Your Cart is Empty
It's common to feel full and uncomfortable when you've overindulged and eaten too much. You feel as if you’ll never want to eat again. That's normal. But if you feel full all the time or soon after you've just had a bite or two; then something may be wrong. You may have gastroparesis.
You may have already guessed from this article’s title that gastroparesis is the inability of the stomach to empty itself and move the digesting food into the intestines.
Gastroparesis means stomach paralysis. Normally, the stomach empties itself using muscle contractions to churn and push food out into the small intestine. In gastroparesis, the nerves and muscles in the stomach no longer function properly. This causes ineffectual peristalsis or muscle activity. And so, the stomach can't empty itself properly.
When the stomach can't move food along to the next stage in the digestive process, it slows down the entire process, causing some pretty unpleasant symptoms.
Gastroparesis can cause symptoms of indigestion likebloating andnausea as well as somewhat broader symptoms like poor appetite and malnutrition. If the stomach doesn't empty completely and some food remains behind, it can develop into a solid mass called a bezoar.
The symptoms of gastroparesis may include:
Usually, gastroparesis is the result of damage to the nerves that stimulate the stomach muscles. But sometimes the condition is caused by damaged stomach muscles, which can't contract properly, leading to food staying in the stomach for too long.
Several subtypes of the condition have been identified based on the reasons why the condition comes about.
However, about a third of gastroparesis cases haveno identifiable cause. This is known as idiopathic gastroparesis. Doctors have noticed that the condition sometimes emerges after a viral illness, but patients recover within a year.
Regardless, here are a few of the plausible factors involved in gastroparesis:
Diabetes is the most common cause of gastroparesis. People with diabetes struggle with high blood sugar levels, which can damage nerves and blood vessels, including those in the stomach.
Post-surgical gastroparesis happens when the vagus nerve that passes through the stomach gets damaged during stomach surgery.
Both viral and bacterial gastrointestinal infections can give rise to gastroparesis. Scientists are not sure how the stomach nerves get damaged.
Medications such as opioids, and recreational drugs such as marijuana can stop the nerve signals in your stomach that stimulate your stomach muscles to work. This can lead to temporary gastroparesis.
Other drugs that can have this effect include certain antidepressants and medications for blood pressure, bipolar disorder, and psychosis. Smoking can also have this effect.
Gastroparesis is a chronic condition, and in most cases, there is no cure. However, if the condition is caused by a viral infection, it usually resolves itself in time. On the other hand, diabetic gastroparesis is a chronic condition for which there is usually no cure.
However, there are ways to manage the symptoms and slow the progression of the condition.
Of course, if the condition is caused by a certain medication, then cutting down its use may cause the condition to go away.
Gastroparesis in itself is not life-threatening. But if left untreated, there can be severe consequences. It’s because if you don't eat enough over an extended period, then you can become severely malnourished and dehydrated. So, if this goes on for too long, it could become life-threatening.
However, people with gastroparesis usually become so ill that they seek medical help and start treatment. So, if you suspect that you might have the condition, you must seek treatments that can considerably relieve your symptoms.
It is difficult to diagnose yourself with gastroparesis just from feeling full all the time, having stomach pains, and feeling nauseous. You need to be examined by a doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and perform a physical exam. But that won’t probably be a reliable enough diagnosis. So, your doctor will want to rule out any other reasons and seek a number of tests. These might include:
Since each case is unique; physicians decide on treatment plans based on cause, severity, and how a patient responds to different treatments. If the gastroparesis is caused by medication, simply using different medications may resolve the issue.
If diabetes is the cause of gastroparesis, the patient's glucose levels will have to be monitored closely. If the cause is unknown, treatment will focus on relieving the symptoms of gastroparesis.
Since gastroparesis causes a feeling of constant fullness and the inability to eat enough, the first line of treatment is usually a change in eating habits.
Healthcare professionals usually make the following suggestions:
Other suggestions include taking a liquid multivitamin each day, doing some light physical exercise after meals, and not lying down right after and for two hours a meal. Doctors also recommend walking after meals.
Related Link: Certified Juicing and Smoothie Meal Plans!
A liquid diet or cooked food processed in a blender is usually preferable for moderate to severe symptoms.
People who can't get enough food run the risk of serious malnutrition. In these cases, a feeding tube inserted into the nose or mouth and directed down to the stomach and small intestine may have to be used to feed the person.
In severe cases, patients receive nutrition intravenously. This method delivers liquid nutrients directly into the bloodstream. Also called parenteral nutrition, it is usually intended for short-term use.
Doctors use various medications to treat gastroparesis, including medicines to stimulate the stomach wall to contract, to reduce vomiting and nausea, and to manage blood sugar levels.
One of several options is gastric pacemaker surgery. It involves inserting a small battery-operated device (called a gastric stimulator) under the skin in the abdomen. After surgery, the device is programmed to send low electrical pulses to the stomach to stimulate it to contract and function correctly.
In severe cases, a Botox injection and pyloroplasty can be performed. Botox is injected into the pylorus (the end of the stomach). That may relax the pyloric valve, allowing food to flow more easily out of the stomach. If it works, the surgeon may decide to cut the pyloric muscle.
Several herbal medicines can speed up the digestive tract.
Gingerol, a natural component of ginger root, canstimulate the digestive tract to move food along and get it out of the stomach. Ingesting ginger promotes efficient digestion, so food doesn’t stay too long in the stomach and moves out of the gut on time.
Both fresh ginger root and dry ginger powder are beneficial.
Artichoke is regarded as a herbal prokinetic. It has been found to increase digestive tract motility and is oftenformulated with ginger as a treatment for gastroparesis. Scientists think that the artichoke works on small intestine motility.
Iberogast is a mix of nine herbal medicines made in Germany. While some patients find it effective for gastroparesis; others don’t find it powerful enough.
In Chinese medicine, gastroparesis has been treated for centuries. The different formulas include different components, such as magnolia bark and orange peel. There are many studies ongoing to find out more about these formulas and how they work.
The Chinese have used acupuncture for many ailments over centuries. Several people are using it to get short-term relief of symptoms and scientific studies are starting to emerge that support the use of acupuncture to resolve gastroparesis symptoms.
A 2020 study of 99 people with the disorder found thatacupuncture is an effective method for the treatment of gastroparesis.
Visceral manipulation uses manual techniques where the trained hands of a skilled practitioner feel where the tissues are pulling the areas of the body that are not moving. Organs can become tense and restricted and fail to function properly. With this treatment, a trained practitioner gently guides, stretches, and releases the stomach.
The effect is better blood flow and improved gut-nervous system communication. Visceral manipulation reduces physical restrictions in the stomach and abdomen, helping them to function better.
There is no scientifically developed diet for gastroparesis. If you are diagnosed with the condition, you will need to consult your doctor and a dietician to work out a diet to deal with your specific situation and symptoms.
The following foods are suggested for people with gastroparesis.
High-fiber foods are not the best choice for this condition. It’s because these take a long time to digest and many stay in the stomach too long, causing bezoars to develop. A bezoar is an indigestible ball of food fibers that may cause a blockage that prevents food from leaving the stomach.
All fruits and vegetables contain fiber, so if you have gastroparesis, your doctor or dietician may suggest that you liquidize these types of food.
The following foods are best avoided if you have gastroparesis.
Gastroparesis is a chronic condition that can cause considerable discomfort and distress. If the condition is so severe that the person can eat only a little food, the person may suffer malnutrition which brings with it other medical concerns, such as a compromised immune system.
Most physicians recommend a low-fat and low-fiber diet, eating smaller meals more often, chewing food properly, eating well-cooked food, drinking lots of water, and avoiding raw vegetables, most fruits, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.
Some medications can also help with symptoms like nausea and abdominal pain. There are also a number of medicines to stimulate the stomach to contract so food can move on to the small intestine.