Achalasia Center - Oak Park, IL
Oak Park 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 Oak Park * Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Manuel Alva MD  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Allen J Rosenbaum MD  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  BHS Digestive Disease  BHS Digestive Disease  David N Butler MD & Nadira Ali Kahn MD SC  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Sinha Chunduri MD  Manuel C Iglesias MD  Garcia Medical Center  Garcia Medical Center  Garcia Medical Center  Arias Castillo Duarte & Heydarpour MDs  Ashok Jilhewar MD  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  University of Illinois Chicago Gastroenterology  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  University of Illinois Chicago Gastroenterology  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  UIC Medical Center Digestive Disease  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Hepatology  Rush University Gastroenterology  Rush University Hepatology  Right Care Medical Center  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Albert Saporta MD  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  Anthony P Merza MD  Ghazanfam & Olivera Gastroenterology LTD  Victorino Yu MD  Eduardo Villa MD  Fox Glen Gastroenterology  Midwest GI Associates  Midwest GI Associates  Midwest GI Associates  Chicago Gastro  Dyer GI Clinics of Illinois  Ramamoorthy Sundaresan MD  William Markey MD  China Square Clinic  Digestive Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Lawrence E Gluskin MD  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Benjamin K Matsumoto MD  Amrit P Patel MD  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Greg Cohen MD  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Robin R Fintel MD  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Melvin J Goldstein MD  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Perry L Kamel MD  Chicago Lakeshore Medical Associates Ltd  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Chicago Lakeshore Medical Associates Ltd  Edward Olinger MD  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation Hepatology  Marshall S Sparberg MD  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Gastroenterology  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD Oak Park, IllinoisUpcoming Local Events2012-06-03
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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 Oak Park
Nearby Oak Park Hospitals *Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center Loretto Hospital Hartgrove Hospital RUSH Oak Park Hospital Riveredge Hospital Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago Loyola University Medical Center MacNeal Hospital Advocate Bethany Hospital Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital Sacred Heart Hospital Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Norwegian-American Hospital Saint Anthony Hospital Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Kindred Hospital Chicago Central Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Chicago-Read Mental Health Center John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County University of Illinois Medical Center Johnston R Bowman Health Center Rush University Medical Center Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Kindred Hospital Northlake Kindred Hospital Chicago North Children's Memorial Hospital Lincoln Park Hospital Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center Swedish Covenant Hospital CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Northwestern Memorial Hospital Prentice Women's Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Joseph Hospital Mercy Hospital & Medical Center Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Thorek Memorial Hospital Methodist Hospital of Chicago Holy Cross Hospital Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Weiss Memorial Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Hospital RML Specialty Hospital Provident Hospital of Cook County Kindred Hospital Chicago Lakeshore St Bernard Hospital & Health Care Center University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital University of Chicago Hospital Bernard Mitchell Advocate Christ Medical Center & Hope Children's Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Francis Hospital Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers RUSH North Shore Medical Center Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Jackson Park Hospital & Medical Center La Rabida Children's Hospital NorthShore University HealthSystems Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center South Shore Hospital Adventist GlenOaks Hospital Palos Community Hospital Alexian Brothers Medical Center Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital Glenbrook Hospital Advocate Trinity Hospital Roseland Community Hospital MetroSouth Medical Center Northwest Community 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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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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