Gastroparesis Treatment

Gastroparesis treatment aims to control symptoms, support good nutrition, and address the cause when one is known. There is no cure that works for everyone, but a combination of diet changes, medication, and steady blood sugar helps most people feel better and avoid complications.

How is gastroparesis treated?

Treatment is usually built in steps. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, changing eating habits is often the first step, because a slow stomach handles small, low-fat, low-fiber meals best. Medication is added when diet alone is not enough, and treating an underlying cause such as diabetes is part of the plan. A smaller number of people with severe symptoms need procedures or nutrition support. Care often involves a team, including a doctor and a registered dietitian. Some people also ask about home remedies and complementary options, and our page on natural treatment for gastroparesis grades those by the evidence behind each one.

How does diet help treat gastroparesis?

Diet is the foundation of treatment, because what and how you eat directly affects a slow stomach. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends eating five or six small, nutritious meals a day instead of two or three large ones, and choosing foods low in fat and fiber, which empty fastest. Soft, well-cooked foods are easier to handle, and chewing thoroughly helps. Drinking water and liquids that contain glucose and electrolytes supports hydration, while carbonated drinks and alcohol are best avoided. Our gastroparesis diet guide turns these rules into daily meals.

Why does blood sugar control matter in gastroparesis treatment?

For people whose gastroparesis is linked to diabetes, controlling blood glucose is a core part of treatment. High blood sugar, called hyperglycemia, further delays the emptying of food from the stomach, which makes symptoms worse. Keeping glucose within the range a doctor sets helps the stomach work better and protects the nerves from further damage. This is why diabetes care and gastroparesis care go hand in hand. Our page on diabetic gastroparesis explains the connection in more detail, and our page on gastroparesis and blood sugar covers insulin timing and glucose swings.

What medications treat gastroparesis?

Two kinds of medication are common. Prokinetics help the stomach contract and empty faster. Metoclopramide is the most widely used, and erythromycin, an antibiotic that also stimulates stomach muscle, is another option; domperidone is not approved in the United States, and the Food and Drug Administration program that supplied it for special access ended its supply after September 2025 (see our domperidone page). Metoclopramide can cause side effects, and because of the risk of a movement disorder the Food and Drug Administration advises using it for the shortest time needed, usually no more than twelve weeks.

The second kind, antiemetics such as ondansetron, prochlorperazine, and promethazine, relieve nausea and vomiting. A doctor weighs the benefits and risks of each for your situation. Our page on gastroparesis medications explains each drug, its benefits, and its risks in detail.

What treatments help severe gastroparesis?

When symptoms are severe and diet and medication are not enough, other treatments can help.

• Gastric electrical stimulation uses a small, battery-powered device, placed during surgery, that sends mild electrical pulses to the lower stomach and can reduce long-term nausea and vomiting.
• If a person cannot take in enough nutrition by mouth, a feeding tube placed into the small intestine, called a jejunostomy, delivers nutrients past the stomach.
• In some cases, liquid nutrition is given directly into a vein, known as parenteral nutrition.
• A venting tube can also relieve pressure in the stomach.

These steps are reserved for the most severe cases. Our page on gastroparesis surgery and procedures covers each of these options, along with G-POEM and the Enterra device, in full.

Sources

Reviewed by Owen Hastings. NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases), Treatment for Gastroparesis (niddk.nih.gov), last reviewed January 2018, for the eating-habit changes, blood glucose control, prokinetics and antiemetics, gastric electrical stimulation, and nutrition support. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (fda.gov), for the metoclopramide boxed warning and the twelve-week limit. Mayo Clinic, Gastroparesis (mayoclinic.org), for the treatment overview. This page is general health information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about your own care. Last reviewed June 2026.