital Kindred Specialty Hospital Natick MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital Massachusetts Hospital School Caritas Norwood Hospital Isham Health Center Kindred Specialty Hospital Braintree South Shore Hospital New England Sinai Hospital & Rehabilitation Center MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Union Hospital Saints Medical Center Baldpate Hospital Lawrence General Hospital HC Solomon Mental Health Center Kindred Specialty Hospital Stoughton Lowell General Hospital Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center Caritas Holy Family Hospital and Medical Center Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital Boston VA Healthcare System Brockton Merrimack Valley Hospital UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital Addison Gilbert 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
- 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
- Eosinophilic esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus. Eosinophilic esophagitis has many causes including acid reflux, heartburn, viruses, medications that become stuck in the esophagus, allergy, asthma, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Eosinophilic esophagitis symptoms include difficulty swallowing food, abdominal pain, chest pain, and heartburn.
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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
- Esophagitis is caused by an infection or irritation of the esophagus. Infections that cause esophagitis include candida yeast infection of the esophagus as well as herpes.
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The Digestive System
- Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
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Esophageal Cancer
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