What Could Be Wrong With My Stomach

What Are Menstrual Cramps

Menstrual cramps are throbbing, aching cramps you get in your lower belly just before and during your period. Theyâre some of the most common, annoying parts of your period. They can strike right before or during that time of the month. Many women get them routinely.

Cramps can range from mild to severe. They usually happen for the first time a year or two after a girl first gets their period. With age, they usually become less painful and may stop entirely after you have your first baby.

Your doctor may call your cramps dysmenorrhea.

Stomach Pain Was Ruining Her Life Then A Scan Provided A Life

After spending six years battling worsening pain, Olivia I. Bland stopped telling people why she had taken a sick day at work or missed an exercise class or bailed at the last minute on dinner with friends.

I was too embarrassed and tired of telling people I felt like crap, said the Albuquerque accountant, now 37. Between 2012 and 2018, she consulted her own doctors and made eight trips to an urgent care center or emergency room for severe abdominal pain. Bland was also suffering from a low-grade fever that descended late in the afternoon, along with crushing fatigue. I could chug two cups of coffee at 9:30 p.m. and be sound asleep by 10, she recalled, only to wake up 10 hours later still exhausted.

Her internist had advised her to eat better. After a rheumatologist found nothing wrong, he told her he didnt want to see her again.

But in July 2018, a radiologist reviewing Blands latest CT scan spotted two problems that had apparently gone unrecognized. Her rocky road to effective treatment would consume another year.

“I think about my pain every morning when I wake up,” Bland said recently, sounding surprised by its absence. “I can’t even put into words how different it is.”

You Have An Infection In Your Gi Tract

If you’ve been experiencing watery stool, abdominal pain or cramping, and nausea or vomiting, your stomach may be trying to tell you that you have a gastrointestinal infection.

“Gastrointestinal infections are either viral, bacterial, or happen because of a parasite,” Bedford says. “Inflammation occurs in the stomach and intestines and can lead to symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.” So what should you do to mitigate some of that infection’s worst effects? “Staying hydrated is optimal treatment for gastrointestinal infections because you may lose a lot of fluid,” notes Bedford. And for more helpful information, .

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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.

Why Does It Feel Like Something Is Moving In My Stomach Ab Pain Or Pregnancy

If you feel something is moving in your stomach, it could be a cryptic pregnancy, phantom kicks, or ovulation period creating a false sensation. Other issues could be at fault, including digestion, indigestion, muscle spasm, allergic reaction, intestinal obstruction, or diverticulitis. These issues can be diagnosed from other symptoms besides a sensation of movement and treated accordingly.

The stomach is a muscular organ located between the esophagus and the small intestine. So, lately, if youve been noticing a strange sensation of something moving in your stomach, it could be something thats troubling your lower abdomen or even a cryptic pregnancy.

You can feel any problem in the organs in your stomach too.

Sometimes we confuse a sensation in our lower abdomen as something wrong with our stomach. Other times it could be your ovulation time.

Various reasons might be creating this sensation of something moving in your stomach. Lets take a look into what it could be and the medical advice you should be taking!

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When Should I Call The Doctor

Sometimes, what seems like one problem food poisoning, for example can turn out to be something more serious, like appendicitis.

• the pain is very strong
• you’re vomiting a lot
• you already have another health condition
• the pain gets worse over time, doesn’t go away, or wakes you up from sleep

Also let the doctor know if you:

• have a fever
• have pain when you pee
• have trouble pooping or peeing
• have blood in your poop or pee
• think the belly pain is from an injury
• might be pregnant

What To Expect During An Appendectomy

Before your appendix is taken out, youâll take antibiotics to fight infection. Youâll usually get general anesthesia, meaning youâll be asleep for the procedure. The doctor removes your appendix through a 4-inch-long cut or with a device called a laparoscope . This procedure is called laparoscopy. If you have peritonitis, the surgeon will also clean out your belly and drain the pus.

Continued

You can get up and move around within 12 hours after surgery. You should be able to go back to your normal routine in 2 to 3 weeks. If you had a laparoscopy, recovery is faster.

After an appendectomy, call your doctor if you have:

• Uncontrolled vomiting
• Blood in your vomit or pee
• Increased pain and redness where your doctor cut into your belly
• Fever

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The Wrong Gut Bacteria:

There are trillions of bacteria in a human body, also helps in normal metabolism. Gut bacteria are found in the intestine. It determines how much food you are eating. It also tells you about your hunger. Getting the wrong gut bacteria is a problem that causes an increase in stomach size. You can get the right gut bacteria through plant-based food and eating more fibers.

Can Gastrointestinal Diseases Be Prevented

Many diseases of the colon and rectum can be prevented or minimized by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, practicing good bowel habits and getting screened for cancer.

A colonoscopy is recommended for average-risk patients at age 45. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, a colonoscopy may be recommended at a younger age. Typically, a colonoscopy is recommended 10 years younger than the affected family member.

If you have symptoms of colorectal cancer you should consult your healthcare provider right away. Common symptoms include:

• A change in normal bowel habits.
• Blood on or in the stool that is either bright or dark.
• Unusual abdominal or gas pains.
• Very narrow stool.

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Three Things To Look For With Stomach Pain

Suhail Sharif, MD, a general surgeon at Medical City Fort Worth and Medical City Alliance says there are three things you should look for that can help diagnose the source of abdominal pain, including:

• Type of pain: Is it a dull, achy, constant pain? Or more of a sharp, stabbing pain that comes and goes? This can tell doctors a lot about what might be going on.
• Location of pain: Pinpointing the exact location can be difficult, but try to narrow it down to the upper abdomen, the lower abdomen, the right side or the left. The abdomen has multiple organs, Dr. Sharif says, and as such any organ can cause abdominal pain.
• Additional symptoms: Are there other symptoms associated with your abdominal pain, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or indigestion? Your doctor will take all of these into account when making a diagnosis.

When Should You Seek Medical Help

If your stomach ache lasts more than several days, see a doctor, as it might be an indication of a more serious medical condition.

Sudden and severe abdominal pain could signal a more serious problem that can quickly worsen without treatment. Dont hesitate to call your doctor or visit an emergency room, especially if the pain is concentrated in one area. Call 911 immediately if your abdomen hurts after youve had an injury there or if you have chest pain.

Conditions that could be mistaken for a common bellyache, but need medical attention include:

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Chronic Lower Abdominal Symptoms

The lower GI tract begins after the duodenum. It runs from the small intestines to the large intestines, or colon, to the anus.

There are several digestive disorders that can contribute to intestinal symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, cramping, and bowel movement problems.

Some common lower GI disorders include:

• Celiac disease:People who have celiac disease can’t eat gluten since it damages the small intestine. Celiac disease is often mistaken for other gastrointestinal disorders before it’s correctly diagnosed. Your doctor needs to run blood tests and other labs to determine if your symptoms are related to celiac disease.
• Diverticulitis: Diverticulitis is the inflammation of diverticula, which are bulging pouches in the walls of the intestines. Symptoms include sharp pains in the lower left abdomen, usually accompanied by a fever. If left untreated, diverticulitis can cause life-threatening complications.
• Inflammatory bowel disease: This is an umbrella term for two separate conditions: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Both are chronic conditions that require lifelong monitoring and treatment.
• Irritable bowel syndrome : People dealing with this very common digestive disorder have recurring abdominal pain and may suffer from diarrhea, constipation, or both.

Cancer Of The Small Intestine

Although this type of cancer is uncommon, the symptoms can sometimes mimic those of colon cancer. Similar to the colon, adenocarcinoma is one type of cancer found in the small intestine and the risk factors, growth, and treatment of the two types of cancer are similar. However, small intestine disorders are not visible on a colonoscopy exam. Endoscopy and X-rays of the upper gastrointestinal tract can detect small intestine cancers.

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Can Bloating Be Prevented

To keep your digestive system working well, follow a healthy diet and eat at least 30g of fibre every day. Cut down on processed and fatty foods, and drink less alcohol. Drink plenty of water and take any medicines as directed by your doctor.

Dont overeat, and try to eat more slowly. Eating regularly will help to prevent digestive problems.

Regular exercise is also important for your gut because it strengthens the muscles in your tummy and stimulates the digestive system to push food through. It also helps with stress, which affects the nerves in the digestive system and can slow down digestion.

Smoking is very bad for your digestion. If you smoke, try to quit now.

What Causes A Big Stomach In Females

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What causes a big stomach in females? Many metabolic and psychological factors cause stomach enlargement in females. It leads so many chronic diseases as well.

In this post, you will learn what causes a big stomach in females and how you can improve your lifestyle and lose belly fat if you have it.

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Is There Something Wrong With Your Bowels

• Short Bowel Syndrome

When all is functioning as it should, your digestive tract operates silently in the background turning the nutrients you eat into energy and removing waste from the body. You have no control over these functions but can quickly become aware when something is not working as it should.

Acute, non-life threatening interruptions to this process, such as gastrointestinal bugs, diarrhea, or constipation, are common and might cause a day or two of discomfort. However, when disorders of the bowel become chronic, you might start to wonder what is happening to your bodyas most digestive symptoms are not clear-cut and usually do not point to the exact cause of your discomfort.

If you have already been screened and do not have colon cancer, then it is worthwhile to have a discussion with your healthcare provider about your persistent symptoms. There are literally hundreds of things that can go wrong in your bowels and many have a very simple cure. Ranked alphabetically, here are some common intestinal disorders that can cause concerning symptoms.

What Causes Too Much Stomach Acid

Most people who experience excessive stomach acid symptoms complain about a burning sensation from the start. Well look at excess stomach acid symptoms in detail, but first, lets consider what causes excessive stomach acid.

Acid can build up in the stomach due to diet, excessive alcohol consumption, abnormally high acid production, or it can simply be hereditary. When excess stomach acid goes untreated, it can lead to ulcers. Diet plays a big role in controlling stomach acid too. There are certain foods that cause more acid and others that are better tolerated. Heres a look at what causes excess stomach acid, starting with food.

In most cases, symptoms of excess stomach acid can be attributed to diet. It can be helpful for people to keep a food journal, which enables them to pinpoint what food or foods are bothersome. Once certain culprits are identified, it is simply a matter of eliminating those foods from the diet to find relief.

Also read: Burning Sensation in Stomach: Causes, Symptoms and Home Remedies

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What Are Structural Gastrointestinal Diseases

Structural gastrointestinal diseases are those where your bowel looks abnormal upon examination and also doesn’t work properly. Sometimes, the structural abnormality needs to be removed surgically. Common examples of structural GI diseases include strictures, stenosis, hemorrhoids, diverticular disease, colon polyps, colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

Constipation

Constipation, which is a functional problem, makes it hard for you to have a bowel movement , the stools are infrequent , or incomplete. Constipation is usually caused by inadequate “roughage” or fiber in your diet, or a disruption of your regular routine or diet.

Constipation causes you to strain during a bowel movement. It may cause small, hard stools and sometimes anal problems such as fissures and hemorrhoids. Constipation is rarely the sign that you have a more serious medical condition.

You can treat your constipation by:

• Increasing the amount of fiber and water to your diet.
• Exercising regularly and increasing the intensity of your exercises as tolerated.
• Moving your bowels when you have the urge .

If these treatment methods don’t work, laxatives can be added. Note that you should make sure you are up to date with your colon cancer screening. Always follow the instructions on the laxative medicine, as well as the advice of your healthcare provider.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Symptoms of IBS include:

Hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids

Treatment includes:

External hemorrhoids

Anal fissures

Anal fistula

When To Call Your Doctor

No matter what treatment youâre following, get medical help right away if the pain gets intense, your joint suddenly becomes inflamed or deformed, or you can no longer use the joint at all.

Show Sources

CDC: “QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Reporting Joint Pain or Stiffness – National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2006,” âGout.â

Collyott, C.L. Orthopaedic Nursing, 2008.

Palmer T. The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 2004.

Vangsness, C.T. Jr. Arthroscopy, 2009.

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When To See A Doctor About Stomach Pain

If your stomach problems stick around for a few days or more, its time to call your doctor and talk to them about any irregular stomach pains or frequent pain, diarrhea, nausea or constipation.

“As you prepare for your appointment, keep track of what you eat or if theres anything about your lifestyle that may cause stomach pain,” Dr. McKee says. “Being aware of all noticeable symptoms you experience can help us determine the cause.”

When To Seek Medical Care For Abdominal Pain

If your abdominal pain is severe or chronic, our gastroenterology team at Digestive Disease Consultants of Orange County can help. We use sophisticated diagnostic tools and a thorough evaluation to determine the cause of your pain.

Once theres a diagnosis, we create a personalized treatment plan to manage your condition and pain levels. Our doctors make sure you understand the course of treatment and check in with you regularly to ensure your pain and other symptoms are under control.

No matter whats causing your abdominal pain, our team can help you live without discomfort. To schedule an appointment at one of our locations, in Irvine, Huntington Beach, Tustin, and Foothill Ranch, California, book online or call the location nearest you.

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Dude Whats Wrong With My Stomach

Is it food poisoning? A stomach bug? The latest food contamination you heard about on the news? Or is it simply something you ate that doesnt agree with you? When it comes to stomach issues, it can sometimes be hard to figure out how serious it is and what you should do about it. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen breaks down the signs and symptoms that will easily help you decide if your stomach pain is something to worry about or if itll pass.

Announcer: Medical news and research from University of Utah physicians and specialists you can use for a happier and healthier life. You’re listening to The Scope.

Scot: You end up with some stomach pains and it’s always hard to know if it’s something you ate, or if you’re paranoid like I am you assume it’s food poisoning, or E. Coli, or something worse like the latest stomach bug that you read about in the news. What I’m looking for is a breakdown, an easy to remember symptoms that can help the average person decide if it’s something to worry about or if it will pass. I’m here with Dr. Troy Madsen Emergency Medicine at the University of Utah Hospital. Dude what’s wrong with my stomach? How common do you see stomach issues in the ER?

Dr. Troy Madsen: Extremely common. It’s a very large number and I expect when I work a shift in the ER I’m going to see at least a handful of people that are there because they’re having some abdominal pain.

Scot: Better safe than sorry.

Scot: Okay.

Scot: Okay.

Dr. Troy Madsen: Yeah.