Quick answer
Motility disorders are movement disorders of the GI tract. If food or stool does not move at the right speed, symptoms follow: reflux, bloating, nausea, constipation, or pain. The most useful approach is pattern-first: identify where transit is failing, then match intervention to that segment.
Common motility patterns
- Upper GI slowdown: early fullness, nausea, post-meal heaviness.
- Small bowel dysmotility: bloating and fermentation symptoms.
- Colonic slow transit: infrequent bowel movements, hard stools, incomplete emptying.
- Mixed patterns that shift with stress and sleep quality.
Bottom line: motility is infrastructure. When movement improves, many downstream gut symptoms improve with it.