Achalasia Center - Missouri City, TX
Missouri City 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 Missouri City * Kelsey-Seybold Fort Bend Medical & Diagnostic Center  Robert L Arkus MD  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  Dipti Bavishi MD  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  Frank Lanza MD  Houston Gastroenterology  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  George E Whalen MD  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  Leka Gajula MD  Nasrullah Manji MD  Gastroenterology Consultants SW  Gastroenterology Consultants SW  Gastroenterology Consultants SW  Marc L Kudisch MD PA  Thuan T Nguyen MD  Owen S Maat MD  Digestive & Liver Specialists  Hillcroft Medical Clinic  Ben H Echols MD  Madhukar Kaw MD  Kelsey-Seybold Clinic  Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Main Campus Gastroenterology  Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Main Campus Gastroenterology  Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Main Campus Gastroenterology  John R Mathias MD  Gastroenterology Associates of Texas PA  Fort Bend Gastroenterology Associates  Liver Associates of Texas PA  Nizar Charafeddine MD  Texas Childrens Hospital GI Division  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Brian Douglas MD  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Digestive Associates of Houston  F Lyone Hochman MD  Brian Kaplan MD  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Digestive Associates of Houston  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Baylor College of Medicine Gastroenterology  Fernando M Urrutia MD  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center GI Medical Oncology  Alberto O Barroso MD  Margaret Bridges MD  Stuart M Dobbs MD  Atilla Ertan MD  Ray A Verm MD  John C McKechnie MD  Frank Meriano MD  Ian L Sachs MD  Ray A Verm MD  Peter J Schwarz MD  Stuart M Dobbs MD  Ray A Verm MD  Karen L Woods MD  M Radwan Al-Sabbagh MD  Liver Associates of Texas PA  Medical Clinic of Houston LLP  Medical Clinic of Houston LLP  Memorial Gastroenterology Associates  Digestive & Liver Specialists  Houston Gastroenterology Associates  Digestive & Liver Specialists  Houston Gastroenterology Associates  David T Nemoto MD  Gowrappala S Ramesh MD  Digestive & Liver Specialists  Alfredo L Viteri MD PA  Pedro M Arguello MD  Antonio Bernal MD  John B Clemmons Jr. MD  Vikram S Jayanty MD  Nisar Ahmed MD  Diagnostic Clinic of Houston  Alfred J Hernandez Jr. MD  Diagnostic Clinic of Houston  Mohammad E Zafarnia MD Missouri City, TexasUpcoming Local Events2012-05-19
2012-05-26
2012-06-02
2012-06-16
2012-06-17
2012-06-22
2012-07-01
2012-07-29
2012-10-07
2012-11-17
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 Missouri City
Nearby Missouri City Hospitals *Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital Riveroaks Medical Center Sharpstown Campus Triumph Hospital Southwest Methodist Sugar Land Hospital West Oaks Hospital Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital Cornerstone Hospital of Houston at Bellaire Healthbridge Children's Hospital of Houston West Houston Medical Center IntraCare Medical Center Hospital Texas Orthopedic Hospital University General Hospital The Woman's Hospital of Texas Harris County Hospital District Shriners Hospitals for Children St Luke's Episcopal Hospital Texas Children's Hospital The Methodist Hospital University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Kindred Hospital Houston Memorial Herman The Institute for Rehabilitation & Research Select Specialty Hospital Houston Medical Center Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center Ben Taub General Hospital Memorial Hermann Hospital Park Plaza Hospital and Medical Center Plaza Specialty Hospital University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital Twelve Oaks Medical Center River Oaks Campus Harris Quentin Mease Community Hospital Select Specialty Hospital Houston West Triumph Hospital Town & Country HEALTHSOUTH Hospital for Specialized Surgery Triumph Hospital Houston Central Riverside General Hospital Spring Branch Medical Center St Joseph Medical Center Texas Specialty Hospital Dubuis Hospital of Houston OakBend Medical Center Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital Select Specialty Hospital Houston Heights CHRISTUS St Catherine Hospital Doctors Hospital of Tidwell Doctors Hospital Parkway Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital Lyndon B Johnson General Hospital Triumph Hospital North Houston Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital Kindred Hospital Bay Area Bayshore Medical Center Renaissance Hospital Houston Vista Medical Center Hospital of America Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital North Cypress Medical Center Kindred Hospital Northwest East Houston Regional Medical Center Cornerstone Hospital of Houston at Clearlake Clear Lake Regional Medical Center Clear Lake Rehabilitation Hospital Triumph Hospital Clear Lake Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Triumph Hospital East Houston CHRISTUS St John Hospital Houston Northwest Medical Center TOPS Surgical Specialty Hospital Cypress Creek Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Hospital of Houston IntraCare North Hospital Triumph Hospital Northwest Angleton Danbury Medical Center HEALTHSOUTH Humble Rehabilitation Hospital Memorial Hermann Northeast Tomball Regional Medical Center 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
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
6 articles-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Esophageal Cancer
-
Medications
5 articles -
Procedures & Tests
4 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
1 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
1 articles -
Health News
0 articles -
Health Features
0 articles
