Achalasia Center - Wheaton, IL
Wheaton 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 Wheaton * Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Gastrointestinal Health Specialists LLC  Gloria J Caruso MD PC  Joseph Lagattuta MD  Mohamad Z Sait MD Ltd  Digestive Health Services SC  Digestive Health Services SC  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Naperville Gastroenterology  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Digestive Health Services SC  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  Dyer GI Clinics of Illinois  Midwest GI Associates  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  K Krishnankutty MD  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Mark E Dubin MD  Northwest Healthcare  Northwest Healthcare  Northwest Healthcare  George Zahrebelski MD  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Southwest Digestive Disease Consultants  Southwest Digestive Disease Consultants  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Gastrointestinal Health Specialists LLC  Gastroenterology Group  Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  Gastrointestinal Health Associates  Advocate Medical Group Arlington Heights  Mohammed Mahkri MD  Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  Gastrointestinal Health Associates  Gastrointestinal Health Associates  Gastrointestinal Health Associates  Gastroenterology Group  Dreyer Medical Clinic Mercy Campus  Dreyer Medical Clinic Mercy Campus  Dreyer Medical Clinic Mercy Campus  Dreyer Medical Clinic Mercy Campus  Sinha Chunduri MD  Manuel C Iglesias MD  Fahey Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Elgin Gastroenterology  Riverside Medical  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  BHS Digestive Disease  BHS Digestive Disease Wheaton, IllinoisUpcoming 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.
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Nearby Wheaton Hospitals *Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital Central DuPage Hospital Adventist GlenOaks Hospital Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Edward Hospital Linden Oaks Hospital at Edward Elmhurst Memorial Hospital RML Specialty Hospital Streamwood Behavioral Health Center Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital Alexian Brothers Medical Center Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Kindred Hospital Northlake Delnor-Community Hospital Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Provena Mercy Medical Center Rush-Copley Medical Center Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital St Alexius Medical Center Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Loyola University Medical Center Elgin Mental Health Center Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center Riveredge Hospital Northwest Community Hospital Sherman Hospital RUSH Oak Park Hospital Provena Saint Joseph Hospital MacNeal Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago Chicago-Read Mental Health Center Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center Hartgrove Hospital Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center Loretto Hospital Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Advocate Christ Medical Center & Hope Children's Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago Central Palos Community Hospital Advocate Bethany Hospital Glenbrook Hospital Sacred Heart Hospital Saint Anthony Hospital Norwegian-American Hospital Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Jesse Brown VA Medical Center John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County Kindred Hospital Chicago North Swedish Covenant Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center University of Illinois Medical Center Johnston R Bowman Health Center Rush University Medical Center Silver Cross Hospital RUSH North Shore Medical Center CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center Methodist Hospital of Chicago Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers Children's Memorial Hospital Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Lincoln Park Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Francis Hospital Thorek Memorial Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Weiss Memorial 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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Esophageal Cancer
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Vitiligo
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis
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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
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The Digestive System
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