Gastroparesis Awareness Month: Shedding Light on an Invisible Illness

Article contributed by Audra Stewart-Gordon, Community Health and Communications Coordinator.

Every August, we recognize Gastroparesis Awareness Month—a time to educate, advocate, and support those affected by this chronic digestive condition. Gastroparesis, which translates to "stomach paralysis," is a disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine, even though there is no blockage.

What Is Gastroparesis?

Gastroparesis affects the stomach muscles and the nerves that control them, often leading to delayed gastric emptying. One of the most important nerves involved is the vagus nerve, which helps manage the complex movements of the digestive tract. When the vagus nerve is damaged, it can impair the communication between the brain and stomach, leading to the slowed motility seen in gastroparesis.

This nerve damage may be caused by:

  • Diabetes

  • Surgery involving the stomach or esophagus

  • Infections

  • Autoimmune disorders

  • Neurological diseases

Common symptoms of gastroparesis include:

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Abdominal bloating and pain

  • Early satiety (feeling full quickly)

  • Unintended weight loss or gain

  • Malnutrition and dehydration

For some individuals, these symptoms are so severe that they cannot maintain proper nutrition through oral intake alone.

Feeding Tubes and Nutritional Support

In the most serious cases, people with gastroparesis require feeding tubes or IV nutrition (TPN) to survive. Feeding tubes deliver nutrition directly to the small intestine, bypassing the stomach altogether. This may be temporary during flare-ups or a permanent solution for those whose stomachs no longer function reliably.

According to the Gastroparesis Patient Association for Cures and Treatments (G-PACT), many patients face:

  • Misdiagnosis or long delays in diagnosis

  • Multiple hospitalizations

  • Significant lifestyle changes, including inability to work or attend school

  • The emotional and physical burden of living with feeding tubes, ports, or IVs

Who Is Affected?

Gastroparesis can affect anyone, but it is more commonly diagnosed in women and those with diabetes, autoimmune diseases, or a history of viral illness. Sometimes, the cause is unknown, which is called idiopathic gastroparesis. In many cases, vagus nerve dysfunction or damage plays a central role in the development of the disease.

What Can You Do?

  • Learn more about gastroparesis and share accurate information.

  • Support people living with gastroparesis by recognizing the challenges of invisible illnesses.

  • Advocate for research funding and better treatment options.

  • Show compassion for those who require feeding tubes or other medical devices to survive.

Gastroparesis is more than just a stomach issue—it’s a complex condition that can profoundly impact every area of a person’s life.

This article was developed with support from AI-assisted writing tools and reviewed by our team for accuracy and clarity.

POSTTracey CarlsonHPM