How To Relieve Stomach Pain From Constipation

What Kind Of Follow

• If the person has specific disorders such as hypothyroidism, scleroderma, and lupus, he or she may require regular follow-ups with a health-care professional.
• Elderly people with a history of fecal impaction and fecal incontinence should be followed regularly to ensure that they do not develop further attacks.

How Do Doctors Find The Cause Of A Bellyache

Your doctor will first ask you some questions, examine you, and maybe do some tests. Your doctor may suggest you take some medicine or might give you special instructions for eating to help your body heal the bellyache.

If it turns out that you have appendicitis, you will need an operation called an appendectomy .

If stress is behind your stomach problems, your doctor may recommend a specialist, such as a psychologist. These experts can help kids figure out the source of the stress and help them come up with some ideas for how to fix the problems or handle them better.

What Exactly Does Constipation Look Like

Everyone’s poops are different, but the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases defines constipation as having fewer than three bowel movements a week that are hard, lumpy, or difficult and painful to pass.

It can also feel really uncomfortablewhile not necessarily being painful. “Occasionally people can feel fullness or bloating, but pain is not really a characteristic symptom and if this is occurring regularly, you should seek the help of a digestive specialist, says Latorre.

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Head To The Drugstore

Some people find relief with over-the-counter products, such as simethicone and activated charcoal. Of the two, simethicone is considered the better option, although experts are not quite sure how it works. Brand names for simethicone include:

• Maalox Anti-Gas
• Gas-X
• Phazyme

You should know that activated charcoal may result in constipation, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Therefore, its use is somewhat controversial within the medical community.

In addition, if you decide to try activated charcoal, you may find that it turns your stool black. However, black stools from charcoal supplements are not something to be concerned about.

As with any OTC product, check with your doctor before use. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should generally avoid these products.

Drink Warm Lemon Water To Relieve Stomach Pain

Since pregnant women should avoid fennel, they can try warm lemon water instead. The high acidity of the lemon will trigger extra production of your stomachs hydrochloric acid to further break down food and keep things moving smoothly.

• Squeeze the juice from one-half of a lemon into one cup of warm water.
• Mix well and drink while warm.

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Foods To Relieve Constipation

Getting enough fiber is a key part of relieving and preventing constipation. Its also important not to skip meals and to avoid highly processed foods, like fast food, potato chips, and white bread. High-fiber foods include:

• Beans and legumes, including navy beans, garbanzo beans, soybeans, lentils, almonds and peanuts

• Fresh fruits, especially apples, berries, figs, pears, plums and prunes. Eat edible skins to get the most benefit.

• Fresh vegetables, especially broccoli, , peas, and potatoes with their skins

• Whole grain products, especially bran cereal and popcorn

It Could Be Constipation

While youre spending a lot of time at home, you may not be moving as much as you usually do. You may also be eating different foods. This can lead to constipation. You may be constipated if you experience:

• Fewer bowel movements than normal for you
• Stool that is lumpy or looks like pebbles
• Difficulty passing stool or a feeling that you still need to go after youre finished

Fortunately, you can make a number of at-home changes to help relieve your constipation. These include:

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How Is Constipation Treated

Self-care

Most cases of mild to moderate constipation can be managed by you at home. Self-care starts by taking an inventory of what you eat and drink and then making changes.

Some recommendations to help relieve your constipation include:

• Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day. Avoid caffeine-containing drinks and alcohol, which can cause dehydration.
• Add fruits, vegetables whole grains and other high-fiber foods to your diet. Eat fewer high-fat foods, like meat, eggs and cheese.
• Eat prunes and/or bran cereal.
• Keep a food diary and single out foods that constipate you.
• Get moving, exercise.
• Check how you sit on the toilet. Raising your feet, leaning back or squatting may make having a bowel movement easier.
• Add an over-the-counter supplemental fiber to your diet .
• If needed, take a very mild over-the-counter stool softener or laxative . Mineral oil enemas, like Fleet®, and stimulant laxatives, like bisacodyl or senna , are other options. There are many laxative choices. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for help in making a choice. Do not use laxatives for more than two weeks without calling your doctor. Overuse of laxatives can worsen your symptoms.
• Do not read, use your phone or other devices while trying to move your bowels.

Medication/supplement review

Prescription medications

Surgery

What Are Treatments For The Causes Of Constipation

There are several principles in approaching the evaluation and treatment of constipation. The first principle is to differentiate between acute and chronic constipation. Thus, with acute constipation or constipation that is worsening, it is necessary to assess for the cause early so as not to overlook a serious illness that should be treated urgently. 2) start treatment early of constipation and use the treatments that have the least potential for harm, which will prevent constipation from worsening, and it will prevent potential damage to the colon that can be caused by the frequent use of stimulant products. 3) know when it is time to evaluate the cause of chronic constipation. Evaluation for the cause of chronic constipation needs to be done if there is no response to the simple treatments.

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Q: How Can I Prevent Or Get Rid Of Constipation

A: Dr. Zutshi emphasizes the big three: Water first. Fiber next. Exercise third.

• Water: Drink a lot. Juices, water, tea and coffee count toward your water intake. People who have normal bowel movements should aim for at least 64 to 80 ounces of water daily. Those who tend to be constipated should drink more.
• Fiber: If you cant get enough fiber from food, talk to your doctor about a supplement. Good supplements to try include Metamucil®, Citrucel® or Benefiber®.
• Exercise: Increasing your exercise can be as simple as walking more. You dont need to be a hardcore athlete.

If you think youre having issues with constipation, Dr. Zutshi advises you to be proactive.

See a gastroenterologist to figure out if everything is OK. And if you have not had a colonoscopy, and youre over 50, its time to schedule one.

Gas Pain: When To See A Doctor

Veloso says to be on the lookout for abdominal pain and bloating that persists even after constipation improves.

You may have celiac disease or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth , which can cause these symptoms and can occur with either constipation or diarrhea. You may also have irritable bowel syndrome or another problem, she notes.

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Home Remedies For Stomach Pain

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

Stabbing, throbbing, pulsing, or burning abdominal pains may be the sign of either minor or serious health conditions.

In most cases, relief can be found with all-natural home remedies for stomach pain.

The powerful yet nontoxic properties of many common kitchen products may help to alleviate the pain and other symptoms caused by gas, constipation, irritating foods, indigestion, food allergies, or viral infections.

Identifying the cause is the first step in knowing how to get relief from stomach pain.

In this article:

• Home Remedies for Stomach Pain May Work for You

Start Your Day With Whole Grains

Fiber can help lower cholesterol, prevent constipation, and improve digestion. And many Americans dont eat enough of it. On average, we get less than half of what we need. Most whole grains are great sources of fiber. Start with breakfast: Look for whole-grain cereal or oatmeal with 3 or more grams of fiber per serving. Add fruit, and youll be on your way to the daily goal of 38 grams for men under 50 and 25 grams for women under 50.

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Q: So How Do I Know If I Am Constipated Whats Normal

A: While the nursery school book Everyone Poops still rings true, how often they do so is another story.

Theres no real normal. Men are different from women. Age changes things. Pregnancy changes things, adds Dr. Zutshi. As long as you have a bowel movement that occurs regularly not too few in a week and has a regular consistency, youre fine.

But whats not too few, you ask? Constipation is defined as lessthan three in a week. Uh-oh. So now what?

Constipation In Adults Prevention

• Develop regular bowel habits. Set aside time before or after breakfast to use the toilet.
• Do not ignore the desire to defecate. Answer nature’s call to empty your bowel as soon as possible.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes wheat grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Recent evidence suggests that increasing dietary fiber intake may help some people with hard stools, but is not necessarily of benefit in every person with constipation.
• Drink plenty of water and fruit juice.
• Exercise regularly. Walking is especially important.
• Avoid intake of medications that may cause constipation. Discuss the medications and OTC products you current take with your doctor or pharmacist.
• The use of laxatives can make a constipation problem worse in the long-term and should be avoided.

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Does Biofeedback Exercise And Surgery Help Relieve Symptoms Of Constipation

Biofeedback

Most of the muscles of the pelvis surrounding the anus and rectum are under some degree of voluntary control. Thus, biofeedback training can teach patients with pelvic floor dysfunction how to make their muscles work more normally and improve their ability to defecate. During anorectal;biofeedback training, a pressure-sensing catheter is placed through the anus and into the rectum. Each time a patient contracts the muscles, the muscles generate a pressure that is sensed by the catheter and recorded on a screen. By watching the pressures on the screen and attempting to modify them, patients learn how to relax and contract the muscles more normally.

Exercise

People who lead sedentary lives are more frequently constipated than people who are active. Nevertheless, limited studies of exercise on bowel habits have shown that exercise has minimal or no effect on the frequency of how often you go to the bathroom. Thus, exercise can be recommended mostly for its many other health benefits, but not for its effect on constipation.

Surgery

Electrical pacing

Constipation And Poor Bowel Habits

Ignoring the desire to have bowel movements may initiate a cycle of constipation.

• After a period of time, the person may stop feeling the desire to move the bowels.
• This leads to progressive constipation. For example, some people may avoid using public toilets or ignore going to the toilet because they are busy.

If these initial measures fail, the health-care professional may try a number of laxatives on a short-term basis. The patient should consult with his or her doctor before using any of these agents, particularly on long-term basis.

A doctor will treat any underlying diseases .

• If the patient has irritable bowel syndrome , he or she should stop smoking and avoid coffee and milk-containing foods. A food diary may help to identify foods that seem to worsen the symptoms.
• Thyroxin will be prescribed if the doctor determines through clinical and laboratory tests that the patient has an underactive thyroid gland .

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Remedies And Treatments For Stomach Pain And Gas

Most stomach pain and gas will go away on its own, but there are steps you can take to ease discomfort and prevent future gas pain. Gas-related stomach pain remedies include:

Pass Gas

The only way to get rid of gas is to pass it. Donât hold it in. If youâre worried about odor, try reducing foods that contain sulfur-producing compounds such as broccoli, cabbage, and beer.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Many gas-relieving products are marketed, but scientific evidence of their effectiveness is limited. Many people claim to experience relief, so they may be worth trying. The most common medications that claim to relieve immediate symptoms are activated charcoal and simethicone .

Herbal Remedies

Peppermint and peppermint oil have the best record as digestive aids, but there are many other foods that may help. In one study, Chinese herbal formulae outperformed placebos in soothing IBS symptoms. Commonly included ingredients are:

• Wearing ill-fitting dentures

Enzymes Before Eating Certain Foods

Taking enzymes before you eat can help you better digest your meal. Most enzymes are only available for those with a medical condition that prevents them from producing their own. However, two widely available enzymes for problematic foods are:

• Lactase supplements can help those who are lactose intolerant.
• Alpha-galactosidase supplements can help people digest legumes.

Constipation Produces The Following Symptomswhich Can Cause Stomach Pain

Cramps

This cause of stomach pain that is annoying and irritating.;These aren’t usually too much trouble unless:

• A;fever is present
• Cramping lasts more than 24 hours

Stomach cramps usually come from constipation, gas, indigestion, and bloating.

Nausea

This results from backed up stool in the colon.

This backed up stool causes problems with the whole gastrointestinal tract. The regular function of moving food into the digestion processes is slowed down, which can result in nausea.

The following can also cause nausea:

• Distension of the colon
• A bowel obstruction

A full feeling

When constipated, have you experienced a bloated, distended stomach? Then in a few hours perhaps it gets worse, as your stomach starts feeling even tighter and starts to hurt.

This tight sensation makes you feel heavy and full. Sometimes you might skip a meal because you feel so full and by skipping a meal can cause a;hunger headache;and dehydration.

Intestinal blockages

This can cause;severe;stomach pain. ;Constipation can cause intestinal blockages at any point in the colon.

These can block the intestinal track from passing waste material, fluids or gas along the digestion pathway, producing sharp stomach pains.

Gas build up

This can be caused by constipation.;Yeast;in the colon;ferments the stool, and a byproduct of fermentation is gas. ;When this gas cant be expelled, it produces pressure and pain.

Indigestion

Bloating

Belching

The gas that is produced is expelled through the mouth. ;

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Why Does Belly Pain Happen

Pain is the body’s way of telling us that something’s going on. Belly pain alerts us to something that’s happening inside us that we might not know about otherwise.

Some reasons for belly pain are easy to spot, like when someone gets hit in the gut or eats spoiled macaroni salad. Oher times, it might be hard to figure out.

When you get a pain in your stomach, it might be an actual problem right in your stomach, but not necessarily. Your abdomen is more than your stomach. It’s more than your intestines. It’s the whole area between your chest and your pelvic bones. With so many organs in the abdomen, different problems can have similar symptoms.

What Is Causing My Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and pelvic region and can range from a minor problem to one needing urgent attention. Dr. Indran Indrakrishnan at;Gwinnett Digestive Clinic;in Lawrenceville, GA, offers the latest treatments for gastrointestinal conditions.

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Q: How Long Is Too Long To Be Constipated

A: Dr. Zutshi explains: It depends if youre regularly regular or not.

People who have constipation frequently know what to do when it strikes. Theyll try home remedies during the two or three weeks they dont have a bowel movement. And then if nothing works, they see a doctor, says Dr. Zutshi.

But if youresomeone who doesnt usually experience constipation, see a doctor sooner. Dr.Zutshi recommends making an appointment if constipation lasts longer than aweek.

How Can Exercise Help Constipation

Exercise helps constipation by lowering the time it takes food to move through the large intestine. This limits the amount of water your body absorbs from the stool. Hard, dry stools are harder to pass. Plus, aerobic exercise speeds up your breathing and heart rate. This helps to stimulate the natural squeezing of muscles in your intestines. Intestinal muscles that squeeze better will help move stools out quickly.

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