About Digestive Motility
In normal digestion, food content is propelled through the digestive tract by rhythmic and coordinated contractions or propulsions called peristalsis.
When someone suffers from a digestive motility disorder, peristalsis becomes impaired resulting in slow contractions, rapid contractions, or having a combination of both slow and fast contractions. In some cases, peristalsis may be totally absent.
Digestive motility diseases and disorders may affect any one portion or the entire digestive tract. Sometimes there may be no visible sign that a person is suffering from a motility problem. Some people affected by motility disorders may be underweight, while others may be of average weight or even obese.
Digestive motility diseases and disorders may be primary meaning there is no underlying disease causing the problem, or secondary, when the motility problem occurs as a result of a disease or medical condition. Examples of secondary causes include, diabetes, Parkinson's Disease, scleroderma, lupus, muscular dystrophy, endocrine disorders, neurological disorders, laxative abuse, and abdominal surgery, etc.
Some digestive motility diseases and disorders may be familial which means that they are genetic in nature and there is a family history of the motility problem. In some cases, however, the digestive motility diseases may be idiopathic meaning there is no known cause.
Motility diseases and disorders can affect infants, children and adults of all ages. It can affect males and females and can be found in any ethnic group. Although some people are born with a motility disorders, others may acquire it during their lifetime.
Some examples of digestive motility diseases and disorders include, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, gastroparesis, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, dysphagia, and diffuse esophageal spam, etc.
Information written by Mary-Angela DeGrazia-DiTucci & reviewed by AGMD Medical Advisors
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