Achalasia Center - Naperville, IL
Naperville 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 Naperville * DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Naperville Gastroenterology  Gastrointestinal Health Specialists LLC  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Southwest Digestive Disease Consultants  Southwest Digestive Disease Consultants  Digestive Health Services SC  Digestive Health Services SC  Digestive Health Services SC  Mohamad Z Sait MD Ltd  Gloria J Caruso MD PC  Dreyer Medical Clinic Mercy Campus  Mohammed Mahkri MD  Dreyer Medical Clinic Mercy Campus  Dreyer Medical Clinic Mercy Campus  Dreyer Medical Clinic Mercy Campus  Joseph Lagattuta MD  Gastrointestinal Health Specialists LLC  Dyer GI Clinics of Illinois  Midwest GI Associates  Gastroenterology Group  Gastrointestinal Health Associates  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastrointestinal Health Associates  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastrointestinal Health Associates  Gastrointestinal Health Associates  Gastroenterology Group  Basant K Jhawar MD  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Suresh Bhalla MD  Digestive Disease Clinic of Joliet Ltd  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Southwest Gastroenterology  Southwest Gastroenterology  Southwest Gastroenterology  Southwest Gastroenterology  Southwest Gastroenterology  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Digestive Health Associates  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  K Krishnankutty MD  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Healthcare  Northwest Healthcare  Northwest Healthcare  George Zahrebelski MD  Mark E Dubin MD  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Deepak Bakane MD  Yorkville Family Practice  Sinha Chunduri MD  Manuel C Iglesias MD  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Advocate Medical Group Arlington Heights  Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology Naperville, IllinoisUpcoming Local Events2012-05-20
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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 Naperville
Nearby Naperville Hospitals *Edward Hospital Linden Oaks Hospital at Edward Central DuPage Hospital Rush-Copley Medical Center Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Provena Mercy Medical Center Adventist GlenOaks Hospital RML Specialty Hospital Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Delnor-Community Hospital Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Kindred Hospital Northlake Streamwood Behavioral Health Center Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center Silver Cross Hospital Alexian Brothers Medical Center Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital Loyola University Medical Center Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital Riveredge Hospital Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Advocate Christ Medical Center & Hope Children's Hospital Palos Community Hospital MacNeal Hospital Elgin Mental Health Center RUSH Oak Park Hospital St Alexius Medical Center Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital Provena Saint Joseph Hospital Sherman Hospital Hartgrove Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago Loretto Hospital Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center Northwest Community Hospital Chicago-Read Mental Health Center Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Tinley Park Mental Health Center Advocate Bethany Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers Saint Anthony Hospital Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center Sacred Heart Hospital Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County Kindred Hospital Chicago Central Norwegian-American Hospital Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Valley West Community Hospital Jesse Brown VA Medical Center John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County MetroSouth Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital University of Illinois Medical Center Johnston R Bowman Health Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Rush University Medical Center St Bernard Hospital & Health Care Center Glenbrook Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago North Swedish Covenant Hospital Advocate South Suburban Hospital CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Ingalls Memorial Hospital Mercy Hospital & Medical Center Provident Hospital of Cook County 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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