The prevalence of diabetes is now spreading like an epidemic in both developed and developing countries. It has affected millions of people around the world. And the counting is likely to increase further in the coming years as a result of increasing global population, urbanization, obesity and sedentary lifestyle.
This disease affects every organ system in a patient’s body. Over a long period of time, diabetes can affect any organ. However, gastrointestinal complications are common if a person has diabetes for a long time. But the awareness about this complication is less among the people.
If there is no sugar control of diabetic patients, then its effect can affect the heart, kidney, eyes and lungs. Not only this, some problems related to the stomach can also trouble the patients of diabetes. Here we will share an article on Gastroparesis and Diabetes. We will also tell you When Diabetes Causes Stomach Problems? so read this post.
What is Diabetic Gastroparesis?
Diabetic gastroparesis is a problem that occurs mostly in diabetic patients. This is also known as “delayed gastric emptying. It is a disorder of the digestive system, due to which the food remains in the stomach for a long period of time and due to this the problem of indigestion starts.
Due to this disease, the blood sugar in the body also becomes uncontrolled. If you want to stay away from this disease, then immediately contact the doctor as soon as you notice any changes in your health.
Symptoms of Diabetic Gastroparesis
Symptoms of diabetic gastroparesis can be mild or severe, which are as follows:
- Nausea
- Indigestion
- Weight loss
- Swelling problem
- Loss of appetite
- Sudden rise and fall of blood sugar level
- Stomach cramps
- Acid reflux
When Diabetes Causes Stomach Problems
- Gastroparesis is more common in people who have diabetes. If you have high glucose in your blood, it can damage your nerves. Chronically high blood sugar levels also damage blood vessels, which supply nutrition and oxygen to the body’s nerves and organs, including the vagus nerve and digestive system, leading to diabetic gastroparesis.
- In people who have gastroparesis, damage to their vagus nerves occurs as well, disrupting nerve function and digestion. Diagnosing diabetic gastroparesis is difficult. The incidence of gastroparesis ranges from 26 to 59 percent of people with type 1 diabetes and is estimated at 30 percent for people with type 2 diabetes.
Remedies for Diabetic Gastroparesis
- Control blood sugar- Blood sugar plays a major role in causing diabetic gastroparesis. That’s because gastroparesis is more common in people with high, uncontrolled blood sugar levels over a long period of time. That’s why control blood sugar and make changes in your diet for that.
- Take small meals- People with gastroparesis should eat foods high in fiber, as they take longer to digest and also help control blood sugar. Along with this, fiber has a big hand in cleaning the stomach and relieving constipation. Apart from all this, you should take special care of one thing that you eat many times throughout the day but in small quantity. Don’t try to go on a big diet at once.
How to prevent Diabetic Gastroparesis
Researchers believe that gastrointestinal complications can be prevented mainly by controlling the metabolic rate and proper management of lifestyle. The experts recommends that dietary modification is essential for the prevention and treatment of gastroparesis caused by diabetes. Following a diet that combines well-digested foods. Such food, which does not take much time for the intestine to digest.
Treatment of Diabetic Gastroparesis
Although there is no cure for diabetic gastroparesis as of now, but you can treat the disease based on its symptoms. Get your blood sugar checked regularly by the doctor. Also, talk to your doctor about whether to stop or change the intake of medications that can cause gastroparesis.
FAQs – Gastroparesis and Diabetes
Gastroparesis affects the normal movement of the muscles in your stomach, when the muscles of stomach are strong, they push the food forward by causing contractions. But if you have gastroparesis, your stomach moves too slowly or doesn’t work at all, so your stomach can’t empty properly and it increases the sugar further.
Diabetic patients often have the problem of constipation. Actually, diabetes slows down the metabolism and also affects the bowel movement. This makes bowel movements difficult and causes constipation
In diabetes, most of the patients have some common problems. Such as nerve damage and if we talk about it, then suffering from diabetes for a long time also starts damaging your nerves, which control the digestive system. These are called autonomic nerves and they keep the functioning of the stomach correct and help in digestion of food. When a person is suffering from diabetes for a long time, then this nerve also gets damaged, due to which the digestive system does not work properly, cannot digest food and restores food in the stomach, which is the cause of gastroparesis