Gastrointestinal motility diseases, which involve various organs from the esophagus to the rectum, include the following:
- Swallowing difficulty
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) - Patients may experience symptoms similar to those of ear, nose and throat diseases such as burning throat and constant tight throat, those of lung diseases such as chronic cough, and those of heart diseases such as chest pain but with no known cause.
- Irregular bowel movements including chronic constipation and fecal incontinence – While chronic constipation is a common condition in the general population, in some people, the condition may be so troublesome and not respond to treatment by general practitioners. With proper diagnosis and treatment, the constipation in these patients can improve, if not completely cured. An anorectal manometry can help determine that the problem is due to anorectal dyssynergia. In this way, biofeedback therapy or straining training by a team of specialists may offer great help. It is found that 60% of patients have been completely cured of constipation while the rest have improved, requiring fewer laxatives.
- Chronic abdominal distension - This is mainly caused by abnormal gastrointestinal function but endoscopy cannot detect abnormalities. With proper diagnosis and treatment, after finding the real cause, the condition may be completed cured or the symptoms may be alleviated, less worrisome for the patients.
Diagnosis of gastrointestinal motility diseases thus requires expertise in special examination by highly-skilled doctors. We can provide services related to a whole range of gastrointestinal problems as follows.

Upper gastrointestinal motility disorders
Esophageal disorders
- Achalasia, a swallowing disorder caused by loss of function of the esophagus and lower esophageal sphincter
- Dysphagia and esophageal motility disorder
- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and atypical GERD) such as chronic cough, non-cardiac chest pain, and difficulty swallowing
Stomach disorders
- Dyspepsia, or indigestion
- Gastroparesis, a condition where the stomach cannot empty in the normal way (or a condition where the stomach contracts too slowly)
- Dumping syndrome, a condition where food moves from the stomach into the small bowel too quickly
- Chronic vomiting syndrome, a condition with no known cause
Lower gastrointestinal motility disorders
Colon disorders
- Chronic constipation
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Small intestine disorders
- Intestinal pseudo-obstruction
- Intestinal dysmotility
- Small intestinal bacterial over growth, SIBO)
Colon and rectum disorders and pelvic floor dysfunction
- Fecal incontinence
- Pelvic floor dyssynergia – The lack of control over pelvic floor muscles to contract and relax as needed results in constipation or fecal incontinence. This is treatable with biofeedback therapy, bowel movement training with a special instrument.
- Delayed colonic transit – In dealing with this colonic motility disorder where the food waste remains in the colon longer than usual, a colonic transit study can determine how quickly material moves through the colon and a colonic manometry can assess the strength of the colon’s movements or how it contracts.