What Causes Stomach Pain At Night

Abdominal Pain At Night: Causes And Measures To Improve

Nocturnal abdominal pain may seem like a normal condition, but it can actually become a sign that you are suffering from acid reflux.

Having to wake up from sleep due to an upset stomach is definitely something no one wants to experience. According to experts, stomach pain at night is quite common, but it also has some potential health problems. The following article, SignsSymptomsList.com will provide you with the necessary information and remedies.

Medications To Tame Your Tummy

Antacids or medications may be worth a try. They can curb stomach acid or help food move more smoothly into the small intestine. Talk with your doctor before starting any medication, even those you can get without a prescription.

Your doctor may recommend one of these:

Antacids. These are often the first drugs to try for symptoms of indigestion. They are available without a prescription.

Read the labels and watch for side effects such as constipation or diarrhea. Youâre not supposed to take antacids for a long time. If your symptoms last, tell your doctor.

H2 receptor antagonists . These drugs also help reduce stomach acid. Some you can get over the counter. Others your doctor can prescribe. Examples include:

• Cimetidine

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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Recurrent Abdominal Pain Syndrome

Recurrent abdominal pain syndrome is a prepubertal functional pain with two distinct peaks of frequency. The first peak occurs between five and seven years of age, with equal frequency in boys and girls and in 5 to 8 percent of children. It is often attributed to the adjustment to parental separation when starting school. The second peak, with a prevalence approaching 25 percent, occurs between eight and 12 years of age and is far more prevalent in girls.6 The pain is vague and is unrelated to meals, activity or stool pattern. Patients are not awakened by the pain. An epigastric location is reported by 10 percent of patients. It is accompanied by autonomic features such as pallor, nausea, dizziness, headache and fatigue. The family history is often positive for functional bowel disease such as irritable bowel syndrome.7 The physical examination is striking for its normality, and the screening laboratory investigations are by definition normal.

Stomach Gas Pain At Night Causes And Treatment

Abdominal gas is encountered by everyone and often at numerous intervals throughout the day. It is a natural byproduct of digestion where gas is produced by the breakdown of the foods we eat. Sometimes it is created when too much air is taken in and swallowed such as when smoking, using straws or eating too quickly. Other times, it can be a result of eating foods that are notorious for producing excess gas like those high in fiber. Most of the time, abdominal gas makes it way out of the body via a burp or worse. But, sometimes, this gas can become trapped inside the digestive tract. This can lead to stomach gas pain varying from dull and mild to intense.

The stomach pain associated with gas can be tremendously debilitating. Some describe it as intense or stabbing pain the abdomen. Usually, stomach gas pain is accompanied by a sense of fullness and pressure as well. Sometimes relief from the pain of built up stomach gas can be had by belching, having a bowel movement or breaking wind. Most often, gas occurs during times related to meals. It can be encountered during or after eating. But, for some people, painful stomach bloating and gas are more common at night, and can make falling asleep difficult.

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Position Of The Stomach

The upper abdomen includes the right upper quadrant and left upper quadrant . More specifically this includes the right hypochondrium , epigastrium , left hypochondrium and superior parts of the right lateral , umbilical and left lateral quadrants as indicated in the picture below.

The anatomicallocation of the stomach as illustrated above indicates that it is largely or partially in at least four of these quadrants . While pain associated with the stomach would be more prominent in these quadrants, it is important to remember that the pain may radiate to surrounding areas and even refer to sites away from the stomach.

Pain that is associated with eating or drinking is a more conclusive indication of pathology within the stomach or other parts of the digestive tract rather than just the anatomical location. The position of a person upright, supine or prone may also alter the location of the stomach to some degree as well as distension of the stomach after eating particularly large meals.

How Do Doctors Find The Cause Of A Stomachache

To find the cause of a stomachache, doctors ask about:

• your symptoms
• illnesses you’ve had in the past
• health conditions that other family members have

Be honest with your doctor, even if a symptom seems embarrassing.

The doctor will do an exam and sometimes might order tests, such as an X-ray, ultrasound, or blood test. It all depends on what the doctor thinks is causing the problem.

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Stomach Cramps With Bloating

Stomach cramps with bloating are often caused by trapped wind, or constipation. This is a very common problem that can be embarrassing, but is easily dealt with. Your pharmacist will be able to recommend a product, which can be bought over the counter to treat the problem. If problems persist, you should see your GP.

What Are Stomach Cramps

If you have ever had a sudden, hysterical, tight feeling in the stomach muscles then most probably you would have had stomach cramps. Stomach cramp is unbearable pain in the stomach and surrounding region of the body which at times may hurt. Both men and women can get it but women have specific and exclusive reasons that men dont have such as child stomach cramps at night.

The majority of these cramps arent serious and dont require any diagnosis. However, if they happen often and last more than a day then it is an uncommon sign and you should visit your doctor.

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Causes Of Stomach Pain At Night

Stomach pain at night can be a symptom of a mild or serious health condition that seems to worsen when we lie down. It may also be associated with our digestive tract and its response to food consumed in the evening. Whether it is a stomach ache that becomes more uncomfortable as the evening wears on or a sudden pain that awakens us during a sound sleep, lets look at some possible causes.

Treatment For Abdominal Pain At Night

Abdominal pain even if it mild should not be neglected as it can cause complications later on. If you are certain that the pain is due to overeating at night, herbal teas can relive the symptoms. However if the pain is of greater intensity, it needs immediate medical attention.

• If the abdominal pain at night, is due to GERD , and hiatus hernia, it can be relieved with adjusting the sleeping position and use of conventional medicines such as H2 antagonist.
• If the abdominal pain at night is due to duodenal ulcer, you need a regular treatment after consulting your physician.
• Severe abdominal pain should be considered as emergency even if it occurs at night. The person needs immediate hospitalization for diagnosis and treatment.
• Severe pain in abdomen can arise from appendicitis, gallstone, kidney stone etc.

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What Investigations Might Be Advised

Some conditions may not need any investigations. Otherwise, the type of investigation will depend on which part of the gut is affected. Blood tests sometimes provide useful information about what is causing abdominal pain. Sometimes an X-ray or ultrasound scan will be carried out, which will look for specific things your doctor may suspect. The gut can be looked at directly with endoscopy. A gastroscopy will look at the oesophagus and stomach, and a colonoscopy will look at the large bowel. More details can be found in the individual condition leaflets, mentioned above.

See Your Doctor As Soon As Possible If:

• your pain is no better after 2 hours of home care
• your abdomen is very painful
• your pain gets worse over time, or becomes sharper or stronger in one particular place
• your abdomen feels bloated or sticks out more than usual
• you cant stop vomiting
• you havent had a bowel motion or passed wind for 3 days
• youve lost your appetite
• there is blood in your vomit, urine or bowel motion, or vaginal bleeding that isnt a period.

You also need to see your doctor if you have other symptoms along with the pain such as fever or dizziness especially if those symptoms get worse over time or new symptoms develop.

Call Healthline if you are unsure what you should do.

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What Is Stomach Pain

One of the worst feelings is to wake up in the middle of the night with a pain in your stomach. Not only does it affect your body, it interrupts your sleep, depriving you of the rest and energy you need to take on the challenges and opportunities of the next day.

Research has shown that individuals with sleep abnormalities are at greater risk of all-cause mortality and serious adverse health and economic consequences.

Stomach pain is common and almost everyone will experience some form of it during their lives. Understanding the pain symptoms you are experiencing can help you identify what is causing them, which can lead to finding an effective remedy to relieve and, ultimately, prevent stomach pain from coming back.

While pain in the stomach can occur anytime, being woken up by stomach pain is not common. If this happens to you, it should be considered serious and you should seek medical attention.

Reasons You Wake Up With Stomach Pain Every Morning

Almost everyone has experienced an upset stomach once in a blue moon, either as a result of indigestion, illness, or just something youve consumed the night before that cause it.

A night of heavy drinking can cause your stomach to ache the morning after.

However, having stomach pain every morning regularly may be an indication of an underlying condition.

We at Mayor Boss did some research and figured out why some people always wake up with a stomach ache every morning.

And on that note, lets dive in.

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In General What Conditions Do Gastroenterologists Treat

Gastroenterologists can evaluate for and treat a wide variety of conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease , gastroesophageal reflux disease , celiac disease, peptic ulcer disease, obesity and more. GI doctors also routinely perform screenings for colon cancer.

My area of specialty is in prevention and early detection of cancers such as colorectal, gastric and pancreatic cancer. I enjoy helping patients, especially those with a family history, understand their risk for cancer while offering genetic testing, screening and more.

Overall, its important for patients to openly discuss stress and GI symptoms with their doctors. Primary care doctors can help manage stress and treat symptoms, but in some cases it may be necessary to see a gastroenterologist to evaluate for other conditions.

What Are Symptoms Of Stomach Pain

Stomach pain, or abdominal pain, can range from bloating and indigestion to severe and sharp, stabbing pain.

Symptoms of stomach pain depend on the cause.Pain may be dull or sharp, intermittent or constant, mild or severe. Pain may occur in any part of the abdomen, and may also radiate to other areas such as the back, flank, or shoulder.

Symptoms that may accompany stomach pain may include:

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Dashing Of Hope And Onset Of Peripheral Neuropathy

What developed next was permanency to the nocturnal abdominal pain. Further deep dives into the medical literature revealed the following: herpes infection can cause a temporary or permanent neuropathy to a portion of the bowel.

Abdominal distention and constipation followed by herpes zoster infection

Herpes Simplex Proctitis Mimicking Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Teenaged Male

Acute constipation due to abdominal herpes zoster: an unusual association

HSV1/2 Genital Infection in Mice Cause Reversible Delayed Gastrointestinal Transit: A Model for Enteric Myopathy

This means that the movement of matter through the canal of the bowel is impaired, and gas can pool. Specifically here:

With abdominal gas collecting in these areas, increased pressure is exerted as the bowel is dilated, causing pain.

Im purely guessing here, but based on what I understand of the medical literature on the matter, the choice of sites will depend on which of the bowel is affected by herpes.

I recognised that the pain is mostly focussed on the left lower abdominal .

A full bladder applies a counterpressure to the pressure in the sigmoid colon, hence why there is only onset of pain once the bladder is emptied.

When To See A Doctor About Abdominal Pain

Go straight to your doctor or the emergency department of the nearest hospital if you have any of:

• severe pain
• pain lasting for several hours
• pain and/or vaginal bleeding if you are pregnant
• pain in your scrotum if you are a male
• pain and vomiting or shortness of breath
• pain and vomiting blood
• blood in your bowel motions or urine
• pain that spreads to your chest, neck or shoulder
• fever and sweats
• unable to move your bowels or pass gas
• any other concerns.

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How Can I Avoid Abdominal Pain Or Stomach Ache At Night

You can take a variety of precautions for abdominal pain at night. Most of the precautions that require moderation in a basic lifestyle are listed below:

• Dont eat too much before bed.
• Go for a walk after eating.
• Dont eat heavy meals at night.
• Dont eat foods that you are allergic to.
• Dont eat greasy or fried foods at night.
• Raise your head level while sleeping.
• Avoid foods that cause gas, such as cabbage, cabbage, broccoli, cabbage, beans and coffee.
• Chew your food slowly.

How To Relieve Stomach Pain At Night

Treatment for your stomach pain at night will depend on the cause. If the source of your nighttime stomach pain is relatively mild gas or indigestion, over-the-counter drugs may be effective. You should seek medical attention if youre experiencing stomach pains more than once a week or suspect that your stomach pain at night is due to a serious health condition.

The following at-home home remedies and lifestyle changes may provide you with much-needed relief.

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When Should I Go To The Hospital For Lower Abdominal Pain

If your stomach pain is severe, chronic, or accompanied by additional symptoms, visit your nearest ER as soon as possible to receive a diagnosis and treatment. Some signs and symptoms that may mean your stomach pain is serious enough to go to the ER include: New onset of pain. Chronic abdominal pain.

What Is Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain is the pain felt in the lowest part of the abdomen and pelvis. Anatomically speaking, the pelvis is a structure that supports the spinal column and also protects abdominal organs. Pain in the pelvic area can be dull or sharp and constant or intermittent . The intensity of pelvic pain ranges from mild to moderate and severe. Women are primarily affected by pelvic pain, which can also spread to their lower back area, thighs, and buttocks.

Okay, but what is pelvic girdle pain then?

Pelvic girdle pain is pain that affects pelvic joints, hips, thighs, and the lower back area. One in four pregnant women experiences pelvic girdle pain. This kind of pain happens due to a combination of factors including the pregnancy hormones that loosen the ligaments.

When that happens, movements in the pelvic area increase or become uneven thus inducing pain. The growth and development of a baby in the womb puts strain on the pelvic and lower back area, which can also cause PGP. Position of a baby in the womb, history of back pain, and misaligned joints of the pelvis can also cause pelvic girdle pain.

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What Causes Abdominal Pain

There are many underlying causes of abdominal pain. Some of these are short-term causes that arent serious the symptoms may last only hours or days, and may clear up by themselves. Others are longer lasting and may be more serious.

There are also causes of abdominal pain that require urgent medical attention and may be life-threatening.

Some causes of abdominal pain are more common or less likely in certain age groups or genders.

Children often get stomach or abdominal pain. Some of the most common causes are gastroenteritis, wind or indigestion. Some causes of abdominal pain apply mainly to children, such as colic, intussusception, and testicular torsion. For more information on these, see abdominal pain in children.

Women may experience abdominal pain associated with their periods, pregnancy or problems with their urinary or reproductive system.

Older people are more likely than younger people to have abdominal pain due to heart or lung problems, bowel obstruction, or conditions such as diverticulitis or gallstones.