What is Gastroparesis? Causes and Treatments.

What is gastroparesis?

Gastroparesis, or partial paralysis of the stomach, is a condition in which the stomach cannot empty itself usually. Damaged nerves and muscles don’t operate with their specific strength and coordination if you have this problem,example domain impeding the flow of materials through your digestive system.

Causes and Risk Factors of Gastroparesis:

In some situations, the reason is unknown, although several circumstances might enhance the risk.

These are some of them:

• stomach surgery
• diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyloidosis, and scleroderma
• Infection with a virus
• medical procedures such as radiation therapy
• hypothyroidism
• mental health issues
• a variety of eating problems 
• cancer
• chemotherapeutic treatment
• the use of analgesics such as codeine
• medicines that inhibit nerve impulses, such as anticholinergics

Symptoms of Gastroparesis:

Gastroparesis can cause diarrhea, and other symptoms include

• heartburn or reflux disease (GERD); nausea or vomiting of undigested food; feeling full sooner than usual; stomach bloating or pain; diminished appetite; and weight loss owing to calorie restriction.
• Eating solid foods, fatty foods, and high-fiber foods, as well as drinking high-fat or fizzy drinks, might exacerbate symptoms.

Complication Related to Gastroparesis:

Gastroparesis can lead to several issues, including:

• Dehydration to the point of death. Dehydration might occur if vomiting continues.
• Malnutrition. You may not be getting enough calories because of a lack of appetite, or you may be unable to absorb enough nutrients owing to vomiting.
• Food that hasn’t been digested and has hardened in your stomach. Undigested food can solidify into a solid mass known as a bezoar in your gut. Bezoars can induce nausea and vomiting, and if they block food from getting into your small intestine, they can be fatal.
• Unpredictable fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Although gastroparesis does not cause diabetes, it can produce irregular variations in blood sugar levels due to frequent changes in the rate and volume of food in bowel movements due to gastroparesis. 
• Lower quality of life. Due to symptoms, working and keeping up with other duties might be challenging and lower life expectancy due to gastroparesis.

Diagnosis of Gastroparesis:

How can you know if you have gastroparesis?

Your symptoms and medical history will be discussed with your doctor. They will also perform a physical check on you and prescribe blood tests, such as blood sugar levels.

The following tests are used to diagnose gastroparesis:

• Four-hour solid gastric emptying study: A one-minute photograph of your stomach will be accepted after finishing this meal. You will be permitted to leave the department, but you will be required to return in one, two, or four hours.
• Smart Pill: A Smart Pill is a capsule with a small electrical gadget. The tablet is swallowed, and as it travels through your digestive tract, it sends information to a receiver you wear on how rapidly food is moving through your digestive tract.

Treatment for Gastroparesis:

Gastroparesis is a long-term (chronic) condition. This implies that while the treatment does not permanently cure the disease, it may be managed and kept under control. 

Medications may help some patients, including:

• Reglan: Reglan also aids in the reduction of nausea and vomiting. Diarrhea is a common side effect and a significant neurological (nervous) problem.
• Erythromycin is an antibiotic that helps transport food out of the stomach by causing stomach spasms. Diarrhea and the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are two common side effects of long-term antibiotic use.
• Antiemetics: These are anti-nausea medications.

Surgery for gastroparesis

Patients with gastroparesis who are still experiencing nausea and vomiting despite taking medicines may benefit from surgery.

1. Gastric electrical stimulation, a procedure that administers small electric shocks to the stomach muscles, is one form of surgery for gastroparesis. A tiny gastric stimulator device is inserted into the abdomen during this treatment. 
2. Gastric bypass surgery, in which a tiny pouch is constructed from the upper section of the stomach, is another option for treating gastroparesis symptoms. The small intestine is split in half, and the bottom end is connected to the small stomach pouch directly. 

If I have gastroparesis, should I adjust my diet?

Changing your everyday eating habits is one of the most effective methods to help reduce the symptoms of gastroparesis. For example, instead of three meals a day, you may consume six little meals throughout the day. This reduces the amount of food in your stomach, making you feel less complete and more straightforward for the food to pass through.