Publisher's Synopsis
Achalasia is an extremely uncommon condition in which the esophagus is unable to move food and liquids into the stomach after they have passed through it. Your esophagus is a muscular tube that runs from your mouth to your stomach and is responsible for the digestion of food. A ring of muscle that is known as the lower esophageal sphincter can be found at the point where your esophagus connects to your stomach (LES). This muscle will either relax, allowing food to enter your stomach, or it will contract, preventing stomach contents from entering your esophagus. Both of these actions allow food to enter your stomach. Achalasia is characterized by a failure of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to relax, which prevents food from entering the stomach.
