Neurogastroenterology and Motility Center

Experts at the UPMC Neurogastroenterology and Motility Center specialize in understanding functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and mind-body connections that play an important role in GI illness.

Functional disorders account for the majority of people who experience:

• Chronic nausea
• Vomiting
• Swallowing disorders
• Diarrhea
• Other GI difficulties

Even though test results often come back normal, the affected individuals often experience a significant impact on their quality of life and emotional well-being.

A Holistic Approach to Treating GI Disorders

Considering our current understanding about causes and consequences of such disorders, we focus on a holistic treatment approach that places GI conditions in the context of important coexisting illnesses, such as:

• GI symptoms that can accompany neurological diseases, such as movement disorders, spinal cord diseases, or multiple sclerosis.
• Chronic pain caused by GI illness — in collaboration with our Pittsburgh Program for Gut-Brain Health (PGH) — providing access to medical and psychological interventions to alleviate symptoms.
• A focus on disorders that impact GI motility, meaning impaired motor function of the esophagus, stomach, intestines, or colon.

In all of these areas, we not only try to identify the root cause of a person's illness, but also find the most suitable treatment options.

Our doctors provide this kind of holistic treatment by using a cross-disciplinary approach, coordinating your care with other GI specialists.

Our experts are leading research into the connection between the mind and the body. Read more at Scientific American.