These include heartburn, regurgitation, choking, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation.
It also describes the various treatments and lifestyle changes that can help relieve symptoms.
What Is Gastric Motility?
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In normal digestion, food is moved through the digestive tract by rhythmic contractions called peristalsis.
Once you swallow food, it is moved down theesophagus(feeding tube) by peristalsis.
At the end of the journey, the digested food is excreted through the anus as stool.
With motility disorders, this process can happen more quickly or slowly than normal.
The disruption of the normal digestive process can cause symptoms, both minor and severe.
Your stomach muscles govern the movement of partly digested food through into the small intestine.
Symptoms include chest pain, regurgitation, heartburn, and difficulty swallowing.
Acid reflux and heartburn occurring more than twice a week may indicate GERD.
In some cases, the symptoms are so severe that they mimic those of a heart attack.
Other symptoms include stomach pain, rectal pain, cramping, nausea, bloating, and gas.
But with CIPO, no blockage of any kind is present.
In essence, peristalsis simply stops.
What Causes Peristalsis Problems?
In many cases, gastric motility disorders areidiopathic, meaning there is no known cause.
However, there are several risk factors associated with peristalsis problems in adults and children.
Medications
Opioid pain medicationssuch as hydrocodone and oxycodone can slow gastric motility and cause constipation.
It is thought that as many as 81% of people who take opioids experience constipation.
How Are Gastric Motility Disorders Treated?
Different gastric motility disorders are treated differently.
Treatment options range from diet and lifestyle changes to medications and surgery.
It’s commonly recommended to help treat and prevent constipation associated with IBS-C. Options include:
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