BENGALURU: Do you often feel hungry, take a bite and then suddenly feeling full? Do you experience regular abdominal pain, bloating, nausea or vomiting? This is quite common for those with disorders in the digestive tract. It could also be gastric dysmotility, a gastrointestinal (GI) condition which most people are not aware of and often refer to as gastritis or reflux disease (GERD). These conditions can be alleviated with appropriate medication and diet.
Gastric motility is regulated by an electric rhythm of the stomach which stimulates the muscle, resulting in contractions much like the heart. Disorders in the nerves of the stomach cause delay in the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine. Though there is no blockage in the stomach or intestines, people with gastric dysmotility experience early satiety (feeling full quickly when eating), heartburn, nausea, bloating, vomiting, abdominal pain which could result in poor appetite, weight loss, thereby, affecting the quality of life. They often complain of inability to eat much or complete their meal or vomiting and fullness.
Causes of gastric dysmotility
Gastric dysmotility can be caused by uncontrolled blood sugar levels, low thyroid functioning, stress, viral infections, drugs and scleroderma (a connective tissue disease). It is common after an abdominal surgery. Some medications for pain relief and anti-depressants can also result in slow gastric motility. However, there is a large number of patients who have a disorder called Gut Brain Axis, resulting in functional dyspepsia with poor quality of life.
Diagnosis and treatment
Gastric dysmotility can cause significant disturbance in the quality of life; complications include dehydration and malnutrition. Blood sugars can fluctuate, resulting in very low or high values which can be life threatening in diabetic patients. Rarely, the undigested food hardens and remains stuck in the stomach for a long time. It is important to recognise the symptoms and seek medical help without delay.
One needs to undergo physical examination, certain blood tests to check the blood sugar levels, endoscopy to diagnose the condition. Gastric scintigraphy as well as electrogastrography may be used to confirm the diagnosis. The treatments are given based on the cause and the severity of the condition, and how well one responds to different treatments. They include drugs that increase the gastric muscle contraction (prokinetics) and good sugar control. In severe cases, an endoscopic surgery called pyloromyotomy is done or gastric pacemakers are implanted.
Importance of diet
One should keep in mind that what you eat has a huge impact on your stomach health. Small quantity of meals taken at shorter intervals are useful. Fatty and greasy foods further slowdown gastric motility and are best avoided. Vitamin and energy supplements may be needed in those with malnutrition.
(The writer is chief of gastroenterology, Aster CMI Hospital)