If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Gastroparesis is a disorder that occurs when the stomach takes too long to empty food. This disorder leads to a variety of symptoms that can include nausea, vomiting, feeling easily full, and a slow emptying of the stomach, known as delayed gastric emptying. Gastroparesis can be due to a variety of issues. Other problems such as the stomach being overly sensitive to signals from the nervous system and the stomach not being able to react to a meal are believed to also have a role in this condition.
This is known as idiopathic. High blood sugar can damage nerves over time. Surgeries that involve the stomach or other digestive organs can also change signals to the stomach. About 13 percent of people with gastroparesis have the type known as postsurgical.
Other health conditions are also associated with gastroparesis but are less common. These include:. The symptoms of gastroparesis can range from mild to severe. They occur more often in some people than others. Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history. In order to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms, your doctor will probably want to run some tests. These might include:. These tests can include a:. If your gastroparesis is caused by a condition like diabetes, the first step is to improve control of that underlying condition.
After that, your doctor may recommend medications, diet changes, and even surgery in some cases. However, these drugs can cause side effects. Talk with your doctor to weigh the pros and cons of each medication to find out which one is right for you. If your malnutrition or vomiting remains an issue even with the use of medications, your doctor may decide that surgery on your stomach is necessary.
The goal of surgery for gastroparesis is to help your stomach empty more effectively. A stomach stimulator known as a GES gastric electrical stimulator can be implanted into the stomach. Studies have shown that in the first year after this surgery, up to 97 percent of people with a GES have less nausea and vomiting and are able to gain weight.
The device may also improve life expectancy related to gastroparesis. Seeing a dietitian — an expert on food and nutrition — is a common part of treatment for gastroparesis.
A dietitian can suggest foods that your body can digest more easily , allowing your body to absorb more nutrients. Your dietitian might make suggestions to you, such as:.
This is where the real action begins. This is where digestive juices and enzymes break down the food that you chewed and swallowed. It prepares it to provide your body with energy. The stomach makes several digestive juices and enzymes that mix with food.
This process takes longer for some types of foods than others. Carbohydrates, for example, break down the fastest. This explains why many recommend carb-heavy foods for a quick energy boost. Proteins take longer to digest and exit the stomach. Fats take the longest time of all. Zero-calorie liquids, such as water, empty the fastest from the stomach.
Once the stomach completes its role in the digestive process, its contents slowly pass into a short tube at the base of the stomach. This is called the duodenum. It's the first part of the small intestine. Here, the next stage of digestion takes place.
Gastroparesis is a medical condition that causes a delay in the emptying of the stomach. It occurs because the normal movement of the stomach muscles does not work correctly or slows down. Gastroparesis can be mild and produce few symptoms, or it can be severe and cause disability and even hospitalization. The complications of gastroparesis include malnutrition , dehydration , and irregular blood sugar levels.
Medical professionals may have difficulty distinguishing and diagnosing gastroparesis, in part because gastroparesis symptoms overlap with those of many other digestive conditions.
The causes of gastroparesis are often linked to underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes or lupus , or certain medical procedures, including bariatric surgery. However, according to a review , a person is most likely to experience gastroparesis spontaneously and with no clear cause. Several treatments are available, although a doctor will most often recommend dietary changes as the first option for those with gastroparesis. It may be helpful for a person with gastroparesis to work with a dietitian to discover which foods meet their nutritional needs while being easy to digest.
They may also benefit from eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. In general, the following foods are best for those with gastroparesis:. However, a person with gastroparesis should prioritize lower fiber and low residue options, as fiber slows gastric emptying. Blending or thoroughly cooking fruits and vegetables until they are fork-tender may also make them easier to digest.
Straining fruits after blending and only consuming the resulting juice can also help people reduce their fiber intake further.
White carbohydrates usually have a lower fiber content than whole grain versions. Due to this, a person experiencing delayed stomach emptying may find them easier to digest. A person with gastroparesis should prioritize meat, egg, and dairy products with a low fat content. Learn more about low fat foods here. Certain foods are more difficult to digest than others and can make the symptoms of gastroparesis worse.
A review suggests that people with gastroparesis avoid large, high calorie, fatty meals and foods high in dietary fiber. However, the authors note that this was based purely on physical observations, stating that full studies on the individual effects of food groups are necessary to validate these suggestions. Alcohol consumption can also delay the rate of gastric emptying, according to researchers.
Dietary changes are the primary treatment for gastroparesis. Doctors may recommend that a person cut down on high fat and high fiber foods while prioritizing nutrient-dense and easily digestible items.
Increasing the number of daily meals and decreasing the size of each one can help alleviate bloating and possibly allow the stomach to empty more quickly. Some medical professionals recommend that people eat three small meals and two snacks throughout the day. However, other reviews suggest that consuming between four and six meals per day is optimal.
If a person does not chew food enough in the mouth, the process of breaking it down in the stomach will require more effort. If food does not adequately break down in the stomach, it will not empty easily into the small intestine. Thorough chewing may aid in the rate of digestion.
0コメント