Bloated? Not digesting food? Gastroparesis could be the issue.

Ever had a full, bloated feeling?

Those symptoms may not sound unusual, but they’re just some of the key indicators for people suffering from Gastroparesis.

While only about 200,000 people are diagnosed with the disease, the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders says nearly five million Americans may be living with this illness undiagnosed, that’s why August is Gastroparesis Awareness Month.

Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the normal movement of muscles in the stomach which contract and propel food through your digestive tract. In people with gastroparesis, motility is slowed down or doesn’t work at all, preventing the stomach from emptying properly.

“If you have these symptoms and we rule out infection, we may proceed with an endoscopy. What we see, if you haven’t eaten for eight hours, your stomach should be completely empty, but if you do have residual food left in the stomach that’s highly suggestive of gastroparesis,” explains Dr. MH Razavi, a Gastroenterologist with Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.

Another way of diagnosing gastroparesis, if you do an endoscopy and everything looks normal, is to perform a gastric emptying scan, “This procedure uses nuclear medicine to show how long it takes for food to pass through the stomach,” explains Dr. Razavi.

Dr. Razavi says the main treatment is diet modification, avoiding fibrous fruits and vegetables, eating smaller meals and avoiding carbonated drinks, alcohol, and smoking. Medication-wise, he says there aren’t any long-term, FDA approved prescriptions.   

If you’re dealing with similar symptoms or need the expertise of a Gastroenterologist, call 1-800-Sentara or visit Sentara.com.