Dr. Maher is a Cinco Ranch TX stomach specialist with years of experience caring for patients with acute and chronic stomach conditions. He serves Katy, Houston, and the surrounding area from his convenient, private West Houston office.
Whether you need a treatment plan for a short-term illness or long-term care for a chronic condition, Dr. Maher can help.
Trust your gut. Choose Dr. Maher. Call 281-945-5190 or schedule an appointment online today.
Trusted Cinco Ranch TX Stomach Doctor
Dr. Maher completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan. He then attended the Medical College of Virginia. Finally, he completed herpetological and gastrointestinal residencies at the University of Southern California and the University of California-Irvine, respectively.
Moreover, Dr. Maher has deep ties to the Houston area. He holds privileges at Houston Methodist West Hospital and has connections to colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
Dr. Maher combines compassionate, patient-centered care with cutting-edge medical technology. When you need a Cinco Ranch TX stomach specialist, Dr. Maher can help.
Cinco Ranch TX Stomach Conditions
The stomach is made up of many different parts. Proper stomach function relies on a delicate balance between structure, pH interactions, and involuntary muscle movement. Any number of interruptions in this balance can cause serious stomach issues.
One of the most common conditions people suffer from is acid reflux or, on a more severe scale, gastrointestinal reflux disorder (GERD).
These conditions occur when stomach acid escapes the stomach and causes inflammation in the esophagus and upper digestive tract.
Another common stomach condition is peptic ulcers. Gastric and peptic ulcers occur when stomach acid causes a sore to form on the lining of the digestive tract.
Often, peptic ulcers are caused by infection with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Usually, people become infected with H. pylori during childhood. The bacteria may infect more than half of the world’s population.
Many never develop symptoms as a result of their H. pylori infection. However, if you develop symptoms of a peptic ulcer such as severe abdominal pain, you should get tested for the infection immediately.
As a gastrointestinal specialist in Katy TX, Dr. Maher has years or experience caring for H. pylori infections in particular and the human stomach as a whole.
Dr. Maher is one of the leading GI specialists in the Houston area. People don’t think of the stomach as a delicate organ. But it is. When it comes to your stomach’s precise, carefully constructed machinery, you should only trust the best.
If you’re experiencing abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, bloating, or other symptoms of a stomach condition such as an ulcer, contact Dr. Maher and schedule an appointment today.
The Parts Of The Stomach
Technically, the stomach is an expansion of the esophagus. It’s responsible for breaking down food and getting chemical digestion underway. Then, the resulting mush passes into the first part of your small intestine, the duodenum.
Essentially, your stomach is a muscle-lined, acid-filled sack between your esophagus and your duodenum. But your stomach doesn’t sit still; it’s an active structure, often contracting, expanding, and changing position.
Digestion begins in the stomach. However, the stomach also functions as a holding chamber. Because you can eat a meal much faster than you can digest it, you need somewhere to put the food in the meantime.
Additionally, the stomach is made up of four layers: the mucosa, the submucosa, the muscularis, and the serosa.
The mucosa secretes alkaline mucus to protect the tissue of the stomach. Also, the mucosa contains embedded glands that secrete gastric juice. The gastric juice contains gastric acid and various enzymes. Furthermore, the secretion of these juices is controlled by nerve impulses and hormonal signals.
The muscularis contains the smooth muscles that power digestion. Furthermore, the layer subdivides into strata of oblique, circular, and longitudinal muscle fibers.
Moreover, the stomach consists of four main regions: the cardia, fundus, body, and pylorus.
Cardia
The cardia or cardiac region is where the esophagus connects to the stomach. Food passes through a band of smooth muscle called the cardiac sphincter into the stomach.
The cardiac sphincter keeps stomach acid from moving backwards into the esophagus and irritating the upper digestive tract. Unfortunately, problems with the cardiac sphincter are common. When the cardiac sphincter fails to protect the esophagus, people develop issues such as acid reflux, gastrointestinal reflux disorder, and esophagitis (esophageal inflammation).
Fundus
Behind the diaphragm, above and to the left of the cardia, sits the fundus. The fundus resembles a dome. It is the upper curve from the familiar image of the stomach.
Body
Below the fundus, the body forms the main part of the stomach. Here, layers of smooth muscle churn the food to provide a mechanical aid to digestion. Additionally, different layers of smooth muscle move food through the stomach according to nerve signals.
Pylorus
After the stomach’s body, the funnel-shaped pylorus connects the stomach to the small intestine. The pyloric antrum, the wide end of the funnel, connects the pylorus to the body of the stomach.
The narrow end of the pylorus, called the pyloric canal, connects to the small intestine. The smooth muscles of the pyloric sphincter control the flow of food from the stomach into the duodenum.
Cinco Ranch TX Stomach Specialist
Located a convenient distance from the famous Houston Texas Medical Center, Dr. Maher provides quality care to patients of all ages. Moreover, Dr. Maher e is specially qualified to diagnose and treat conditions related to the human gastrointestinal tract.
If you suffer from persistent abdominal pain or another GI concern, book an appointment with Dr. Maher, Cinco Ranch TX stomach specialist, today.
Cinco Ranch TX Fun Facts
- Cinco Ranch is one of the wealthiest communities in the country.
- 16,437 people live in Cinco Ranch.
- Cinco Ranch is a master-planned community.
- The Golf Club at Cinco Ranch provides luxury entertainment.
- To learn more, visit Cinco Ranch’s website.