Gastroparesis Awareness Month: Unraveling the Enigma of a Silent Condition
Health Network One
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Gastroparesis, also known as delayed gastric emptying, is a silent condition that slows or stops food movement from the stomach to the small intestine. It affects around 4% of the world's population, including approximately 500,000 to 5 million Americans, many who suffer or live in the shadows due to the lack of understanding of their condition.
This August, Health Network One is putting Gastroparesis in the spotlight during Gastroparesis Awareness Month to call for increased awareness and understanding of this debilitating condition that even the person suffering may not know they have.
According to the National Institutes of Health, many people go undiagnosed because the range of symptoms can be like other gastric ailments such as GERD and celiac disease. Because of this, the number of people suffering from Gastroparesis may be much higher.?
"Food is so much more than what to eat," said Dr. Linda Nguyen, Clinical Professor of Medicine – Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Stanford University. "We are all social beings who gather with friends and families to connect around food."?
?So, imagine what life would be like if eating made you sick. Because we need food to survive and are social creatures who revolve much of our lives around food, being unable to eat impacts a person's physical, mental, and social well-being.
As part of Gastroparesis Awareness Month, we aim to unravel the mystery surrounding this condition, improve the dissemination of information, encourage research for effective treatment, and, most importantly, support those living with Gastroparesis.
What causes gastroparesis?
Gastroparesis can be a complication of diabetes that can damage the vagus nerve. It can also develop after having esophagus, stomach, or small intestine surgery, which may damage the vagus nerve. It can also be caused by simply having nervous system diseases. The cause of Gastroparesis is mostly unknown. Some medications, such as opioids, some antidepressants, high blood pressure, and allergy medications, can also slow gastric emptying and cause similar symptoms.?
?What are the symptoms?
? A feeling of fullness after eating a small amount
? Nausea
? Vomiting undigested food
? Abdominal pain
? Acid reflux
? Bloating
? Anorexia
? Weight loss
How is Gastroparesis diagnosed?
A doctor will usually perform a comprehensive physical exam where you describe your symptoms and give your medical history. It may also include testing. There are several tests’ gastroenterologists use to rule out other underlying conditions, such as:
?Endoscopy to?rule out blockages in the intestines, stomach ulcerations, damage, and clogged food blockages.
?Upper gastrointestinal barium contrast radiography?helps determine delays in liquid emptying from the stomach.
?Gastric emptying scintigraphy?to see if there is a delay in gastric emptying. The test will evaluate food moves from your stomach into the gastrointestinal tract.
?Antroduodenal manometry?will test the muscles used in digestion to help diagnose the cause of Gastroparesis.
?How is it treated?
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Gastroparesis is a chronic disease with no known treatment that can cure it. Lifestyle changes can help manage the condition so patients can live more comfortably, including:
? Avoiding heavy foods and carbonated beverages
? Chewing food well
? Eating smaller, more frequent meals?
? Avoiding lying down for two hours after a meal
? Manage your diabetes and blood sugar
The American Gastroenterological Association?has released a Clinical Practice Update in their March 2022 issue of?Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, titled;?New Clinical Practice Update:?How to handle gastroparesis patients with foregut symptoms.
Some of their clinical practice advice includes:
? Reviewing symptoms to exclude disorders that can mimic medically refractory Gastroparesis
? Classifying patients with Gastroparesis into mild, moderate, or severe based on symptoms and gastric emptying test results
? Identifying the predominant symptom and treating it based on that symptom
? Consider gastric electrical stimulation for gastroparesis patients who have failed standard therapy and are not on opioids
Read the AGA's entire?Clinical Practice Update here.
?Living with Gastroparesis can be challenging for the person suffering from this chronic illness and the loved ones that care about them.?
Use the hashtag?#LivingWithGP?this month to share your story, read about others, and learn more about treatment options, lifestyle modifications, and more.?
If you or a loved one are affected by gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, visit the?International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. The Foundation works with patients, families, physicians, nurses, practitioners, investigators, regulators, employers, and others to:
? Broaden understanding of GI disorders
? Support and encourage research
? Improve digestive health in adults and children
?Awareness is the first step toward understanding. Each day, patients are fighting an invisible battle. Each day, their courage and resilience are tested. And each day, they hope for a breakthrough.
Join us this month as we commit to understanding and raising awareness of Gastroparesis. Let's become allies in the battle against this invisible enemy.
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