🍽️ Gastroparesis
Gastroparesis is a condition where the stomach cannot empty food normally into the small intestine due to delayed gastric emptying, without any physical blockage.
🔍 Causes
- Diabetes (most common cause)
- Post-surgical damage to the vagus nerve
- Medications that slow stomach motility (e.g., opioids, anticholinergics)
- Neurological disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s disease)
- Idiopathic (unknown cause)
⚠️ Symptoms
- Nausea and vomiting
- Feeling full quickly after starting to eat
- Bloating and abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Acid reflux or heartburn
- Poor blood sugar control in diabetics
🧪 Diagnosis
- Gastric emptying study (scintigraphy) to measure how fast food leaves the stomach
- Upper endoscopy to rule out obstruction
- Ultrasound or CT scan to exclude other causes
🛠️ Treatment
Dietary Changes
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals
- Low-fat and low-fiber diet (easier to digest)
- Pureed or liquid foods if needed
Medications
- Prokinetic agents (e.g., metoclopramide) to stimulate stomach muscles
- Antiemetics to control nausea
- Blood sugar control in diabetics
Advanced Treatments
- Gastric electrical stimulation (in severe cases)
- Feeding tubes or intravenous nutrition if oral intake insufficient