Achalasia Center - Smyrna, TN
Smyrna 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 Smyrna * Nashville Gastrointestinal Specialist Inc  Nashville Gastrointestinal Specialist Inc  Anthony Montemuro MD  Murfreesboro Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Murfreesboro Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Murfreesboro Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Murfreesboro Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Sunil Sarvaria MD  Lebanon Digestive Disease Associates PC  Lebanon Digestive Disease Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates  Associates in Gastroenterology  Associates in Gastroenterology  Associates in Gastroenterology  Nashville Gastrointestinal Specialist Inc  Associates in Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Consultants  Franklin Gastroenterolgy PLLC  Franklin Gastroenterolgy PLLC  Max Caudill MD  Vanderbilt University Medical Center  Vanderbilt University Medical Center  Vanderbilt University Medical Center  Stephanie McAbee MD  Vanderbilt University Medical Center  GI Clinic at Vanderbilt Medical Center  GI Clinic at Vanderbilt Medical Center  Vanderbilt University Medical Center  Richard P Schneider MD  Vanderbilt University Medical Center  Vanderbilt University Medical Center  Somayaji Gastroenterology Group PC  Charles Winters Jr. MD  Nashville Gastrointestinal Specialist Inc  Nashville Endoscopy Center  Nashville Endoscopy Center  Heritage Medical Associates  Heritage Medical Associates  Heritage Medical Associates  Heritage Medical Associates  Heritage Medical Associates  Nashville Gastro Consulting PLLC  Nashville Gastroenterology Consultants PC  The Frist Clinic Gastroenterology & Infectious Disease  The Frist Clinic  The Frist Clinic Gastroenterology & Infectious Disease  Nashville Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Nashville Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Mene Sugage Zua MD  Nashville Gastrointestinal Specialist Inc  James R Gillespie MD  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Michael C Diaz MD  St Thomas Medical Group  St Thomas Medical Group  Heritage Medical Associates  Sumner Medical Group PLLC  Mid South Gastroenterology  Mid South Gastroenterology  Mid South Gastroenterology  Mid South Gastroenterology  Suzanne C Collier MD  Fayetteville Medical Associates  Anil Patel MD  Edwin C Glassell MD  Medical Specialists Of Cookeville  Medical Specialists Of Cookeville  Waverly Clinic Smyrna, TennesseeUpcoming 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 Smyrna
Nearby Smyrna Hospitals *StoneCrest Medical Center Alvin C York Veterans Affairs Medical Center Middle Tennessee Medical Center Southern Hills Medical Center Summit Medical Center Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute Williamson Medical Center Nashville Rehabilitation Hospital University Medical Center Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital Psychiatric Hospital At Vanderbilt Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville VA Medical Center Baptist Hospital McFarland Specialty Hospital Centennial Medical Center Parthenon Pavilion Metropolitan Nashville General Hospital Saint Thomas Hospital Skyline Madison Campus Skyline Medical Center Bordeaux Long Term Care Kindred Hospital Nashville Hendersonville Medical Center Stones River Hospital Heritage Medical Center Sumner Regional Medical Center Trousdale 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. |
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Dysphagia
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