Achalasia Center - Oro Valley, AZ
Oro Valley 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 Oro Valley * Arizona Gastroenterology Ltd  Arizona Gastroenterology Ltd  Arizona Gastroenterology Ltd  Gary I Goldstein MD PLLC  Arizona Gastroenterology Ltd  Arizona Gastroenterology Ltd  Foothills Gastroenterology  Arizona Gastroenterology Ltd  Foothills Gastroenterology  Arizona Gastroenterology Ltd  Edmund Krasinski Jr. DO  Catalina Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  University Physicians Healthcare Gastroenterology  University Physicians Healthcare Gastroenterology  University Physicians Healthcare Gastroenterology  Adobe Gastroenterology  Adobe Gastroenterology  Adobe Gastroenterology  Adobe Gastroenterology  Mountain View Gastroenterology  Charles L Krone MD  Pima Gastroenterology  Rebecca A Natrajan MD  Charles J Sanner MD  Carl S Kanun MD PC  Sylvain Sidi MD  Southern Arizona VA Health Care System  Stephen B Pozez MD  Vanessa Roeder MD  Desert Sun Gastroenterology  Desert Sun Gastroenterology  Desert Sun Gastroenterology  Nadeem A Kazi MD  Cochise Health Gastroenterology  Advent Gastroenterology  Prem C Kumar MD  Central Arizona Medical Associates  Central Arizona Medical Associates  Central Arizona Medical Associates  Desert Valley Gastroenterology  Desert Valley Gastroenterology  Desert Valley Gastroenterology  Desert Valley Gastroenterology  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Valley Gastroenterology  Valley Gastroenterology  Valley Gastroenterology  Southeast Valley Gastroenterology  Southeast Valley Gastroenterology  Southeast Valley Gastroenterology  Southeast Valley Gastroenterology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Rekha Shah MD  Advanced Gastroenterlogy PC  Oluwagbenga Serrano MD PLLC  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Southwest Medical Specialists  Desert Gastroenterology Associates  Central Arizona Medical Associates  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Scottsdale Gastroenterologists  Scottsdale Healthcare Gastroenterology & Endo Oro Valley, ArizonaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-01
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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 Oro Valley
Nearby Oro Valley Hospitals *Northwest Medical Center Oro Valley Sonora Behavioral Health Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern Arizona Northwest Medical Center Sierra Tucson Tucson Heart Hospital University Medical Center Carondelet St Mary's Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Institute of Tucson Palo Verde Mental Health Services Tucson Medical Center Carondelet St Joseph's Hospital Kindred Hospital Tucson Cornerstone Hospital of Southeast Arizona Southern Arizona VA Health Care System University Physicians Healthcare Hospital at Kino 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. |
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