Upper Abdominal Pain Between The Ribcage
If you develop an aching or stabbing pain or pressure in the upper abdominal area just under the ribs, this may indicate a heart-related problem. Physicians say this pain is often accompanied by shortness of breath and is concerning if the pain persists. People often assume this type of pain is indigestion, and while that may be the case, anyone with risk factors such as diabetes or hypertension should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Symptoms Of Stomach Pain After Meals
Most of the time, the causes of digestive trouble after eating are not too much to worry about. But if the pain is very strong, sudden, or long-lasting, it should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.
Some common warning signs of stomach pain after a meal are:
Bloating
Just because others can tolerate certain kinds of food well, does not mean you will too. Eating too fast, too much, or foods too high in fat can all trigger gas and bloating issues in the stomach. Try logging the foods you eat and tracking how your body responds to different things.
Constipation
Stomach pains after eating, coupled with constipation, can spring from various lifestyle and dietary factors. For example, the abdominal muscles and diaphragm are needed to aid digestion, and insufficient fiber in the diet can make it hard for food to pass through your system properly.
Heartburn
Heartburn often accompanies stomach pain and indigestion. Heartburn is often caused by acid reflux, the reverse flow of stomach acid up into the esophagus, causing burning and discomfort. Too much alcohol and fatty food are often to blame.
Nausea
Nausea is an important sign to look out for because it has several possible causes, anything from food poisoning to Crohns disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. If you regularly feel nauseous after eating, see a doctor.
Other symptoms and warning signs associated with stomach pain after eating are:
Is Abdominal Pain Serious After Eating
Eating is a basic need for us, and we also have pleasure. However , various ailments such as stomach ache after eating, unfortunately, greatly reduce the pleasure we get from eating and it is an annoying situation. Moreover, since there are many organs in the abdomen, it can be quite difficult to determine the exact cause of the pain. Although it is always difficult to identify the causes of abdominal pain after eating, learning about the potential causes will still give you an idea of your discomfort.
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Food Allergy Or Intolerance
Some people may be allergic to certain foods. These can irritate the stomach and may cause pain after eating.
An intolerance is a milder form of an allergy. Both allergies and intolerances can be caused by many different foods.
Common intolerances include gluten, wheat, and lactose.
People can keep a food diary if they think they might have an allergy.
A food diary is a written record of what they have consumed at each meal, including drinks and snacks. They should also include a note of when their stomach hurts.
Keeping a diary can help determine the foods causing an issue. People can then cut this food out of their diet.
Inflammatory And Autoimmune Conditions
Autoimmune conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease are recognized causes of chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are both chronic IBD conditions in which the lining of the digestive tract becomes inflamed.
Crohns disease can affect the GI tract from the mouth to the rectum, while UC primarily impacts the large bowel. Abdominal pain and diarrhea can result .
In celiac disease, another autoimmune condition, gut inflammation occurs from an immune response against gluten, a protein found in some grains.
The bodys immune cells not only attack the invading protein but also the small intestine. This can lead to an inflamed bowel that cant properly absorb nutrients, as well as abdominal pain and diarrhea .
Chronic pancreatitis, often caused by alcohol abuse, can also lead to recurrent and severe abdominal pain and malabsorption-related diarrhea .
Summary: Celiac disease and inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohns and ulcerative colitis, often cause chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain. Inflammation of the pancreas can also result in similar symptoms.
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Urgent Advice: Speak To Your Gp As Soon As Possible If:
- you have severe abdominal pain, especially if it’s concentrated in one area
- the pain starts suddenly or unexpectedly
If your GP is closed, phone 111.
Serious causes of sudden severe abdominal pain include:
- appendicitis the swelling of the appendix means your appendix will need to be removed
- a bleeding or perforated stomach ulcer
- acute cholecystitis inflammation of the gallbladder, which may need to be removed
- kidney stones small stones may be passed out in your urine, but larger stones may block the kidney tubes, and you’ll need to go to hospital to have them broken up
- diverticulitis inflammation of the small pouches in the bowel that sometimes requires treatment with antibiotics in hospital
If your GP suspects you have one of these conditions, they may refer you to hospital immediately.
Sudden and severe pain in your abdomen can also sometimes be caused by an infection of the stomach and bowel . It may also be caused by a pulled muscle in your abdomen or by an injury.
What Are The Treatments For Stomach Cramps
- Mild abdominal cramps can be treated with home remedies or OTC medicine. Home remedies like apple cider vinegar, ginger, and chamomile tea, in particular, are known to relieve mild pains and bloating in the abdomen.
- Stomach cramps that occur as a result of allergies and intolerances can be avoided by dietary changes. After tests and diagnosis, your doctor will prescribe you a customised diet, limiting the foods that trigger the allergy.
- Dietary changes are also effective to control overeating. In cases where it is uncontrollable, it is recommended to consult a dietician or a therapist to identify the underlying cause for overeating.
- If you have IBS, your doctor may prescribe you special medication like fibre supplements, laxatives, or antidiarrheal medication. Pain-relieving medication will be prescribed for IBS patients experiencing severe pains, cramps, and bloating.
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Eat Plenty Of Fruit And Vegetables
It is recommended that we eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit or vegetables each day. If you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables then your chances of developing heart disease, a stroke or bowel cancer are reduced. In addition, fruit and vegetables:
- Contain lots of fibre, which helps to keep your bowels healthy. Problems such as constipation and diverticular disease are less likely to develop.
- Contain plenty of vitamins and minerals, which are needed to keep you healthy.
- Are naturally low in fat.
- Are filling but are low in calories.
Treatments For Stomach Pain After Meals
Mild cases are usually treated at home without too much trouble. Doctors recommend putting yourself on a light diet, eating in frequent but small amounts for 24 to 36 hours until you can tolerate more substantial foods. Sports drinks, soups and broths, and juices are highly recommended.
More serious cases are treated with a range of therapies. Doctors look for structural or functional problems in the digestive tract itself to identify and treat the problem at its source. Various interventions may be employed in that case, such as:
- Intravenous drug infusion
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How Can I Feel Better
Most bellyaches dont have a serious cause. They can happen for many different reasons, but most are easy to treat.
If stress or anxiety seem to be behind the pain, the doctor may recommend that you talk to a counselor or therapist. They help people figure out whats behind their stress and give advice on how to fix problems or handle them better.
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Stomach Pain After Eating: 14 Common Causes With Treatment
Everyone gets stomach pain after eating. Its completely normal. You may experience tummy ache when you eat too fast, eat too much, or if your food doesnt digest properly.
However, in some cases, stomach pain after eating normal amounts of food could signal something serious. Before you panic, you should know most causes of stomach pain arent serious. In fact, you can treat mild stomach pain can be treated at home with over-the-counter drugs.
If you have excruciating pain after you eat, you may need to see the doctor. Stomach pain after eating could be a symptom of a severe underlying condition. This article will explain the possible causes of stomach pain, the symptoms and how to treat it. Lets dig right in!
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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 .
How Can I Prevent Abdominal Pain
- You can keep your gut healthy by eating lots of fruit and vegetables, as well as other foods high in fibre, such as whole grains and legumes. Find out more about healthy eating.
- You can reduce the chance of food poisoning and gut infections by following food safety practices and keeping your hands clean.
- Find out about preventing specific conditions by linking on the related topics and links in the list of causes above.
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Middle Of The Abdomen
Upper middle:
The upper middle part of the abdomen contains the liver, the cardiac region of the stomach, part of the body of the stomach, the pyloric region of the stomach, and the pancreas.
The liver filters blood and creates bile, which is a substance that helps in the breakdown and absorption of fat in the foods you eat.
The cardiac region of the stomach is where food enters from the esophagus.
The pyloric region of the stomach is the last part of the stomach before food enters into the duodenum of the small intestine.
The pancreas is a large glandular organ that releases digestive enzymes and hormones.
Lower middle:
The lower middle part of the abdomen contains the urinary bladder, rectum, and anus.
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine for excretion out of the body through the urethra.
The rectum goes into the anus, the final section of the large intestine that carries stool for excretion from the body.
Diagnosis Of Stomach Pain After Meals
Your doctor will ask you a number of questions about your diet, lifestyle, and medical history. All of these can significantly affect the digestive system.
Doctors can use computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans to diagnose gastrointestinal pain, but it is not always easy to generate accurate images of the digestive system using these methods.
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Common Causes Of Stomach Pain
Harmless abdominal pain usually subsides or goes away within two hours.
- Gas: Formed in the stomach and intestines as your body breaks down food, this can cause general stomach pain and cramps. This often can be indicated by belching or flatulence.
- Bloating: Related to gas, this occurs when excessive gas builds up in your digestive tract. Your stomach will usually feel full, and you may experience cramps.
- Constipation: This occurs when you are having difficulty making bowel movements. If you are having two or fewer bowel movements a week, constipation is the likely cause. In addition to feeling bloated and nauseous, you may experience cramping and pain in your rectum.
- Indigestion: You typically experience this as an upset stomach, burning, or belly pain after eating.
- Stomach flu: Your stomach may hurt before each episode of vomiting or diarrhea.
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Eat Plenty Of Roughage
Fibre is the part of food that is not digested. It is filling but has few calories. It helps your bowels to move regularly, which reduces constipation and other bowel problems. Fibre may also help to lower your cholesterol level.
Starchy foods, and fruit and vegetables contain the most fibre. So the tips above on starchy foods and fruit and vegetables will also increase fibre. If you switch to wholemeal rice and pasta and wholemeal bread, this can significantly increase your fibre intake. Pulses like lentils and beans are also full of fibre.
Have plenty to drink when you eat a high-fibre diet .
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Consulting With Your Local Gastroenterologist
Most symptoms of stomach pain after eating may be alleviated with dietary and lifestyle changes. However, it is always best to have any persistent or troublesome symptoms evaluated by a medical professional.
As the leading gastroenterology specialists in our community, Saratoga Schenectady Gastroenterology Associates, we aim to provide the best in care standards to our local patients. Setting up an appointment is easy and convenient, and we look forward to meeting with you.
Saratoga Schenectady Gastroenterology Associates has grown in to one of the largest, most medically advanced practices in New York State, providing the highest quality care to the Greater Capital Region since 1981.
Stomach Pain After Eating: Causes And Natural Treatments
Mealtimes are supposed to be enjoyable occasions when we can spend time with family and close friends. However, it can be very frustrating if immediately after eating, you suffer from stomach cramps, discomfort, or abdominal pain. Very often there are some simple home remedies that can help you relieve and treat the post-meal intestinal pain.
Lets look at the most common reasons for this type of pain as well as ideas on how to relieve stomach ache after eating.
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Causes Of Abdominal Pain And Diarrhea In Children
As in adults, abdominal pain and diarrhea in children are commonly caused by the stomach flu, infections, food allergies, lactose intolerance, and stress. But eating too much can also cause these symptoms. Some children may have trouble telling the difference between when theyre hungry and when theyre full. This can cause them to overeat. Overeating places stress on the digestive system, which can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
- swelling of the genitals
- external bleeding
Diarrhea can be more dangerous for infants, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. In these cases, discuss symptoms with a medical professional.
If you dont already have a primary care doctor, you can browse doctors in your area through the Healthline FindCare tool.
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Abdominal Pain After Eating: Other Causes
Abdominal pain sometimes occurs regardless of what you eat. A variety of medical conditions and conditions, including what you eat, can cause stomach ache after a meal.
Other causes of abdominal pain after eating include:
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Home Remedies For Abdominal Pain
Getting an accurate medical diagnosis is the first and safest step to relieve abdominal pain, because a doctor or other healthcare provider can perform an exam and order tests to rule out serious causes. However, if you have generalized abdominal pain and suspect it is due to minor gastrointestinal issues, consider these home remedies:
- Baking soda for heartburn
- Ginger to aid digestion and reduce nausea
- Heated compress on your belly for cramp-like pain
- Liquid diet of broth and watered-down, non-caffeinated sports drinks
- Lying reclined on your left side, which can help you pass gas
- Modifying your diet to exclude problem foods, such as dairy products, beans, broccoli, and potential allergens
- Blackstrap molasses for constipation
Ways To Stop Digestive Discomfort After A Supersized Meal
Overindulgence can be a pain in your stomach. Skip the bellyache after your next big feed with these quick fixes.
Overeating.
Most of us have done it at some point, even with the best of intentions not to.
Sometimes that holiday meal is so delicious we cant stop, or the dessert table is too tempting to ignore.
You feel bloated now, but dont despair: Overdoing it once in a while isnt going to ruin your health, though it can wreak havoc on your digestive system.
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