Peristalsis is the process of muscle contractions that move food and waste through the digestive tract. It is used in peristaltic pumps, which propel fluids. The muscles compress and relax in a wave-like motion to push material through, preventing reverse peristalsis. Vomiting is caused by intense contractions of the abdominal muscles. Ruminants regurgitate partially digested food to chew again.
Peristalsis is a series of muscle contractions and relaxations that occur along the course of the intestinal tract to move food and waste products through. In some cases, people can actually feel the contractions as they occur, especially in the case of large bowel movements. The basic principles behind this natural process in the body have also been adapted for peristaltic pumps, devices that use the same techniques used by the body to propel fluids from one place to another.
The way peristalsis works is quite simple. As food or water enters the gastrointestinal tract, the muscles begin to compress and relax in a wave-like motion to push the material through. In the case of someone swallowing a bite of an apple, bands of smooth muscle alternate between squeezing and relaxing movements as the apple reaches the esophagus. As the muscle contracts, the apple moves to the area where the muscle is relaxed, which will be further down the esophagus. The uppermost muscles remain contracted so that the food cannot travel back up and eventually, the food reaches the stomach.
The stomach, in turn, pushes its contents into the intestinal tract with peristaltic movements. The small intestine is constantly pushing material forward so it can be further broken down and digested, and to facilitate the expulsion of gas created as a byproduct of digestion so that gas does not build up. In contrast, the large intestine goes through only two or three periods of large contractions each day, which are designed to push fecal material out of the anus.
This system is designed to prevent reverse peristalsis, where food goes in the opposite direction of what you want. However, sometimes the body can have a rebellious attitude, especially when it comes to getting rid of things it deems harmful. Vomiting, for example, is caused by intense contractions of the abdominal muscles that push food up through the esophagus, bypassing normal muscle movements.
Sometimes people may jokingly refer to vomiting as “reverse peristalsis,” although this terminology is technically incorrect. Ruminants such as goats and cows, however, engage in this practice when they regurgitate the bubbles to chew on. In these animals, the digestive tract creates a vacuum that pushes the partially digested rums down the esophagus, then the animal uses muscle contractions to move the rum into the mouth so it can be chewed again.
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