some thought about process - feedback is mostly welcomed.

[Guest guest]

hi, all,

so can the nerve cell or fiber regenerate if it is destroyed or

damaged?

Muscle relaxes and contracts due to stimulation from nerve. Nerve

secrets hormone to stimulate the muscle cell so that causes a series

of cell co-operation and coodination occurs. This will cause muscle

to relax or contract. Those hormones secrets by the nerves contain

some sort of electron and proton and when they accumulate to a level,

and sudden discharge happens, this process is

called " depolarization " . The depolarization initiates the cell

mechanical contraction and relaxation and it is spread and proprogate

from cell to cell. this is where the wave or Peristalsis comes from.

our brain is the central control of our nerve system. When we eat,

our brain send " signal " to nerve thru our spinal cord. Nerver gets

the signal and start secrete hormone that causes the entire

swallowing mechanism. some of the muscle movement can be controlled

by our mind. This kind of muscle movement is voluntary and other is

not controlled by our mind is involuntary or intrinsic. Peristalsis

is intrinsic or involuntary.

if the nerve is totally gone, for some unknown reason, we cannot

swallow anything at all. we need to go for a myotomy to remove the

LES so that food can move down to our stomach, or figure out a way so

that those nerve can be regenerated. Vitamin B can help us maintain

healthy nerve system, also it can help nerve regeneration. This is

why some people (in the poll section) found out taking Vitamin B help

reduceing Achalasia symptoms.

if the nerve is still there, that means something wrong happens in

coordination of our brain, nerve system, hormone secretion and

muscle. A lot of factors can negatively affect any or multiple

system. I believe we need to figure out those factors. I am kind of

changing my life style, eating habbit and improve my emotion while

undergoing an acupuncture treatment. and I am trying my best to

reduce or manage my stress. Also I am taking VB daily now.

I will keep you guys updated.

Thank you.

Quincia

> Achalasia does not permanently damage the nerves, it just makes

them misfire and under the correct pH the nerve will operate

correctly again.

>

> I am a bit confused by this statement. I have always heard that

achalasia is the result of nerves being destroyed/lost. I've even

seen pictures of destroyed nerve cells. And literature explaining

this part of achalasia is plentiful (see examples below).

>

> So I guess I'm not sure if you're saying that ALL achalasia is

caused by a pH problem, or if this is just the case in your own

personal situation, but not necessarily the case for others with

achalasia??? Or are you saying that *all* the doctors are wrong and

that the nerves that are destroyed really haven't been destroyed?

>

> Can you elaborate on this?

>

> Debbi in Michigan

> --------------------------------------------------------------------

------

>

> For unknown reasons, in patients with achalasia, an inflammatory

reaction targets nerve cells in the esophagus, particularly those

that signal the LES to relax. This reaction causes these cells to

gradually disappear. The end result is that the LES fails to relax

and thereby creates a blockage for swallowed material to enter the

stomach. To make matters worse, nerve cells in the lower two-thirds

of the esophagus are also destroyed.

> (from http://patients.uptodate.com/topic.asp?file=digestiv/4384 )

>

>

> There is a loss of nerve cells in the Auerbach plexus between the

two muscle layers of the esophageal wall and in the lower esophageal

sphincter. (from

http://hsc.usf.edu/medicine/internalmedicine/swallowing/swallowingnews

..html )

>

>

> In achalasia, there is a total loss of peristalsis and the LES

relaxes poorly. The disease results from a neurologic deficit in the

myenteric plexus. There is a marked decrease in myenteric ganglion

cells with marked inflammatory changes.3 The lower esophageal

sphincter dysfunction is due to the destruction of inhibitory nerve

fibers which normally reduce sphincter tone and control sphincter

relaxation. Their absence leads to poor reduction of the sphincter's

resting tone. The cause of the disorder is unknown.4

> (from

http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/diseasemanagement/gastro/motor/mot

or.htm#ppathophysiology )

>

>

> Primary achalasia is the most common subtype and is associated with

loss of ganglion cells in the esophageal myenteric plexus.

> (from

http://www.emedicine.com/radio/topic6.htm#section~introduction )

>

>

> The muscle and nerve components of the esophagus are abnormal. The

primary defect appears to be a progressive loss of ganglion cells

within the myenteric plexus of the esophageal wall.

> (from http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmg/sec13/ch105/ch105c.jsp )

>

>

> The principal lesion is denervation of the oesophageal smooth

muscle.7 While muscular abnormalities are also present, these appear

to be secondary to the neural deficit. A decreased number of ganglion

cells in the oesophageal intramural nerve plexus has been found in

patients with achalasia, and the extent of this loss corresponds to

the duration of the disease.8,9 There may also be degenerative

changes in the vagus nerve, both in its branches to the oesophagus

and in the dorsal motor nucleus.10 The interaction between nerve

plexus and vagus nerve lesions is not yet clear.8 In both cases, the

loss predominantly concerns inhibitory neurons. 8,9,10 This would

explain the increased basal LOS pressure as well as the inadequate

sphincteric relaxation observed on swallowing. Degeneration of the

oesophageal ganglion cells leads to permanent aperistalsis as the

disease progresses and favours oesophageal dilatation.7 (from

http://www.tcd.ie/tsmj/2003/achcardia.htm )

>

>

> Studies show that the nerves that control the muscle contractions

of the esophagus have deteriorated.

> (from http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9339/9405.html )

>