Is Your Gas and Bloating Due to a Condition Called Gastroparesis or Delayed Gastric Emptying?
Stop Suffering from Bloating, Feeling Full,
Not Hungry, & Abdominal Discomfort.
It May Be Gastroparesis or Delayed Gastric Emptying
Persistent gas, bloating, and heartburn—particularly in individuals who feel full after eating only a small amount of food or experience stomach discomfort in the evening—may be signs of gastroparesis, also known as delayed gastric emptying. This condition occurs when the stomach muscles fail to work efficiently, causing food to remain in the stomach longer than normal. A comprehensive medical evaluation is essential to determine whether gastroparesis contributes to these symptoms.
It May Not Be SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
Gastroparesis can often be mistaken for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), a condition where excessive bacteria grows in the small intestine. Since gastroparesis and SIBO share many of the same symptoms—such as gas, bloating, and a feeling of fullness—accurately differentiating between the two is crucial. One key difference, however, is that heartburn is more commonly associated with gastroparesis, while SIBO often presents without it. Proper diagnosis ensures that the appropriate treatment is administered, as these conditions require distinct therapeutic approaches.
Functions of a Healthy Stomach
The stomach is a complex organ with several critical functions essential to digestion:
Grinding Food: Normally, the stomach muscles grind food into small particles (1-2 millimeters) to pass smoothly into the small intestine. This process is critical for harder-to-digest foods like tough meats and fibrous vegetables.
Acid Production: At mealtime, the stomach produces acid to activate digestive enzymes responsible for breaking down proteins. This acid also helps to sterilize harmful bacteria before they enter the intestines.
Emptying Food: Ideally, 50% of a meal should empty from the stomach within 90 to 120 minutes, with complete emptying by four hours.
Bacteria Elimination: The stomach's acidic environment (pH 1-1.5) is highly effective at killing harmful bacteria that enter during a meal, preventing them from entering the small intestine.
When the stomach fails to perform these functions effectively, patients often experience bloating, gas, and heartburn—particularly after consuming fibrous foods or meals that are not chewed well.
The Important Work of Pacemaker Cells and MMCs
After a meal, the stomach requires a period of rest with no additional caloric intake. During this rest, pacemaker cells located at the stomach’s exit send electrical signals through the small bowel, causing it to contract and push food onward. These contractions, known as migrating motor complexes (MMCs), are often referred to as the “street cleaners” of the digestive system. Their purpose is to push digested food into the colon and prevent bad bacteria from lingering and growing in the bowels - preventing bacterial overgrowth.
Could Gastroparesis Be the Issue?
In cases of gastroparesis, the stomach muscles become fatigued and slow down, leaving food in the stomach longer than normal. The delayed emptying leads to symptoms such as fullness, gas, and heartburn—especially after meals later in the day. Patients with gastroparesis typically experience hunger in the morning but feel increasingly full as the day progresses. Dinner is often the most challenging meal, with patients feeling full quickly and experiencing severe bloating or discomfort.
Why Traditional Testing May Miss Gastroparesis
Many traditional tests for gastroparesis, such as the gastric emptying test (GET), may not accurately diagnose the condition. This test is often conducted early in the morning with a radiolabeled egg, which does not reflect the challenges your stomach faces later in the day with harder-to-digest foods. Other diagnostic tools, such as the Smart Pill Motility Test ( disposable capsule that you swallow and measures motility), may also miss critical symptoms because they are performed after fasting, and you are given a SmartBar (granola-like bar) to eat at the beginning of the test which mostly contains processed carbs and sugar.
The GutWell Medical Approach
At GutWell Medical, we offer a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to diagnosing and treating gastroparesis and SIBO:
Thorough medical evaluation: We carefully evaluate each patient’s symptoms and medical history and diagnose the exact condition that needs to be treated
Detox and gut healing: Our two-week detox program helps reset digestive function using Dr. Mitchell's microbiome smoothies
Advanced Gut Health Testing: We track your progress to ensure that you heal from within, not just reduce symptoms.
If you're experiencing these symptoms, contact GutWell Medical today by filling out the form at the bottom of this page to start your journey toward restored gut health.