Achalasia Center - West Hartford, CT
West Hartford 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 West Hartford * Prime HealthCare PC - Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine  Prime HealthCare PC - Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine  Prime HealthCare PC - Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine  Prime HealthCare PC - Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine  Prime HealthCare PC - Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine  CT Gastroenterology Associates PC  CT Gastroenterology Associates PC  CT Gastroenterology Associates PC  CT Gastroenterology Associates PC  CT Gastroenterology Associates PC  Eastern Connecticut Gastroenterology Assoc LLC  Daniel Marshall & Oksana Kloyzner MDs  The Carole & Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center  University of Connecticut Health Center Gastroenterology Clinic  University of Connecticut Health Center Gastroenterology Clinic  University of Connecticut Health Center Gastroenterology Clinic  University of Connecticut Health Center Gastroenterology Clinic  University of Connecticut Health Center Gastroenterology Clinic  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Bristol Gastroenterology Associates PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Stone & Goldenberg LLP  Connecticut GI PC  Stone & Goldenberg LLP  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Connecticut GI PC  Stone & Goldenberg LLP  Ashanti Medical Associates LLC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PC  CT Gastroenterology Associates PC  Grove Hill Medical Center Gastroenterology  Connecticut GI PC  Central Connecticut Gastroenterology LLC  Ralph A Giarnella MD  Bristol Gastroenterology Associates PC  Bristol Gastroenterology Associates PC  Bristol Gastroenterology Associates PC  Digestive Disease Center Connecticut  Digestive Disease Center Connecticut  Digestive Disease Center Connecticut  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Gastroenterology Specialists PC  Connecticut GI PC  Klipstein Medical Group  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Gastroenterology Associates of Manchester  Janet B Dickinson MD  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  Middlesex Gastroenterology Assoc  ECHN Health Services  Drs Competiello & Rivera-Competiello  Springfield Medical Associates  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Litchfield County Gastroenterology Associates LLC  Litchfield County Gastroenterology Associates LLC  Litchfield County Gastroenterology Associates LLC  Litchfield County Gastroenterology Associates LLC  Litchfield County Gastroenterology Associates LLC  David Delucia & Hector Pun MDs  Ronald A Zlotoff MD  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Eduardo G Mari MD  Naugatuck Valley Gastroenterology Consultants  Broadway Medical Group LLC  ECHN Health Services  Gerald Fette MD  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC  Beacon Falls Medical Associates  Beacon Falls Medical Associates  Gastroenterology Center of New England  Martin E Gordon MD  Gastroenterology of New Haven LLC  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Melchinger Street Rosenthal & Breier MD  Connecticut Gastroenterology Consultants PC West Hartford, 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 West Hartford
Nearby West Hartford Hospitals *St Francis Hospital & Medical Center Connecticut Children's Medical Center The Hospital at Hebrew Healthcare Hartford Hospital Institute of Living Hartford Hospital University of Connecticut Health Center John Dempsey VA Connecticut Healthcare System Newington Campus Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital St Francis Care Hospital Mount Sinai Campus Cedarcrest Hospital Hospital for Special Care The Hospital of Central Connecticut New Britain Campus Veterans Home & Hospital Rocky Hill Manchester Memorial Hospital Bristol Hospital MidState Medical Center Middlesex Hospital The Hospital of Central Connecticut Bradley Campus Riverview Hospital for Children & Youth Rushford Center Connecticut Valley Hospital Rockville General Hospital Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Hungerford Emergency & Medical Care St Mary's Hospital Gaylord Hospital Masonic Healthcare Center Waterbury Hospital Johnson Memorial Hospital Western Massachusetts Hospital Noble Hospital Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital Mercy Medical Center Baystate Medical Center Shriners Hospital for Children Kindred Hospital Park View Windham Community Memorial Hospital Natchaug Hospital Providence Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts Holyoke Medical Center Hospital of St Raphael Connecticut Mental Health Center Yale-New Haven Hospital Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital Griffin Hospital VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus Wing Memorial Hospital & 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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Dysphagia
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