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Gastrointestinal motility disorders, a common occurrence that is seldom recognized and treated

Historically, motility disorders were not among the list of top diagnoses for pediatricians and gastroenterologists. Primary reasons included lack of good tests and very expensive diagnostic equipment. With time, it became very evident that GI motility issues are more common than it was once thought and with sophisticated advance techniques, we can diagnose and help patients in need. Motility disorders in children are more commonly present from birth as opposed to adults, where they develop over time. Presenting symptoms is also different and could be challenging to diagnose due to children’s inability to describe symptoms properly.

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Articles of Interest

Advances in the diagnosis and classification of gastric and intestinal motility disorders

Disturbances of gastric and intestinal motor functions are frequent, and the rational use of gastrointestinal investigations is an important tool to establish the diagnosis and to guide treatment in such patients, but more work is needed.

Gastrointestinal motility disorders in neurologic disease

Disorders of the nervous system affecting gastrointestinal tract function manifest primarily as abnormalities in motor (rather than secretory) functions. Common gastrointestinal symptoms in neurologic disorders include sialorrhea, dysphagia, gastroparesis, intestinal pseudo-obstruction, constipation, diarrhea, and fecal incontinence.

Gastrointestinal motility disorders: an update

Gastrointestinal motility disorders encompass a wide array of signs and symptoms that can occur anywhere throughout the luminal gastrointestinal tract. Motility disorders are often chronic in nature and dramatically affect patients' quality of life. These prevalent disorders cause a tremendous impact both to the individual patient and to society as a whole.

Gut Motility Disorders

Abnormalities of gut motility, secretion, and sensation can lead to a wide range of diseases and disorders. These disorders can be from damage to nerves, muscle, or both of these ENS components. Very often motility problems may be due to drug side-effects, for example diarrhea from the antibiotic erythromycin which stimulates gut motility, or constipation from narcotics which suppress gut motility. Many motility disorders have no known cause but are very common (such as IBS). Some are less common but can be life-threatening, such as gastroparesis or intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

How fast is your gut? The answer to this question is important to your health

Once you’ve chewed up and swallowed your meal, this food begins its journey along the gastrointestinal tract – a long and winding pathway that begins at the mouth and ends at the anus. Along the way, it reaches specialist organs that churn and digest (stomach), absorb nutrients (small intestine) and absorb water and salts (large intestine). The movement of food through the digestive tract is known as gut motility. This process is partly controlled by the trillions of bacteria present in our gut. The gut microbiome is extremely important as these bacteria help develop our immune system and break down food.

Motility Disorders: Digestive Diagnostics

Your gastrointestinal (GI) system digests and moves food through your body. GI motility refers to the pace and ease of that food movement. Disease, injury, infection, and other motility disorders can slow down or speed up your food’s journey.

Resources

International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders

The gastrointestinal tract is divided into four distinct parts that are separated by sphincter muscles; these four regions have distinctly different functions to perform and different patterns of motility (contractions). They are the esophagus (carries food to the stomach), stomach (mixes food with digestive enzymes and grinds it down into a more-or-less liquid form), small intestine (absorbs nutrients), and colon (reabsorbs water and eliminates indigestible food residues). Abnormal motility or abnormal sensitivity in any part of the gastrointestinal tract can cause characteristic symptoms.

Neurogastroenterology & Motility

The field of gastrointestinal motility has undergone phenomenal growth and change in the past three decades since it emerged as a distinct speciality. Neurogastroenterology & Motility provides a forum where current issues and advances relating to the motor function of the GI tract can be presented and discussed. It is of interest to both clinicians and researchers.