Achalasia Center - Stamford, CT
Stamford 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 Stamford * Ronald J Cirillo MD  Peter W Gardner & Stuart Waldstreicher MDs  Shoreline Medical LLP  Peter W Gardner & Stuart Waldstreicher MDs  Sanford H Benjamin MD  Medical Associates of Stamford PC  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  William M Pintauro MD  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Gastroenterology & Hepatology Associates  Soundview Medical Associates  Soundview Medical Associates  Soundview Medical Associates  Alan E Selkin MD  Fairfield & Westchester Gastroenterology Medicine Ctr  Fairfield & Westchester Gastroenterology Medicine Ctr  Fairfield & Westchester Gastroenterology Medicine Ctr  William B Hale MD  Dennis Meighan DO  Norwalk Medical Group PC  Norwalk Medical Group PC  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine Westport  Arbor Medical Group LLC  Digestive Disease Center  Fiedler & Kapel MDs  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Gerald O Franklin MD  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Fairfield County Internal Medicine & GI Associates  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Stephen W Kingsley MD  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Danbury Hospital Gastroenterology  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Bridgeport Internal Medicine  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates of Fairfield County  Fiedler & Kapel MDs  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  GI Health Specialists  Tarun K Gupta MD LLC  David M Chess MD  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  New Milford Internal Medicine Associates  New Milford Internal Medicine Associates  Southbury Medical Associates  Gastroenterology & Internal Medicine of Orange  Gastroenterology Center of New England  Gastroenterology of New Haven LLC  Gastroenterology of New Haven LLC  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Yale Medical Group Digestive Diseases  Beacon Falls Medical Associates  Beacon Falls Medical Associates  Melchinger Street Rosenthal & Breier MD  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Associates  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Gerald Fette MD  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Associates  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC Stamford, ConnecticutUpcoming Local Events2012-06-03
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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 Stamford
Nearby Stamford Hospitals *Stamford Hospital Greenwich Hospital Norwalk Hospital Silver Hill Hospital Rye Hospital Center St Vincent's Hospital Westchester New York Presbyterian Westchester The Burke Rehabilitation Hospital White Plains Hospital Center Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services Glen Cove Hospital Blythedale Children's Hospital Huntington Hospital Maria Fareri Children's Hospital Westchester Medical Center Northern Westchester Hospital Center Four Winds Hospital Northport VA Medical Center Sound Shore Medical Center of Westchester Syosset Hospital Dobbs Ferry Pavillion @ St Johns Riverside Hospital Phelps Memorial Hospital Center Lawrence Hospital Center Mount Vernon Hospital Stony Lodge Hospital St Francis Hospital The Heart Center Plainview Hospital North Division of Montefiore Medical Center Sagamore Children's Psychiatric Center Nyack Hospital St John's Riverside Hospital Saint Joseph's Medical Center St Vincent's Medical Center North Shore University Hospital at Manhasset Jacobi Medical Center Jack D Weiler Hospital Bronx Children's Psychiatric Center Bronx Psychiatric Center Calvary Hospital Montefiore Medical Center North Central Bronx Hospital New York Westchester Square Medical Center Pilgrim Psychiatric Center Bridgeport Hospital Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center Winthrop University Hospital Rockland Psychiatric Center Long Island Jewish Medical Center Schneider Children's Hospital Nassau University Medical Center James J Peters VA Medical Center St Catherine of Siena Medical Center The Zucker Hillside Hospital New Island Hospital St Barnabas Hospital Rockland Children's Psychiatric Center Queens Children's Psychiatric Center Creedmoor Psychiatric Center New York Presbyterian Allen Pavilion Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Concourse Division FDR Campus of the VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System Montrose Putnam Hospital Center Stony Brook University Medical Center Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Fulton Division Englewood Hospital & Medical Center Hudson Valley Hospital Center MMC South Bronx Health Center Danbury Hospital Flushing Hospital Medical Center Helen Hayes Hospital New York Presbyterian Columbia Campus Mercy Medical Center New York State Psychiatric Institute New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens Cornerstone of Medical Arts Center Hospital 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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Related Diseases & Conditions
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Esophageal Cancer
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