Achalasia Center - San Antonio, TX
San Antonio 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 San Antonio * San Antonio Digestive Disease  Digestive Disease Center  Digestive Disease Center  Digestive Disease Center  Digestive Disease Center  Digestive Disease Center  Digestive Disease Center  San Antonio Gastroenterology  San Antonio Gastroenterology  San Antonio Gastroenterology  San Antonio Gastroenterology  San Antonio Gastroenterology  San Antonio Gastroenterology  San Antonio Gastroenterology  San Antonio Gastroenterology  San Antonio Gastroenterology  Jocelyn M Theard MD  San Antonio Digestive Disease  San Antonio Digestive Disease  Roy P Bell MD  Gary S Gossen MD  Digestive Care for Children,PA  Gastroenterology Clinic of San Antonio PA  Gastroenterology Clinic of San Antonio PA  Gastroenterology Clinic of San Antonio PA  Gastroenterology Clinic of San Antonio PA  UT Medicine San Antonio  Gastroenterology Clinic of San Antonio PA  UT Medicine San Antonio  Homero R Garza MD  UT Medicine San Antonio  UT Medicine San Antonio  UTHSC Internal Medicine & Gastroenterology  UT Medicine San Antonio  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Consultants  Jorge Munoz MD PA  Christus Santa Rosa Transplant  Health By Design  Huebner Family Medicine PA  Bassem W Mazloum MD  Kadakia & Magraner MDs  Kadakia & Magraner MDs  David A Garcia MD  Gastroenterology Associates  Robert M Narvaez MD MBA  Seema Dar MD  Seema Dar MD  Gastroenterology of San Marcos & New Braunfels  Gastroenterology of San Marcos & New Braunfels  Gastroenterology of San Marcos & New Braunfels  Gastroenterology of San Marcos & New Braunfels  Tony Tsen MD  Medical Surgical Specialists  Douglas E Wright MD  Austin Gastroenterology  Austin Gastroenterology  Austin Gastroenterology  Austin Gastroenterology  Austin Gastroenterology  Austin Gastroenterology  Austin Gastroenterology  Drs Spindel & Tretjak  Drs Spindel & Tretjak  Ted L Edwards Jr. MD  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Sridhar P Reddy MD  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  McHorse Foster & Nutson  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Diagnostic Clinic Gastroenterology  Austin Diagnostic Clinic Gastroenterology  Austin Diagnostic Clinic Gastroenterology  Austin Diagnostic Clinic Gastroenterology  Austin Diagnostic Clinic Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Associates PA  Gastroenterology Associates PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Austin Gastroenterology PA  Robert J Just MD  Scott & White Healthcare Clinic Round Rock Hospital San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio has a strong military presence - it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Brooks City-Base, with Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley outside the city. Kelly Air Force Base operated out of San Antonio until 2001, when the airfield was transferred over to Lackland AFB and the remaining portions of the base became Port San Antonio, an industrial/business park. San Antonio is home to five Fortune 500 companies and to the South Texas Medical Center, the only medical research and care provider in the South Texas region. Upcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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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 San Antonio
Nearby San Antonio Hospitals *CHRISTUS Santa Rosa City Centre & Children's Hospital Nix Medical Center Baptist Medical Center Select Specialty Hospital San Antonio Metropolitan Methodist Hospital TexSAn Heart Hospital San Antonio State Hospital Texas Center for Infectious Disease Promise Hospital of San Antonio Southwest General Hospital Southeast Baptist Hospital Nix Specialty Health Center Texas Specialty Hospital Methodist Children's Hospital of South Texas Methodist Hospital Northeast Baptist Hospital University Health System San Antonio Kindred Hospital San Antonio South Texas VA Healthcare System St Luke's Baptist Hospital Warm Springs San Antonio Rehabilitation Hospital Methodist Specialty & Transplant Hospital Wilford Hall Medical Center Southwest Mental Health Center CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Medical Center CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Rehabilitation Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Institute of San Antonio LifeCare Hospitals of San Antonio Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Hospital Northwest COMPASS Hospital at San Antonio Mission Vista Behavioral Health Center Northeast Methodist Hospital Laurel Ridge Treatment Center Spine Hospital of South Texas North Central Baptist Hospital Connally Memorial Medical Center Christus Santa Rosa New Braunfels South Texas Regional Medical Center Guadalupe 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
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Dysphagia
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Esophagitis
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The Digestive System
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