What causes decreased gastric emptying?

Infection, usually from a virus. Certain medications that slow the rate of stomach emptying, such as narcotic pain medications. Scleroderma — a connective tissue disease. Nervous system diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis.

What does slow emptying of the stomach mean?

Delayed gastric emptying means the stomach takes too long to empty its contents. Sometimes, when the food doesn’t empty properly, it forms a solid mass called a bezoar.

What can delay the rate of gastric emptying?

Delayed gastric emptying can sometimes be the result of inflammation, obstruction or, in very rare cases, neuropathy (nerve problems) due to diabetes or past surgeries. In most cases the cause of gastroparesis in pediatrics is idiopathic, which means unknown.

What inhibits gastric emptying?

Cholecystokinin is a potent inhibitor of gastric emptying. It is known to both relax the proximal stomach and contract the pyloric sphincter, and either one or both of these actions could mediate inhibition of gastric emptying.

Is gastroparesis serious?

Gastroparesis is generally non-life-threatening, but the complications can be serious. They include malnutrition, dehydration, or a bezoar completely blocking the flow of food out of the stomach.

Can delayed gastric emptying cause weight gain?

In addition, a number of patients with delayed gastric emptying are obese and/or gaining weight.

How can I increase gastric emptying?

  1. Eating smaller meals. Increasing the number of daily meals and decreasing the size of each one can help alleviate bloating and possibly allow the stomach to empty more quickly.
  2. Chewing food properly.
  3. Avoiding lying down during and after meals.
  4. Consuming liquid meal replacements.
  5. Taking a daily supplement.

How can I speed up my gut motility?

If your transit time is a concern, there are some steps you can take to speed things up.

  1. Exercise for 30 minutes a day. Food and digested material is moved through the body by a series of muscle contractions.
  2. Eat more fiber.
  3. Eat yogurt.
  4. Eat less meat.
  5. Drink more water.