Delayed Gastric Emptying and Heartburn

Gastroparesis is a medical disorder that occurs when the contents of your stomach do not pass through to your intestines quickly enough. Also called delayed gastric emptying, this condition typically affects people who suffer from diabetes (type 1 or type 2), although there are several other possible causes, like postviral syndromes, anorexia nervosa, and surgery on the stomach or vagus nerve, among others.

You may have gastroparesis if you suffer from any of the following: heartburn, nausea, vomiting, fullness before you’ve eaten enough, weight loss, bloating, erratic glucose levels, lack of appetite, GERD, or spasms of your stomach wall. If left untreated, gastroparesis can result in more severe diabetes or bezoars, bacterial growths that block the passage of food.

Your physician can diagnose gastroparesis by performing one of several tests that will typically either track the passage of food or liquid through your system, or provide your physician with an accurate picture of your stomach contents and/or activity. In addition to the more commonly known endoscopy and ultrasound, other tests include a barium x-ray, a barium beefsteak meal, a radioisotope gastric-emptying scan, gastric manometry, or specific blood tests.

To treat gastroparesis related to diabetes, your physician will help you regain control of your blood glucose levels by increasing insulin, prescribing oral medications, recommending dietary changes, and, if your symptoms are severe enough, using feeding tubes and intravenous feeding. There are also a few recent treatments that can help. A pacemaker implanted in your body can send electrical pulses to your stomach, which will cause the stomach muscles to contract, assisting with the passage of food to the intestines. Another study has shown that the injection of a botulinum toxin into your pyloric sphincter can improve the process of emptying your stomach. It’s important to note, however, that this condition cannot be cured in most situations, but you will be able to manage your disorder to remain as healthy as possible.