Gastroparesis Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Gastroparesis is a disorder in the stomach characterized by slow emptying of food from the stomach into the small intestine. Under normal circumstances, when food enters the stomach, the stomach muscles contract to digest food and drain it into the small intestine. However, in the condition of gastroparesis, the contractions of the stomach muscles are disrupted so that food is retained in the stomach.
This condition can be bad for diabetics. This is related to blood sugar levels that increase when food finally enters the intestine. In addition, this can also increase the risk of obstruction of the small intestine due to solid masses of undigested food.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of gastroparesis are nausea, fullness, stomach feeling full even though you’ve just eaten a little, and vomiting. Other complaints that can arise are stomach acid rising into the throat, stomach pain, and no appetite.
Symptoms of gastroparesis are usually also triggered by foods that are high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables. Soft drinks are also thought to trigger these symptoms.
Reason
Unfortunately, most cases of gastroparesis have no known cause, or are called idiopathic gastroparesis. However, the following conditions are more at risk of causing gastroparesis, namely:
- Diabetes mellitus whose blood sugar condition is not controlled
- Post intestinal surgery
- Nervous disorders such as Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis
Diagnosis
In the early stages of determining the diagnosis of gastroparesis, the doctor needs to do a physical examination to determine the condition of the patient’s stomach. To determine the presence of gastroparesis, there are several types of examinations that can be done, namely:
- Endoscopic examination: this examination is carried out by inserting a kind of camera into the digestive tract to see directly the condition of the stomach.
- Ultrasound: this examination is done to see if there is a problem with the gallbladder or pancreas. This is because the two diseases can have similar symptoms to gastroparesis.
Treatment
The main treatment for gastroparesis is dietary adjustments. It is better to avoid eating fatty foods, increase the consumption of fiber and vegetables, drink lots of water.
In addition, there are several drugs used to improve gastroparesis, including domperidone, metoclopramide, and cisapride. However, the use of this drug must be under the doctor’s instructions.
Prevention
Can gastroparesis be prevented? You are encouraged to adopt a healthy diet, on time and in the right portion. Also, make sure you consume enough vegetables and fruit, and avoid fatty foods to reduce the risk of experiencing gastroparesis.