peristalsis
Digestive tract contractions
Peristalsis is the wave-like muscular contractions that move contents through tubular organs, especially the digestive tract.
When you swallow, peristalsis pushes food down your esophagus; in the intestines, it propels digested material toward elimination.
The process is involuntary and continuous: Peristalsis keeps things moving even when you're upside down.
Food tube to stomach
- intestinesCoiled digestive organs
- colonLarge intestine section
- duodenumInitial small intestine
- jejunumSecond small intestine portion
ileum · rectum · stomach · pharynx · gullet · sphincter · lumen · mucosa
Reduction in size
- waveOscillating motion through medium
- propulsionForce driving movement forward
- squeezingPressing inward firmly
- motilitySelf-generated movement capacity
transit · bolus · chyme · pushing · progression · sequential · coordinated · segmentation
Bodily food breakdown
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- swallowingIngesting via throat muscles
- deglutitionAct of swallowing
- enzymesReaction-speeding proteins
nutrients · gastric · bile · metabolism · secretion · mastication · saliva · autonomic
Internal organ examination
- manometryMeasuring pressure in fluids
- barium swallowRadiological gastrointestinal examination
- fluoroscopyContinuous X-ray video imaging
- laxativesConstipation remedies
antispasmodics · gastroenterology · diagnosis · imaging · transit time
Medical swallowing difficulty
- achalasiaEsophageal motility disorder
- gastroparesisImpaired stomach motility disorder
- ileusIntestinal paralysis condition
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
reflux · GERD · constipation · megacolon · stricture
esophagus
Food tube to stomach
- intestinesCoiled digestive organs
- colonLarge intestine section
- duodenumInitial small intestine
jejunum · ileum · rectum · stomach · pharynx · gullet · sphincter · lumen · mucosa · muscularis
contraction
Reduction in size
- waveOscillating motion through medium
- propulsionForce driving movement forward
- squeezingPressing inward firmly
motility · transit · bolus · chyme · pushing · progression · sequential · coordinated · segmentation · retrograde
digestion
Bodily food breakdown
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- swallowingIngesting via throat muscles
- deglutitionAct of swallowing
enzymes · nutrients · gastric · bile · metabolism · secretion · mastication · saliva · autonomic · involuntary
endoscopy
Internal organ examination
- manometryMeasuring pressure in fluids
- barium swallowRadiological gastrointestinal examination
- fluoroscopyContinuous X-ray video imaging
laxatives · antispasmodics · gastroenterology · diagnosis · imaging · transit time
dysphagia
Medical swallowing difficulty
- achalasiaEsophageal motility disorder
- gastroparesisImpaired stomach motility disorder
- ileusIntestinal paralysis condition
obstruction · reflux · GERD · constipation · megacolon · stricture
- digestionstomach acid, swallowing, digesting, chewing, digestion
- body functionsbreathing, digestion, heartbeat, circulation, respiration
- stomachstomach, stomach acid, gastric acid, stomach lining, fundus
- physiologymetabolism, circulation, respiration, homeostasis, digestion
- biological movementlocomotion, crawling, walking, running, swimming
- Body Processesmetabolism, digestion, respiration, circulation, heartbeat