MadSci Network: Anatomy
Query:

Re: When you swallow a liquid does the esophogus still use parastalsis?

Date: Fri Mar 31 09:15:15 2006
Posted By: Elizabeth E Hansen, Grad student, MSTP - Microbiology, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine
Area of science: Anatomy
ID: 1143080462.An
Message:

As you have learned, peristalsis is the coordinated wave-like contraction
of the muscles along the digestive tract to move its contents through. 
This occurs in the esophagus, as well as the rest of the digestive tract. 
It is an automatic process that happens without our conscious control.  You
can sometimes feel it happening in your gut when gas moves through the
intestines.  

Some people have diseases that prevent them from swallowing normally.  This
is called dysphagia.  People can have dysphagia because they have a problem
with the muscles used for swallowing, or because they have a problem with
the nerves that tell the muscles what to do.  In either case, they have
trouble swallowing food, liquids and even their own saliva.  That is a big
hint that swallowing liquids is not a passive process, and it is similar to
what happens when you swallow food.

It is also true that nerves and muscles are involved in making sure the
food, liquid or saliva goes down the esophagus, and this happens by the
action of peristalsis.  



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