Achalasia Center - Pasadena, TX
Pasadena 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 Pasadena * Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Digestive Health Center  Rukan Daccak MD  Gastroenterology Diagnostic Clinic  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Arun K Mukhopadhyay MD  Rafael Sanchez MD  Leroy Odom MD  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Stephen C Marcum & Richard Warneke MDs  Bay Area Gastroenterology PA  Kalyanam D Subramanyam MD  Stephen C Marcum & Richard Warneke MDs  Garland W Gossett MD  Garland W Gossett MD  Narayana P Narayana MD  Midtown Physicians  Nisar Ahmed MD  Diagnostic Clinic of Houston  Alfred J Hernandez Jr. MD  Diagnostic Clinic of Houston  Antonio Bernal MD  John B Clemmons Jr. 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  M Radwan Al-Sabbagh MD  Liver Associates of Texas PA  Nizar Charafeddine MD  Liver Associates of Texas PA  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  Alberto O Barroso MD  Margaret Bridges MD  Stuart M Dobbs MD  Atilla Ertan MD  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  Ray A Verm MD  John R Mathias 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  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  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  Fernando M Urrutia MD  Medical Clinic of Houston LLP  Medical Clinic of Houston LLP  Ben H Echols MD  Kelsey-Seybold Clinic  Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Main Campus Gastroenterology  Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Main Campus Gastroenterology  Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Main Campus Gastroenterology  Sathya Kalangi MD  Mazen Alasadi MD  Ludie Hernandez-Buck MD PA  Ronald M Rance MD  Vijaya Kaila MD  Owen S Maat MD  Houston Digestive Diseases Consultants  Michael W Stavinoha MD Pasadena, TexasUpcoming Local Events2012-05-19
2012-05-26
2012-06-02
2012-06-16
2012-06-17
2012-06-22
2012-07-01
2012-10-07
2012-10-14
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 Pasadena
Nearby Pasadena Hospitals *Kindred Hospital Bay Area Bayshore Medical Center Vista Medical Center Hospital of America East Houston Regional Medical Center Triumph Hospital East Houston Texas Specialty Hospital Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital Harris Quentin Mease Community Hospital Riverside General Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Hospital for Specialized Surgery Lyndon B Johnson General Hospital University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center St Joseph Medical Center Triumph Hospital Clear Lake Clear Lake Regional Medical Center Clear Lake Rehabilitation Hospital Cornerstone Hospital of Houston at Clearlake Dubuis Hospital of Houston Harris County Hospital District Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center Park Plaza Hospital and Medical Center Plaza Specialty Hospital CHRISTUS St John Hospital Ben Taub General Hospital Triumph Hospital Houston Central Memorial Herman The Institute for Rehabilitation & Research Memorial Hermann Hospital University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center St Luke's Episcopal Hospital IntraCare Medical Center Hospital Kindred Hospital Houston The Methodist Hospital Select Specialty Hospital Houston Medical Center University General Hospital The Woman's Hospital of Texas Texas Children's Hospital Shriners Hospitals for Children Texas Orthopedic Hospital San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Garth Rd Select Specialty Hospital Houston Heights Renaissance Hospital Houston San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Alexander Campus Triumph Hospital Baytown Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital Cornerstone Hospital of Houston at Bellaire Doctors Hospital of Tidwell Doctors Hospital Parkway Triumph Hospital North Houston West Oaks Hospital Riveroaks Medical Center Sharpstown Campus Twelve Oaks Medical Center River Oaks Campus Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital Spring Branch Medical Center Select Specialty Hospital Houston West HEALTHSOUTH Humble Rehabilitation Hospital Memorial Hermann Northeast Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital Healthbridge Children's Hospital of Houston Triumph Hospital Town & Country Mainland Medical Center West Houston Medical Center Kingwood Medical Center Houston Northwest Medical Center TOPS Surgical Specialty Hospital IntraCare North Hospital Triumph Hospital Southwest Triumph Hospital Northwest Cypress Creek Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Hospital of Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital Kindred Hospital Northwest North Cypress 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
