What is pyloric obstruction?

Sad but true: your stomach can fall victim to a life-threatening ailment called pyloric obstruction. If you’ve never heard of it, don’t worry – most people haven’t either! That’s why we’re here to discuss this condition in all its glory and pain.

Introduction

Let’s start with the basics: what exactly is pyloric obstruction? Essentially, it’s a blockage at the bottom of your stomach where it connects to the small intestine. This blockage makes digestion difficult (and sometimes downright impossible), causing food and gastric juices to back up into the stomach.

Fun Fact Alert

Did you know that “pylorus” comes from Greek roots meaning “gatekeeper”? Unfortunately for anyone dealing with pyloric obstruction, this gatekeeper has locked out your body’s ability to digest properly. Boo hiss!

Symptoms

As you might expect, symptoms of pyloric obstruction aren’t super pleasant. But just what are they? Here are some common signs:

  • Vomiting after meals
  • Nausea or feeling full quickly when eating
  • Weight loss because often…you can’t eat much!
  • Abdominal pain
  • Constant burping

If any combination of these sound familiar, schedule an appointment ASAP (our condolences) with a medical professional who will conduct specific tests.

Causes

Now let’s get technical about what causes this misery-inducing ailment: There isn’t only one cause; rather there are several factors leading [to/ toward] gastroparesis.

  1. Muscle Weakness: When muscles responsible for grinding food down weaken over time.
  2. Surgery: Sometimes previous abdominal surgeries disturb muscle functionality.
    • Henceforth leading [to/toward] destructive levels of scarring between organs creating added obstacles to digestion.
  3. Disease and Infection: Parksinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, hypothyroidism or even some viral infections such as HIV, may trigger pyloric obstruction.
  4. Medications: Overconsumption of certain medications like antidepressants can also lead to this unhappy condition.

Fun Fact Alert

One interesting aspect of gastroparesis is often more prevalent in women due to lifestyles caused by societal expectations! Why don’t we just eat what we want people?

Diagnosis

Not surprisingly the diagnostic process involves a bunch of machines probing into your stomach area including:

  • X-ray
  • Endoscopy (performed under anesthesia)
  • Gastric emptying study

Once confirmed that you have a severe gastrointestinal case of gastroparesis scurry immediately to medical professionals who can best determine the proper course of treatment for you!

Fun FYI Tip

Note: wearing cool socks won’t cure anything in the meantime while receiving maintenance care.

Man getting an endoscopy procedure

Image by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Treatments

When it comes down to treating pyloric obstruction there are several approaches available contingent upon severity level:

  1. Surgery: Gastrectomy(registration-required-link) removes portions/all of the stomach when obstructed due to injury; gastric bypasses(insightful-read) surgery detours food away from affected muscles responsible for churning up grub!
  2. Botulinum toxin injections: This approach employs injecting botulinum toxin with ultrasound guidance close around muscles where food isn’t fully digesting improving functionality over time.
    • Oral medication management: Medicines help patients curb nausea, vomiting and stomach pains. A combination of medicine are prescribed henceforth to reduce acid levels in the food as well.

Fun Fact Alert

It’s possible that some moms may have tasted botulinum toxin naturally from honey when breastfeeding! Deliciously deadly!

Prevention

Unfortunately for any precaution-takers out there—there’s no known guaranteed long-term prevention for this condition. However, leaning towards living an overall healthy lifestyle may prevent gastroparesis from developing or worsening down the road (way less fun than a road trip!)

Here are some tips:

  1. Diet | includes eating smaller portions more frequently and meals consisting of less fat/fibre.
  2. Stress Reduction: Stressing can create knots which roll right up your gastro-intestinal tract creating additional obstacles lodging all sorts of items on its way.
    • Managing medications/work with your doctor – limiting overconsumption leading to unwanted side effects shortening the path toward pyloric obstruction at high doses.

Fun FYI Tip

Just don’t drink undiluted bleach to avoid symptoms period; it simply isn’t worth it people!

Conclusion

In order words, unlike friends who might know exactly what playlists you’ll love, for anyone dealing with given issues related to respiratory distress AND gastrointestinal blockage aka ‘pukey time,’ better seek medical attention ASAP! With proper diagnosis/treatments/prevention(obviously), you could still live life fully without giving too much thought about this pesky gatekeeper working within our body system securing entry/exit between digestive elements inside us.

Stay safe y’all!

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