Severe Stomach Pain After Eating A Fatty Meal
If you find yourself doubled over after eating a high-fat meal, you may be experiencing a gallbladder attack. “Women are especially prone to gallbladder disease,” says Hardeep Singh, MD, gastroenterologist from St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, CA. “Overweight women in their 40s are at highest risk.” The pain becomes worse after eating, lasts 30 to 60 minutes, and may come and go, becoming more constant and severe over time, says Singh.
Home Remedies For Nausea
There are also some very effective ways to treat nausea at home.
- Drink ginger tea to help alleviate feelings that you want to throw up. A scientific study from 2016 found that active ingredients in ginger help to prevent nausea, abdominal pain, and indigestion.31
- While you are suffering from feelings of nausea, change to a bland diet. A diet consisting of bland foods puts less strain on your digestion and reduces digestive upset.
- Avoid foods that have strong odors.
- Avoids fried, greasy, sweet, or fatty foods.
- Increase your fluid intake to prevent the complications of dehydration if you have been vomiting or have diarrhea.
Sudden Stomach Cramps With Diarrhoea
If your stomach cramps have started recently and you also have diarrhoea, the cause may be a tummy bug . This means you have a viral or bacterial infection of the stomach and bowel. It should get better without treatment after a few days.
Gastroenteritis may be caused by:
- coming into close contact with someone who’s infected
- eating contaminated food
If you have repeated bouts of stomach cramps and diarrhoea, you may have a long-term condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome .
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Location Of Abdominal Pain
In general, pains that are located further from the center of the abdomen often indicate a more serious problem than those near the center … but not always. And chronic abdominal pains that are fixed in position usually continuous and progressive also often signify a more serious, underlying disease. Chronic pains that move around and last for only a few minutes, however bothersome, are less likely to be as serious.
When Stomach Pain Is An Emergency
Stomach pain can sometimes be caused by a life-threatening condition. Some examples are:
- Bowel obstruction, which is when food or waste blocks the intestine
- Bowel perforation, which is a hole in the intestine that leaks food material
These emergencies usually cause pain that feels extreme. Your stomach pain may be urgent if:
- You are pregnant
- Your pain started within a week of abdominal surgery
- Your pain started after a procedure in your stomach area, such as an endoscopy
- You have ever had surgery on your digestive tract, such as gastric bypass, a colostomy, or a bowel resection
- Your pain started shortly after an abdominal trauma
- Your abdomen is bruised or rapidly expanding
Even if you don’t have these symptoms, get help if you feel unusually severe pain.
Sometimes stomach pain is mild at first but gets worse after a few hours. You may also develop other symptoms. Get help right away if you have any of these symptoms along with stomach pain:
- Extremely hard abdomen
- Inability to have a bowel movement, along with vomiting
- Pain in neck, shoulder, or between shoulder blades
- Vision changes
If you have these symptoms, call for an ambulance or have someone drive you to the emergency room. You should not “wait and see” or take medicine for the pain. Get help right away.
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The Different Kinds Of Stomach Pain
Many different types of pain can be classed as stomach ache. Sometimes you may find your stomach ache is relieved once you have been to the toilet, as stomach pain is a common symptom of diarrhoea and constipation. Stomach ache can be described as:
- Dull or aching
- Constant or intermittent
- Comes suddenly or gradually
The most common symptoms are:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Acid at the back of the throat
- Diarrhoea
- Pain when passing urine and passing urine more frequently
- Discharge
- Lumps and bumps
Symptoms Of Abdominal Pain In Adults
The type of pain can vary greatly. When abdominal pain occurs, it can:
- be sharp, dull, stabbing, cramp-like, twisting or fit many other descriptions
- be brief, come and go in waves, or it can be constant
- make you throw up
- make you want to stay still or make you so restless that you pace around trying to find just the right position
- vary from a minor problem to one needing urgent surgery.
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How Is Rap Diagnosed
When you or your child sees the doctor about RAP, theyâll ask about symptoms and family history. Theyâll want to know when the pain starts and what seems to make it feel worse or better. Then, theyâll do a thorough physical exam.
Theyâll probably take samples of blood and urine to do some tests. They also can order a scan to look inside your body for a problem, such as a CT scan, MRI, or an ultrasound. If youâre over age 50, you may get a colonoscopy, which is when a doctor uses a thin, flexible tool with a camera to look for problems inside your colon and rectum.
The results of these tests will help your doctor decide what kind of treatment will help you or your child the most. If a specific health issue is making your stomach hurt, youâll need to get treatment for that problem. Your doctor could also suggest lifestyle changes like eating different foods or finding ways to manage stress. Often, a mix of different things helps.
If your belly pain keeps coming back for 6 months and your doctor canât find a medical reason why, you may have functional abdominal pain.
What Are Some Other Home Remedies For Stomach Pain
There are a number of ideas on how to help stomach pain at home. The best things you can do are drink water and other clear fluids , avoid rich and fatty foods, and rest. You may also check your local drug store for over-the-counter medication to alleviate your symptoms. If home remedies don’t help your symptoms, set up an appointment to speak with a Babylon healthcare provider.
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Abdominal Pain Treatment And Home Remedies
The treatment for abdominal pain depends on its cause, and may include:
- Medications to lower inflammation, prevent acid reflux, or treat ulcers or infection
- Surgery to treat a problem with an organ
Over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen can irritate your stomach and worsen your pain. Donât take them unless a doctor has diagnosed the cause of your belly pain and recommends their use.
Some diet and lifestyle changes may help belly pain caused by gas and indigestion. Here are some things you can try:
- Eat smaller portions at more frequent meals
- Eat slowly
Other Symptoms Of Acute Pancreatitis
In addition to abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting are hallmark symptoms of acute pancreatitis. The stress on various systems can also cause those with the condition to appear as ill as they are. They may look pale, sweaty, and in distress.
Other symptoms include:
- Indigestion
- Clay-colored stools
Because pancreatitis causes a drop in your digestive enzyme supply, you can’t sufficiently break down food. When you can’t sufficiently break down food, it isn’t absorbed as it needs to be, and this is what creates a change in the nature of stools. This difficulty absorbing food and its nutrients can lead to weight loss as well.
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What Are The Mimics Of Appendicitis Pain That Come And Go
Several conditions can mimic appendicitis pain. For example, the below condition can cause lower right abdominal pain that comes and goes:
- Acute gastroenteritis : in such case, nausea, and diarrhea often proceeds the pain. After that, diarrhea and vomiting are more prominent. And the pain can occur where and it is partially relieved by defecation.
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
When To Call Your Healthcare Provider
Some kinds of stomach pain need immediate attention. With others, you can call or visit your healthcare provider. It can be hard to know what you should do. Listen to your body and trust your instincts if you’re not sure.
If you have any of these symptoms along with stomach pain, call your healthcare provider within a day or two:
- Excessive vaginal bleeding or blood clots
- Vaginal bleeding that lasts for longer than usual
You should also call your healthcare provider if you have stomach pain while you are being treated for cancer.
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Common Causes Of Upper Abdominal Pain
The common causes of upper abdominal pain are typically the byproducts of the digestive process. The pains are usually felt in the upper area of the abdomen, as well as in the chest, neck or shoulders. The common symptoms are:
- bloating and gas
- loss of appetite
- nausea
The management of the pains and symptoms can usually be accomplished by changes to the diet, eating habits and lifestyle. The avoidance of caffeine, spicy foods and alcohol will reduce the symptoms.
There are cases where people have described the warning signs of a heart attack as upper abdominal pain or heartburn. The pain can feel like a burning in the chest, or the chest being pressed by something heavy. This type of pain may also be felt in the jaw, the neck or the arms.
Heart attack victims may also experience breathlessness, sweating and nausea along with the burning or the chest pain. A person experiencing these symptoms, together with a family history of heart conditions, should seek immediate medical attention in an emergency room in New Braunfels, Texas.
Belly Pain In The Lower Left Side That’s Worse When You Move
Abdominal pain in the left lower area of the abdomen may signify diverticulitis, small pockets in the colon that can become obstructed and tear. Traditional treatment includes antibiotics and stool softeners to reduce the risk of abscess formation. Physicians say according to recent research, antibiotics may no longer be needed in this scenario, recommending acetaminophen instead.
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Is It Gas Pain Or Something More Serious
Everyone has intestinal gas, which can lead to uncomfortable bloating and even pain. But how can you tell when excessive gas might be something more serious?
Gas is a normal, yet often uncomfortable, part of the digestive process. It’s a by-product of many of the foods we eat.
But sometimes the same bloating and pain can be symptoms of a health condition, in which case a doctor’s visit is in order, says Abdullah Shatnawei, MD, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist, and medical director of the Center for Gut Rehabilitation and Transplantation at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Usually other signs will indicate when stomach gas isnt to blame.
How To Suspect Ibs
Interestingly, up to 50% of people with IBS dont even know they have it . This means that you may have IBS, but the symptoms are not severe enough to seek medical advice.
IBS can cause chronic stomach pain that comes and goes in waves. The waves are called colic, which usually originates from colon spasms.
According to ROME IV criteria for IBS diagnosis, IBS is considered when:
- Abdominal pain: You will feel a crampy sensation, that is variable in its intensity. It comes as a wave of colic that lasts for a minute or two disappears, and reappears as a waves.
- The pain usually is related to bowel movements. Commonly, it decreases or disappears after defecation.
- In a small subset, the pain may increase after bowel movements.
- Altered bowel habits: periods of either constipation or diarrhea or alternating constipation and diarrhea.
- To diagnose IBS, You should experience stomach pain consistently for a long period. The pain should come at least a day per week for several months.
If you think your symptoms are consistent with IBS, please read this great article. It is about the diagnosis of IBS, from a doctors perspective.
The ultimate diagnosis of IBS requires a medical evaluation by your doctor. This is important to exclude similar conditions that mimic IBS.
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What Is The Typical Scenario In Appendicitis
Appendicitis passes through a rapidly progressive course. Appendicitis pain increases quickly and becomes severe in less than 24 hours in most cases.
The following is the typical scenario in appendicitis:
- It starts with mild abdominal pain around the umbilicus .
- Within hours, the inflammation of the umbilicus irritates the peritoneum over it . When the peritoneum becomes irritated, the pain localizes in the lower right abdomen.
- The pain starts mild and may come and go. Soon, it becomes more severe, constant, and localizes.
- Nausea and anorexia follow the onset of pain .
- The pain doesnt improve with defecation .
- Severe tenderness and gardening over the area of pain.
- Fever .
- Generalized fatigue .
- Sometimes, urinary frequency or urgency.
Note that classical appendicitis picture doesnt occur in 100% of patients. The severity of pain depends on many factors such as:
- The severity of inflammation.
- The site of the tip of the appendix inside your abdomen.
- The use of medications may mask the symptoms.
For example, The classical shift and localization of pain from the umbilicus to the right-lower abdomen occurs only in 50% to 60% of the cases
Moreover, Chronic presentation with mild acute attacks of pain that comes and goes was also reported .
Acute Vs Chronic Vs Progressive
Acute abdominal pain usually comes on suddenly and is sharp/severe. It may improve within a few hours to a few days, depending on the cause. If sudden-onset pain lasts longer than this, you should see a doctor. You should also see a doctor or go to the emergency room if the pain worsens rapidly or you begin to experience fevers, severe or worsening nausea/vomiting, or diarrhea. Examples of acute abdominal pain can include gastrointestinal infection , appendicitis , cholecystitis , or an obstruction of your colon or small intestine.
Chronic abdominal pain is recurring and can come and go away without really worsening over a period of time. Chronic pain can be present for months or years at a time. You should always mention chronic stomach pain to your doctor or a healthcare provider. It can be a symptom of an underlying condition that needs treatment, or you can get help reducing pain and improving your quality of life. Examples of medical conditions that can cause chronic pain include certain types of hernias, celiac disease , irritable bowel syndrome , constipation, pain related to the menstrual cycle, or peptic ulcer disease.
Stomach pain may also come in waves, called colicky pain. It can feel like spasms and may repeat over days, weeks, or years. This is frequently caused by kidney stones and gallstones .
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Causes Of Recurrent Stomach Pains
- Stress or Worries. The most common cause of frequent stomach pains is stress. Over 10% of children have a “worried stomach.” These children tend to be sensitive and too serious. They often are model children. This can make them more at risk to the normal stresses of life. Examples of these events are changing schools, moving or family fights. The pain is in the pit of the stomach or near the belly button. The pain is real.
- Abdominal Migraine. Attacks of stomach pain and vomiting with sudden onset and offset. Often occur in children who later develop migraine headaches. Strongly genetic.
- Functional Abdominal Pains. Functional means the stomach pains are due to a sensitive GI tract. The GI tract is free of any disease.
- School Avoidance. Stomach pains that mainly occur in the morning on school days. They keep the child from going to school.
Causes And Treatment For Sharp Stomach Pain That Comes And Goes
Stomach pain is a subjective sensation felt by a person and it is considered as natures signal indicating some problem in your stomach. Abdominal pain which is generally referred by many people as stomach pain can be due to many reasons. These pains can be sharp and shooting or dull and aching. There are several organs situated in the abdomen such as stomach, pancreas, liver, kidney, bladder, small and large intestine, large vessels, organs of reproduction etc. Pain arising from any of these organs can be referred to as abdominal pain or stomach pain.
Most of the time stomach pains are of not serious origin they come and go with or without treatment. However stomach pain should not be neglected as there are many serious conditions that can cause sharp and shooting stomach pain. These conditions if not attended or neglected can lead to complications. At times they can be fatal. Keeping this perspective in mind, a person who suffers from stomach pain should always consult his physician and should not try self treatment.
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Abdominal Pain And Nausea Caused By Medications
Stomach pain and nausea could be the side effects of certain medications. For example, some drugs can irritate the stomach and cause increased gas, diarrhea, constipation, and make you feel that you want to throw up.
Dr. William Blahd says that some of the common medications that can cause nausea and stomach pain are:23
- Aspirin. The continual use of aspirin can erode your stomach lining and lead to ulcers. This can cause upper abdominal pain, burning sensation in your chest, and a possible upset stomach.
- Antibiotics. If you need to take antibiotics to treat serious bacterial infections, you might find that they make you nauseous with a sore stomach. Dr. Everett Stephens on eMedicineHealth says that antibiotics can also cause severe watery diarrhea, gas, and vomiting.24
- Opioid painkillers. Powerful painkillers can cause stomach cramps, nausea, and make you constipated.
- Iron supplements. If you take iron supplements to address the symptoms of anemia, you may suffer from digestive discomfort. This can include dull stomach pain, nausea, constipation, and a metallic taste in your mouth.