Achalasia Center - Sun City, AZ
Sun City 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 Sun City * Clinic For Digestive Disease PC  Clinic For Digestive Disease PC  Clinic For Digestive Disease PC  Clinic For Digestive Disease PC  Clinic For Digestive Disease PC  Clinic For Digestive Disease PC  Cigna Healthcare of Arizona  Cigna Healthcare of Arizona  Baughman & Associates Age Management Medicine LLC  Banner Arizona Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Banner Arizona Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Banner Arizona Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Banner Arizona Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Banner Arizona Medical Clinic Gastroenterology  Banner Arizona Medical Clinic Primary Care 2  Arizona Gastroenterology & Liver Clinic  Arizona Gastroenterology & Liver Clinic  Arizona Gastroenterology & Liver Clinic  Arizona Gastroenterology & Liver Clinic  Arizona Gastroenterology & Liver Clinic  Digestive Healthcare Associates LLC  Arizona Clinic of Gastroenterology  Arizona Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants  Arizona Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants  Arizona Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants  Arizona Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants  Arizona Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants  Clinic For Digestive Disease PC  Phoenix GI Associates  Phoenix GI Associates  Sukhdeep S Padda MD  Sukhdeep S Padda MD  Advanced Care Gastroenterology PC  Hugo L Pinillos MD  Hugo L Pinillos MD  North Valley Gastroenterology  Arizona Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants  Adult Gastroenterology PLLC  Arizona Gastroenterology Consultants  Clinical Associates  Clinical Associates  Arizona Gastroenterology Consultants  Clinical Associates  Clinical Associates  Clinical Associates  Associated Gastroenterologists LTD  Associated Gastroenterologists LTD  Associated Gastroenterologists LTD  Michael Altman MD  Adriana T Gaidici MD  Digestive Health Center Of Arizona  Digestive Health Center Of Arizona  Digestive Health Center Of Arizona  Digestive Health Center Of Arizona  Digestive Health Center Of Arizona  Digestive Health Center Of Arizona  Arizona Digestive Health PC  Arizona Digestive Health PC  Arizona Digestive Health PC  Advanced Gastroenterology of Arizona  Arizona Digestive Health PC  Liver Disease Center  Douglas J Schwartz MD Division of Arizona Digestive Health PC  Advanced Gastroenterology of Arizona  Advanced Gastroenterology of Arizona  Koppenbrink Internal Medicine  Arizona Gastroenterology & Therapeutic Endoscopy PC  Associated Gastroenterologists LTD  Desert Ridge Gastroenterology & Liver Disease  Gavin N Levinthal MD  Scottsdale Healthcare Gastroenterology & Endo  Scottsdale Healthcare Gastroenterology & Endo  Scottsdale Healthcare Gastroenterology & Endo  Scottsdale Gastroenterologists  Colon & Digestive Health Specialists  Colon & Digestive Health Specialists  Colon & Digestive Health Specialists  Colon & Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Southwest Digestive Specialists  Daniel A Meline MD  Larry F Pass MD  Michael S Shapiro MD PLLC  Linda I Shields MD  John M Yalam MD PC  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates  Southwest Medical Specialists  Desert Gastroenterology Associates  Central Arizona Medical Associates  Central Arizona Medical Associates  Central Arizona Medical Associates  Central Arizona Medical Associates Sun City, ArizonaUpcoming Local Events2012-07-14
2012-08-12
2012-09-09
2012-09-20
2012-09-30
2012-10-06
2012-10-13
2012-10-13
2012-10-21
2012-11-11
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 Sun City
Nearby Sun City Hospitals *Banner Boswell Medical Center HEALTHSOUTH Valley of the Sun Rehabilitation Hospital Arrowhead Hospital Banner Thunderbird Medical Center Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Banner Estrella Medical Center Maryvale Hospital Medical Center West Valley Hospital John C Lincoln Hospital Deer Valley Surgical Specialty Hospital of Arizona Phoenix Baptist Hospital John C Lincoln Hospital North Mountain Kindred Hospital Phoenix Select Specialty Hospital Phoenix St Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center Carl T Hayden VA Medical Center Phoenix Indian Medical Center Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center Banner Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Select Specialty Hospital Phoenix Downtown Phoenix Memorial Health Care Center Promise Hospital of Phoenix Arizona Heart Hospital Phoenix Children's Hospital Los Ninos Hospital Paradise Valley Hospital Youth Development Institute St Luke's Behavioral Health Center St Luke's Medical Center Maricopa Medical Center Arizona State Hospital Mayo Clinic Hospital Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Select Specialty Hospital Scottsdale Banner Behavioral Health Hospital Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Kindred Hospital Scottsdale HEALTHSOUTH Scottsdale Rehabilitation Hospital Tempe St Luke's Hospital Banner Desert Medical Center Desert Vista Hospital Arizona Orthopedic Surgical Hospital Chandler Regional 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
-
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
