gastroparesis

columbia, MO’s premier clinic for gastroparesis


gastroparesis

columbia, MO’s premier clinic for gastroparesis


about gastroparesis

find digestive relief


Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the normal movement of muscles in the stomach, causing delayed gastric emptying. This means the stomach struggles to move food into the small intestine, leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, feeling full after eating just a small amount, and abdominal pain. It can result from damage to the vagus nerve, diabetes, certain medications, or surgical complications. Since food remains in the stomach for an extended period, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies, dehydration, and a decreased quality of life for those affected. Managing gastroparesis requires a multifaceted approach to improve digestion and mitigate the severity of symptoms.

At Columbia Integrative Health in Columbia, MO, we offer a holistic and personalized approach to treating gastroparesis.

Our expert team focuses on addressing the underlying causes of delayed gastric emptying while providing symptom relief. Acupuncture is one of the key therapies we use, as it can help stimulate the digestive system, improve gastric motility, and reduce nausea. Herbal medicine also plays a significant role, offering natural remedies that promote smoother digestion and reduce bloating and discomfort. By using a combination of these therapies, we aim to restore balance to your digestive system and enhance your body’s ability to process food effectively.

In addition to these therapies, we emphasize the importance of dietary modifications and lifestyle changes in managing gastroparesis. A customized gut health plan, including smaller, more frequent meals and easily digestible foods, can significantly ease symptoms. We also incorporate stress management techniques to address the psychological aspects of the condition, as stress can further impair digestion. Functional lab testing may be utilized to identify any underlying nutrient deficiencies or food intolerances that could be worsening symptoms. At Columbia Integrative Health, our goal is to provide comprehensive care that not only alleviates the discomfort of gastroparesis but also promotes long-term digestive health and overall well-being.

about gastroparesis

find digestive relief


Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the normal movement of muscles in the stomach, causing delayed gastric emptying. This means the stomach struggles to move food into the small intestine, leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, feeling full after eating just a small amount, and abdominal pain. It can result from damage to the vagus nerve, diabetes, certain medications, or surgical complications. Since food remains in the stomach for an extended period, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies, dehydration, and a decreased quality of life for those affected. Managing gastroparesis requires a multifaceted approach to improve digestion and mitigate the severity of symptoms.

At Columbia Integrative Health in Columbia, MO, we offer a holistic and personalized approach to treating gastroparesis.

Our expert team focuses on addressing the underlying causes of delayed gastric emptying while providing symptom relief. Acupuncture is one of the key therapies we use, as it can help stimulate the digestive system, improve gastric motility, and reduce nausea. Herbal medicine also plays a significant role, offering natural remedies that promote smoother digestion and reduce bloating and discomfort. By using a combination of these therapies, we aim to restore balance to your digestive system and enhance your body’s ability to process food effectively.

In addition to these therapies, we emphasize the importance of dietary modifications and lifestyle changes in managing gastroparesis. A customized gut health plan, including smaller, more frequent meals and easily digestible foods, can significantly ease symptoms. We also incorporate stress management techniques to address the psychological aspects of the condition, as stress can further impair digestion. Functional lab testing may be utilized to identify any underlying nutrient deficiencies or food intolerances that could be worsening symptoms. At Columbia Integrative Health, our goal is to provide comprehensive care that not only alleviates the discomfort of gastroparesis but also promotes long-term digestive health and overall well-being.

about gastroparesis

find digestive relief


Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the normal movement of muscles in the stomach, causing delayed gastric emptying. This means the stomach struggles to move food into the small intestine, leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, feeling full after eating just a small amount, and abdominal pain. It can result from damage to the vagus nerve, diabetes, certain medications, or surgical complications. Since food remains in the stomach for an extended period, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies, dehydration, and a decreased quality of life for those affected. Managing gastroparesis requires a multifaceted approach to improve digestion and mitigate the severity of symptoms.

At Columbia Integrative Health in Columbia, MO, we offer a holistic and personalized approach to treating gastroparesis.

Our expert team focuses on addressing the underlying causes of delayed gastric emptying while providing symptom relief. Acupuncture is one of the key therapies we use, as it can help stimulate the digestive system, improve gastric motility, and reduce nausea. Herbal medicine also plays a significant role, offering natural remedies that promote smoother digestion and reduce bloating and discomfort. By using a combination of these therapies, we aim to restore balance to your digestive system and enhance your body’s ability to process food effectively.

In addition to these therapies, we emphasize the importance of dietary modifications and lifestyle changes in managing gastroparesis. A customized gut health plan, including smaller, more frequent meals and easily digestible foods, can significantly ease symptoms. We also incorporate stress management techniques to address the psychological aspects of the condition, as stress can further impair digestion. Functional lab testing may be utilized to identify any underlying nutrient deficiencies or food intolerances that could be worsening symptoms. At Columbia Integrative Health, our goal is to provide comprehensive care that not only alleviates the discomfort of gastroparesis but also promotes long-term digestive health and overall well-being.

Our commitment

Your path to gastroparesis relief

At Columbia Integrative Health in Columbia, MO, we are dedicated to helping you find lasting relief from the disruptive symptoms of gastroparesis. Our compassionate practitioners work collaboratively with you to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses the underlying causes of your condition while promoting holistic balance. By integrating innovative therapies with established holistic practices, we support your body’s natural healing processes, empowering you to reclaim digestive harmony, revitalize your health, and live life without limitations.

Our commitment

Your path to gastroparesis relief

At Columbia Integrative Health in Columbia, MO, we are dedicated to helping you find lasting relief from the disruptive symptoms of gastroparesis. Our compassionate practitioners work collaboratively with you to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses the underlying causes of your condition while promoting holistic balance. By integrating innovative therapies with established holistic practices, we support your body’s natural healing processes, empowering you to reclaim digestive harmony, revitalize your health, and live life without limitations.

effective therapies

At Columbia Integrative Health in Columbia, MO, we understand that every patient’s experience with gastroparesis is unique. Our holistic care model combines a variety of evidence-based treatments tailored to your individual needs, which may include:

At Columbia Integrative Health, our integrative medicine approach to treating gastroparesis is both comprehensive and individualized. Gastroparesis, with its complex symptoms of delayed gastric emptying, requires a multifaceted plan that combines both conventional and holistic therapies. Through integrative medicine, we aim to address not just the symptoms but the root causes of this condition. Our team evaluates each patient’s medical history, lifestyle, and current health status to develop a personalized treatment strategy. This may include dietary adjustments, nutritional counseling, and the use of targeted supplements that promote digestive health. We also collaborate with gastroenterologists and other medical professionals when necessary to create a seamless care experience that merges advanced medical treatments with natural therapies, ensuring the best outcomes for our patients.

Additionally, our integrative approach focuses on lifestyle and stress management techniques, which can play a critical role in managing gastroparesis. Stress and anxiety often exacerbate digestive issues, and addressing these factors is essential for improving long-term outcomes. Incorporating mindfulness practices, breathwork, and relaxation techniques into a treatment plan can help patients manage the psychological burdens of living with a chronic condition. We also provide functional lab testing to assess any nutrient deficiencies that may result from poor digestion and delayed gastric emptying, allowing us to tailor nutritional supplementation that supports overall health. Integrative medicine empowers patients by offering a wide range of therapies that target the full spectrum of gastroparesis’ effects, both physical and emotional.

Acupuncture has shown significant promise in supporting digestive health and is a key component of our gastroparesis treatment protocol. At Columbia Integrative Health, we utilize acupuncture to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which plays a vital role in regulating the digestive process. By inserting fine needles at specific points on the body, acupuncture encourages the movement of energy, or “Qi,” through the digestive tract, enhancing gastric motility. This can be particularly beneficial for patients with gastroparesis, where the movement of food through the stomach is abnormally slow. Acupuncture not only helps promote the movement of food, but it also alleviates nausea, reduces bloating, and can provide relief from the pain associated with the condition.

In addition to these digestive benefits, acupuncture offers holistic advantages that contribute to overall well-being. Gastroparesis can be emotionally and physically draining, but acupuncture helps to reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, and boost energy. Our licensed practitioners design individualized acupuncture plans tailored to the unique needs of each patient, targeting both immediate symptom relief and long-term digestive health. Combined with other therapies like dietary changes and herbal medicine, acupuncture serves as a natural, non-invasive treatment option that helps bring the digestive system back into balance, offering significant relief to those suffering from the chronic effects of gastroparesis.

Microcurrent therapy is an innovative, non-invasive treatment that can offer promising results for individuals with gastroparesis. At Columbia Integrative Health, we use microcurrent therapy to address the underlying nerve dysfunction that often contributes to delayed gastric emptying. This therapy works by delivering extremely low levels of electrical currents to targeted areas, stimulating nerve activity and promoting healing at the cellular level. For patients with gastroparesis, microcurrent therapy can enhance the functioning of the vagus nerve, which is responsible for controlling the movement of food through the digestive tract. By improving the communication between the brain and the digestive system, this therapy helps normalize gastric motility and can lead to a reduction in symptoms such as nausea, bloating, and stomach discomfort.

Another benefit of microcurrent therapy is its ability to reduce inflammation and promote tissue repair, which can further alleviate symptoms of gastroparesis. Because this therapy is gentle and non-invasive, it’s a suitable option for patients who may not respond well to more aggressive treatments. Additionally, microcurrent therapy can be integrated into a broader treatment plan that includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, and dietary adjustments, providing a well-rounded approach to managing gastroparesis. Our team at Columbia Integrative Health works closely with each patient to monitor their progress and adjust their treatment plan as needed, ensuring that microcurrent therapy delivers optimal results and supports the body’s natural healing processes.

At Columbia Integrative Health, Chinese pulse diagnosis plays a crucial role in understanding the underlying imbalances contributing to gastroparesis. This ancient diagnostic technique allows our practitioners to assess the state of your internal organs and energy flow through the pulses felt at different locations on your wrist. Gastroparesis often results from weakened digestive function or imbalances in the body’s energy, or “Qi,” which can affect the stomach’s ability to empty properly. Through pulse diagnosis, we can identify whether these imbalances stem from a deficiency in Qi, stagnation, or other patterns according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Once we understand these energetic patterns, we can craft a personalized treatment plan that targets the root causes of your gastroparesis.

The insights gained from pulse diagnosis guide the selection of appropriate treatments, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine, tailored specifically to your condition. Pulse diagnosis provides real-time feedback during your treatment journey, helping us monitor how your body is responding and adjust therapies accordingly. By treating the body holistically and addressing both the physical and energetic imbalances, Chinese pulse diagnosis serves as a foundational tool in creating a treatment strategy that promotes better digestion and reduces the uncomfortable symptoms associated with gastroparesis, like nausea and bloating.

Herbal medicine is an essential component of our holistic approach to managing gastroparesis at Columbia Integrative Health. Using carefully selected Chinese herbal formulas, we target the digestive issues at the core of gastroparesis. These herbal remedies work to strengthen the spleen and stomach, improve gastric motility, and support the body’s natural healing processes. Chinese herbs like ginger may be used to warm the stomach and reduce nausea, while others, such as licorice root, can soothe the digestive tract and address inflammation. Our practitioners create customized formulas tailored to each patient’s unique presentation of symptoms and underlying imbalances, as determined through diagnostic techniques like Chinese pulse diagnosis.

Herbal medicine offers a gentle yet effective way to promote digestive health and address the slow stomach emptying associated with gastroparesis. Unlike some pharmaceutical treatments, Chinese herbs can be integrated into long-term treatment plans without causing significant side effects. This allows for a sustainable approach to managing chronic conditions. By combining herbal medicine with other therapies like acupuncture, dietary modifications, and lifestyle changes, we ensure a comprehensive and natural path to symptom relief and improved digestive function. Our herbal treatments are continually adjusted based on patient progress, ensuring the best possible outcomes for those suffering from gastroparesis.

The Gut Reset Diet is a powerful tool in our holistic treatment approach to gastroparesis at Columbia Integrative Health. Given the digestive challenges associated with this condition, such as delayed gastric emptying and malnutrition, our gut reset protocol focuses on healing and resetting the digestive system. This specialized diet eliminates inflammatory foods that can exacerbate symptoms like nausea, bloating, and abdominal discomfort while introducing easily digestible, nutrient-dense options to support overall gut health. Our team of integrative health practitioners tailors the Gut Reset Diet to each patient, carefully selecting foods that are gentle on the stomach while still providing essential nutrients.

In addition to reducing symptom flare-ups, the Gut Reset Diet promotes long-term digestive healing by restoring balance to the gut microbiome and repairing the stomach lining. For individuals with gastroparesis, we often recommend small, frequent meals that are low in fat and fiber, as these nutrients can slow down digestion. Additionally, we may incorporate gut-healing supplements such as bone broth, collagen, and probiotics to help restore digestive function and support overall health. The Gut Reset Diet is a dynamic, adaptable plan that evolves as your symptoms improve, making it an integral part of our comprehensive approach to managing gastroparesis and achieving lasting digestive wellness.

leave digestive discomfort behind today

Are you ready to overcome the challenges of gastroparesis and reclaim your life? Schedule a consultation with our compassionate integrative health experts at Columbia Integrative Health and explore a personalized approach to enhance your digestive health, boost your energy levels, and achieve optimal well-being.