Achalasia vs. Scleroderma — What's the Difference?

The failure of a ring of muscle fibers, such as a sphincter of the esophagus, to relax.

Scleroderma is a group of autoimmune diseases that may result in changes to the skin, blood vessels, muscles, and internal organs. The disease can be either localized to the skin or involve other organs, as well.

(medicine) A neuromuscular condition where a ring of muscles is unable to relax fully, causing obstruction of a lumen, as:

A pathological thickening and hardening of the skin.

(usually and especially) Such obstruction in the esophagus: esophageal achalasia.

(medicine) A chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by hardening the skin or other organs through excessive deposits of collagen.

(occasionally) Such obstruction due to impairment of other gastrointestinal tract smooth muscles.

A disease of adults, characterized by a diffuse rigidity and hardness of the skin.

An autoimmune disease that affects the blood vessels and connective tissue; fibrous connective tissue is deposited in the skin

Genus of poisonous fungi having hard-skinned fruiting bodies: false truffles