Achalasia Center - San Rafael, CA
San Rafael 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 Rafael * Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Laurence J Mazzotta MD  Barbara L Nylund MD  Center for Digestive Disorders  Center for Digestive Disorders  VA Hospital  UCSF VA Medical Center  Center for Digestive Disorders  John C Fletcher MD & William Parmer MD Inc  US & International Medicine Wing K King MD  Doctors Office  Doctors Office  Doctors Office  Patrick Y Wong MD  DR, MARTIN S. LIBERMAN  Stephen C Pardys MD  Pacific Heights Medical Group  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  Interventional Endoscopy Services  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Daniel Conlin MD  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  PACIFIC INTERNAL MEDICINE ASSOCIATES  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Interventional Endoscopy Services  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Womens Health Care Clinic  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF The Comprehensive Cancer Center  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  Frank J Farrell MD  California Pacific Medical Center Department of Gastroenterology  North East Medical Service  Malin Aubry Gores Wang Haddad & Sankaran  Frank S Yang MD  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  Dennis L Hamby MD  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Gastroenterology  Dean L Rider MD  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  H David Watts MD  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  Sunset Health Services  Robert J Elsen MD  SFGH Medicine & Gastroenterology Clinic  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Gastroenterology  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center San Rafael, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-16
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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 Rafael
Nearby San Rafael Hospitals *Kentfield Rehabilitation & Specialty Hospital Marin General Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center Novato Community Hospital Doctor's Medical Center San Pablo San Francisco VA Medical Center California Pacific Medical Center California Campus California Pacific Medical Center East Campus California Pacific Medical Center Pacific Campus Chinese Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion Saint Francis Memorial Hospital St Mary's Medical Center California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Herrick Campus Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center San Francisco General Hospital St Luke's Hospital Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Alta Bates Campus Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland St Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center Sutter Solano Medical Center Petaluma Valley Hospital Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus Seton Medical Center Alameda Hospital Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Sonoma Valley Hospital Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center VA Northern CA Healthcare System at Martinez Napa State Hospital Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center John Muir Behavioral Health Center John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Campus John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus Queen of the Valley Medical Center San Leandro Hospital Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area John George Psychiatric Pavilion Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus Mills-Peninsula Health Services Mills Hospital Eden Medical Center Seton Medical Center Coastside Telecare Solano Psychiatric Health Facility NorthBay Medical Center Palm Drive Hospital San Mateo Medical Center Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Main Campus Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center St Rose Hospital San Ramon 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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Vitiligo
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis
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Dysphagia
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Esophagitis
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The Digestive System
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