What Are the Causes of Intestinal Nerve Damage?

Intestinal nerve damage affects the functioning abilities of the intestine. Food moves slowly or stops moving through the digestive tract. One such disorder is gastroparesis, or delayed gastric emptying. In this case, the stomach takes a long time to empty its contents because the vagus nerve is damaged. This causes the muscles of the intestine and stomach not to work normally.

Diabetes

• Diabetes is the most common cause of intestinal nerve damage. People living with the disease have high blood sugar, or high glucose levels, which result in chemical changes in the nerves. The sugar damages the blood vessels that carry nutrients and oxygen to the nerves. In time, high blood sugar can hurt the vagus nerve.

Conditions

• Nerve damage may be caused by viral infections, because they can attack the nerves. People who undergo surgery on their vagus nerve or stomach can also suffer from nerve damage.

Eating Disorders

• Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia can cause major intestinal problems, because partially digested food mixes with enzymes and acid in the stomach, then is regurgitated through the esophagus. Over time, this damages the nerves in the intestinal tract. Gastroesophageal reflux disease has a similar effect.

Disorders

• Nervous system diseases such as Parkinson's disease and abdominal migraine can lead to intestinal nerve damage. So can metabolic disorders like hypothyroidism.

Medications

• People who take certain narcotics and anticholinergics may suffer from intestinal nerve damage. The medications slow down contractions in the intestine.