Movement of food relies on the coordination between the nerves and muscles that make up the digestive tract. Any problem that affects the nerves or muscles leads to gastrointestinal motility disorders. Lalbahadur Nagabhairu, MD, Shams Tabrez, MD, and the team at Gastrointestinal Consultants in Tavares, Orlando, and The Villages, Florida, specialize in diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal motility disorders. These disorders include a number of conditions that affect various parts of the digestive tract. Call or schedule an appointment online with the board-certified gastroenterologists today.
Gastrointestinal motility disorders refer to digestive conditions that affect the movement of food through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
GI motility is the contraction of the muscles in your digestive tract that churn and propel food forward. Sensory nerves in your GI tract send signals to your brain that direct these muscles.
Each part of your GI tract — esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine — performs its own function for propelling food forward.
If any part of your digestive tract is unable to properly move the food through your GI tract because of muscle or nerve problems, then you might have a gastrointestinal motility disorder.
These conditions may affect any part of your digestive tract, causing symptoms like heartburn or constipation.
There are many types of gastrointestinal motility disorders. Some of the common types include:
If you’re experiencing abdominal discomfort, bloating, or feeling full, then you may have a gastrointestinal motility disorder. The team at Gastrointestinal Consultants specializes in diagnosing and treating these types of conditions and can provide the help you need.
There’s no single test for diagnosing gastrointestinal motility disorders. The Gastrointestinal Consultants team conducts a thorough history and physical to better understand your symptoms and the possible cause.
After your history and physical, they may recommend various diagnostic tests such as bloodwork, stool tests, or an X-ray.
They may also run more advanced testing to better understand the motility problem, such as a scan to assess gastric emptying or esophageal or anal manometry to see how well these parts function.
The Gastrointestinal Consultants team takes a personalized approach to care. Treatment for gastrointestinal motility disorders depends on the type and symptoms.
The team customizes your plan to best meet your needs. Treatments may include:
The team uses InterStim therapy to treat fecal and urinary incontinence. It’s a device that uses a mild electrical current to stimulate the sacral nerve, improving communication between your bowel, bladder, and brain.
To find out more about gastrointestinal motility disorders, call Gastrointestinal Consultants or schedule an appointment online today.