Achalasia Center - Westfield, MA
Westfield 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 Westfield * Springfield Medical Associates  Springfield Medical Associates  Springfield Medical Associates  Hampden County Physician Associates LLC  Western Mass Gastroenterology Associates  Western Mass Gastroenterology Associates  Western Mass Gastroenterology Associates  Western Mass Gastroenterology Associates  Western Mass Gastroenterology Associates  Noble Hospital  Medical Surgical Specialists of Westfield  Western Massachusetts GI Associates PC  Holyoke Specialty Surgeons  Western Massachusetts GI Associates PC  RiverBend Medical Group Chicopee Office  Baystate Gastroenterology  Baystate Gastroenterology  Diane DeBenedetto MD  RiverBend Medical Group  Hampshire Gastroenterology Associates  Hampshire Gastroenterology Associates  Hampshire Gastroenterology Associates  Hampshire Gastroenterology Associates  Hampshire Gastroenterology Associates  Quaboag Gastroenterology  T K Thomas MD  Franklin Gastroenterology  John G Stagias MD  Veronica Deyeso MD  Surgical Specialists of Western New England PC  Surgical Specialists of Western New England PC  Central Berkshire Gastroenterology  Central Berkshire Gastroenterology  Timothy C Counihan MD  Central Berkshire Gastroenterology  Central Berkshire Gastroenterology  Berkshire Gastroenterology  Greylock Gastroenterology  A Tariq Malik MD  New England Gastroenterology Associates PC  New England Gastroenterology Associates PC  Elise A Jacques MD  Digestive & Liver Disease Group  Peter Tomaiolo MD  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Medical Center Weight Center  Associates in Gastroenterology PC  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  Associates in Gastroenterology PC  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Medical Center Gastroenterology  UMass Memorial Gastroenterology  Guenter L Spanknebel MD  Edmund J Taylor MD  G I Liver Group  UMass Memorial Medical Center Psychiatry  G I Liver Group  Fallon Clinic Gastroenterology  Fallon Clinic Gastroenterology  Fallon Clinic Gastroenterology  Fallon Clinic Gastroenterology  Fallon Clinic Gastroenterology  Naveen Pandaraboyina MD  Elliot J Feinberg MD  Milford Gastroenterology Associates Inc  Milford Gastroenterology Associates Inc  Milford Gastroenterology Associates Inc  Milford Gastroenterology Associates Inc  Milford Gastroenterology Associates Inc  T Edward Bynum MD  Richard Schwartz MD  Middlesex Gastroenterology  Greater Boston Gastroenterology  Greater Boston Gastroenterology  Greater Boston Gastroenterology  Greater Boston Gastroenterology  Greater Boston Gastroenterology  Greater Boston Gastroenterology  Middlesex Gastroenterology  Middlesex Gastroenterology  Van Ritter MD  Michael Pisick MD  Mark P Epstein MD  Andrea Fribush MD  Lawrence Handler MD  Gastroenterology Consultants of Greater Lowell  Gastroenterology Consultants of Greater Lowell  Gastroenterology Consultants of Greater Lowell  Gastroenterology Consultants of Greater Lowell  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists  Digestive Health Specialists Westfield, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
2012-06-10
2012-07-11
2012-07-15
2012-07-21
2012-07-22
2012-09-09
2012-10-13
2012-11-11
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 Westfield
Nearby Westfield Hospitals *Western Massachusetts Hospital Baystate Medical Center Mercy Medical Center Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Noble Hospital Providence Hospital Kindred Hospital Park View Holyoke Medical Center HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts Cooley Dickinson Hospital Northampton VA Medical Center Wing Memorial Hospital & Medical Center Johnson Memorial Hospital Rockville General Hospital St Francis Care Hospital Mount Sinai Campus The Hospital at Hebrew Healthcare Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital St Francis Hospital & Medical Center Manchester Memorial Hospital Baystate Mary Lane Hospital Hungerford Emergency & Medical Care Connecticut Children's Medical Center Hartford Hospital Institute of Living Hartford Hospital University of Connecticut Health Center John Dempsey VA Connecticut Healthcare System Newington Campus Cedarcrest Hospital Hospital for Special Care The Hospital of Central Connecticut New Britain Campus Veterans Home & Hospital Rocky Hill Harrington Memorial Hospital Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Bristol Hospital Franklin 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
-
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
