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Achalasia
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Overview
Achalasia is a disorder of the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.[1] It is characterized by enlargement of the esophagus, impaired ability of the esophagus to push food down toward the stomach (peristalsis), and failure of the ring-shaped muscle at the bottom of the esophagus (the lower esophageal sphincter) to relax.[2] Achalasia is caused by damage to the nerves of the esophagus. Treatment is aimed at reducing the pressure at the lower esophageal sphincter and may include Botox, medications, or surgery.[1]
References
- Dugdale DC, Longstreth GF. Achalasia. MedlinePlus. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000267.htm. Accessed July 20, 2011.
- Achalasia. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). http://www.rarediseases.org/rare-disease-information/rare-diseases/byID/118/viewAbstract. Accessed July 20, 2011.
Your Questions Answered
by the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center1 question(s) from the public on Achalasia have been answered. See questions and answers. You can also submit a new question.
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General Information
- eMedicine has 2 articles on this topic from the perspective of Gastroenterology and Radiology. You may need to register to view the information online, but registration is free. Click on the links above to view the articles from this medical reference Web site.
- MedlinePlus, a Web site designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, provides more information about this topic. Click on the link to view this information.
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library provides information on this condition. Click on the link to view the information.
- The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
- Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge. Click on the link to read information on this topic.
- PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Achalasia. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.