Achalasia Center - Tempe, AZ
Tempe 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 Tempe * Scottsdale Gastroenterologists  Scottsdale Healthcare Gastroenterology & Endo  Scottsdale Healthcare Gastroenterology & Endo  Scottsdale Healthcare Gastroenterology & Endo  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  Advanced Care Gastroenterology PC  Advanced Gastroenterlogy PC  Oluwagbenga Serrano MD PLLC  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  Rekha Shah MD  Michael Altman MD  Digestive Health Center Of Arizona  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  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  East Valley Gastroenterology & Hepatology  Southeast Valley Gastroenterology  Southeast Valley Gastroenterology  Southeast Valley Gastroenterology  Southeast Valley Gastroenterology  Valley Gastroenterology  Valley Gastroenterology  Valley Gastroenterology  Daniel A Meline MD  Southwest Digestive Specialists  Larry F Pass MD  Michael S Shapiro MD PLLC  Linda I Shields MD  John M Yalam MD PC  Arizona Clinic of Gastroenterology  Arizona Gastroenterology Consultants  Clinical Associates  Clinical Associates  Arizona Gastroenterology Consultants  Associated Gastroenterologists LTD  Associated Gastroenterologists LTD  Associated Gastroenterologists LTD  Clinical Associates  Clinical Associates  Clinical Associates  Adult Gastroenterology PLLC  Desert Valley Gastroenterology  Desert Valley Gastroenterology  Desert Valley Gastroenterology  Desert Valley Gastroenterology  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Mayo Clinic  Colon & Digestive Health Specialists  Colon & Digestive Health Specialists  Colon & Digestive Health Specialists  Colon & Digestive Health Specialists  Koppenbrink Internal Medicine  Arizona Gastroenterology & Therapeutic Endoscopy PC Tempe, ArizonaUpcoming Local Events2012-07-14
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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 Tempe
Nearby Tempe Hospitals *Tempe St Luke's Hospital Banner Behavioral Health Hospital Banner Desert Medical Center Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Select Specialty Hospital Scottsdale Arizona State Hospital Desert Vista Hospital Maricopa Medical Center St Luke's Behavioral Health Center St Luke's Medical Center Youth Development Institute Los Ninos Hospital Arizona Orthopedic Surgical Hospital Arizona Heart Hospital Phoenix Children's Hospital Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center Banner Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Select Specialty Hospital Phoenix Downtown Phoenix Indian Medical Center Phoenix Memorial Health Care Center Promise Hospital of Phoenix Carl T Hayden VA Medical Center Select Specialty Hospital Phoenix St Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center Kindred Hospital Phoenix Chandler Regional Hospital Scottsdale Healthcare Shea HEALTHSOUTH Scottsdale Rehabilitation Hospital Phoenix Baptist Hospital Kindred Hospital Scottsdale Surgical Specialty Hospital of Arizona Arizona Spine & Joint Hospital John C Lincoln Hospital North Mountain Banner Gateway Medical Center Maryvale Hospital Medical Center Mercy Gilbert Medical Center Banner Baywood Medical Center Banner Baywood Heart Hospital Paradise Valley Hospital Mayo Clinic Hospital Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Banner Estrella Medical Center Banner Thunderbird Medical Center Mountain Vista Medical Center John C Lincoln Hospital Deer Valley HEALTHSOUTH Valley of the Sun Rehabilitation Hospital Arrowhead Hospital Banner Boswell Medical Center West Valley Hospital Gila River Health Care Huhukam Memorial Hospital Banner Del E Webb 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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