What Makes My Stomach Hurt

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:

• Normal Blood Pressure By Age

Gut Feeling: How To Know If Stomach Pain Is Serious

Abdominal pain is the single leading reason for emergency room visits in the U.S. according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accounting for more than 12 million of the nearly 139 million annual ER visits. Most people call it stomach pain, but its not always a stomach problem. Your abdomen holds many other organs, too, including your intestines , pancreas, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, spleen and appendix.

So its not surprising that, just as with chest pain or a headache, it can be difficult to tell whats really going on in there when your tummys not feeling well. Add in other vague symptoms such as nausea and vomiting and you could have the stomach flu, food poisoning, gallstones, kidney stones or any number of other conditions.

Here are some ways to tell what the source of your pain is and when you should seek medical care.

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Causes Of Hurting Stomach

The following conditions may account for a hurting stomach. However, there are other conditions that also need to be considered which may result in pain arising from neighboring organs and structures around the stomach. In addition, there may be a host of other causes of a hurting stomach if the term stomach is used to refer to the entire abdomen and not specifically the stomach itself.

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Other Causes: Stress Anxiety And Medication:

• Stress and Anxiety: Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a frustrating condition that causes abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. It currently has no known specific cause, but it is believed that there is a link between IBS, stress sensitivity, and the regulation of the stress response. Research shows that 50 to 90 percent of people with IBS also suffer from a psychiatric disorder like anxiety or depression.
• Medication: There are a variety of medications that can cause stomach pain after eating or digestive problems. NSAIDs, nitrates, calcium channel blockers, oral antibiotics, and birth control pills can cause GERD and reflux or irritate the lining of the stomach. Long-term use may cause gastritis, ulcers, bleeding, or perforation of the stomach.

Most Common Gas Triggers

The main triggers for gas and bloating are fermentable foods, foods that are difficult to digest, and mealtime practices. Diet is the most common trigger for gas and bloating, though, and there are specific food groups that are commonly known culprits.

By a process of elimination, you can determine if any of these groups cause you to be gassy, and then you can eliminate them and enjoy being gas-free.

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Why Does My Stomach Hurt When I Eat Salad 10 Actual Reasons

Salad is a great way to get your veggies in for the day, but why does my stomach hurt when I eat Salad? Have you ever noticed that your stomach starts to hurt when you eat Salad? If not, dont worry. Its just your bodys natural response to the unique combination of acidic and fatty foods in salads.

Salads are usually high in acid content since theyre made up mostly of vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and lettuce which contain an organic compound called citric acid. The fat in salad dressing also causes discomfort because it slows down digestion .

Luckily for us, though, there are some tricks to help minimize this feeling! Learn more about how diet can affect our bodies below. In this post, well explore why that might be and offer some tips on how to make your salads more stomach-friendly. Stay tuned!

When Should I Be Worried About Abdominal Bloating

See your healthcare provider if your bloated stomach:

• Gets progressively worse.
• Persists for more than a week.
• Is persistently painful.
• Comes with symptoms of illness, such as fever, vomiting or bleeding.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

A bloated stomach is not a pleasant feeling. While its a common experience and usually temporary, you may become weary of the cycle. Spending a little focused attention on the problem to identify the cause can be well worthwhile. Try recording your symptoms and possible triggers in a journal. Note diet, hormonal and stress factors. When in doubt bring your notes to a specialist for professional guidance. The different factors that contribute to bloating can be complex and difficult to parse, but medical testing can help. As always, seek medical attention if your symptoms are persistent or severe.

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Peppermint Oil And Aloe Vera

Both peppermint oil and aloe vera have been clinically proven in separate studies to treat symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome such as painful cramping.

The peppermint oil study published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology advises that more research is needed to determine the effects of the oil in conjunction with other treatments involving antispasmodic and antidepressant drugs.

Visit The Sydney Gut Clinic

If stomach cramps are persistent and if you experience them very often, it is necessary to treat the underlying cause behind them. Schedule an appointment with us to get an accurate diagnosis of your condition.

At Sydney Gut Clinic, we have a team of gastrointestinal specialists trained to identify the causes behind symptoms you experience and direct you to the best treatment options.

• Vomiting

Which conditions can cause stomach cramps?

Stomach cramps are often a result of your body reacting to medical complications in the digestive tract. Most of the time they are triggered as a result of certain types of food.

If cramps occur outside your dietary habits, it may mean a different gastrointestinal condition like inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal obstruction, or even food poisoning and intestinal infections. Visit a gastrointestinal specialist to get an accurate diagnosis of the stomach cramps you experience.

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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 .

Youre Drinking Coffee On An Empty Stomach

Coffee is no healthy, highly nutritious smoothie that youre drinking first thing in the morning. Coffee is coffee, meaning its acidic, its got tummy-upsetting caffeine, so discomfort and pain in the abdominal area are only inevitable if you already have a sensitive gut.

Think about it for a second here, coffee on an empty stomach means all the coffee acids entering your tummy without any food there to counterbalance the excessive acid production. No wonder the stomach lining as well as the intestinal tract feel irritated. Only makes sense, right?

Certain coffee compounds, on an empty stomach, directly affect your digestive system. And depending on the coffee, the concentration of these compounds may be even higher, thus exacerbating the discomfort and pain in your stomach caused by the irritants present in coffee.

So if youre on an intermittent-fasting kind of diet and consume coffee first thing in the morning when the stomach is completely empty, youre in for some tummy trouble.

When intermittent fasting, drinking just black coffee is understandable because its definitely not going to break your fast. However, it certainly is going to upset your stomach. And if the coffee is of poor quality, then expect the stomach ache to feel even worse at such times.

Lastly, this can happen even if your tummy is not the sensitive or troublesome kind. Coffee is plain bad news on an empty stomach. Period.

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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.

Sudden And Severe Onset Stomach Pain

When mid-abdominal pain occurs suddenly especially in people with a history of peptic ulcer disease or in those who take excessive amounts of aspirin or NSAIDs it may be a sign of a perforation that could require emergency surgery. A tear could leak air and gastric content which can lead to a condition called peritonitis, and eventually, septic shock. Surgery would be required to seal the perforation.

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What Are The Most Common Causes Of Abdominal Pain

The most common cause of abdominal pain throughout all age groups is indigestion, or something you ate. However, there are other causes. Some require medical attention and some do not. Another common cause is stomach flu, also known as gastroenteritis. With stomach flu, pain is usually accompanied by myriad other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Gas is another common cause of stomach pain, but this can also be attributed to indigestion quite often. Constipation is another cause, as well as vomiting not related to stomach flu, as vomiting can hurt the muscles of the stomach temporarily, causing pain. Other causes include:

Can Abdominal Pain Be Prevented

Eating enough fibreand doing regular exercise can help prevent constipation and keep your bowels working well, which will prevent some forms of abdominal pain. It will also reduce your long-term risk of some diseases, such as diverticular disease or bowel cancer.

Drinking plain water but not carbonated or fizzy drinks will reduce the chance of pain from bloating as well as keeping your body healthy.

Following a specific diet can help reduce pain due to lactose intolerance, gallstones, irritable bowel syndrome and trapped gas, or wind.

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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.

Everyday Situations When Your Stomach Hurts After Drinking Water

You might have noticed that you are experiencing stomach pains after drinking water. But is this pain more common during a specific part of the day? Does it matter whether you drink hot or cold water? The following are some commonly experienced situations where your stomach could hurt after drinking water.

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How Long Does A Bloated Stomach Last

If your bloating is due to something you ate or drank or to hormone fluctuations, it should begin to ease within a few hours to days. If you are constipated, it wont go down until you start pooping. Water, exercise and herbal teas can help encourage all of these things along. If it doesnt go away or gets worse, seek medical attention.

Severity Of Stomach Pain

Stomach pain can range from mild to severe. It is important to remember that severity of pain does not necessarily relate to how serious the underlying cause of pain is.

It is possible to have horrible stomach pain from gas or gastroenteritis . This may not be serious, but can still be very painful.

Conversely, potentially fatal conditions like colon cancer or even the early stages of appendicitis may cause no pain or only very mild pain. If you are in doubt about the cause or severity of your pain, you should consult your healthcare provider.

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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.

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.

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Right Or Left Lower Abdominal Pain In Women

Sudden onset of right lower abdominal pain or left lower abdominal pain can indicate a ruptured ovarian cyst in a woman who is mid-cycle. This kind of pain could also be a sign of ovarian torsion, which is the rotation of the ovary and part of the fallopian tube, or possibly a twisting of the ovary due to compromised blood supply. Seek treatment immediately at the nearest emergency department. Surgery to remove the ovary may be required.

Treatment And Home Remedies For Abdominal Pain

How abdominal pain is treated is highly dependent on the diagnosis. Medications that reduce inflammation may help with stomach pains resulting from ulcers.

But other conditions, like kidney stones, may require more intensive treatment like shock wave lithotripsy. Inflammation of the gall bladder might require gall bladder surgery.

Your doctor might prescribe a pain-modifying drug, like amitriptyline or trazodone, to address the pain. These may help change the way the brain processes pain signals.

If you and your doctor have determined that your abdominal pain is not the result of a serious medical condition, there are a number of home health remedies that may provide relief. Heres a brief list:

• bitters and soda
• BRAT diet
• peppermint

Not all forms of abdominal pain are preventable. But you can minimize the risk of developing abdominal pain by:

• eating a healthy diet
• exercising regularly
• eating smaller meals

If you have an intestinal disorder, like Crohns disease, follow the diet your doctor has given you to minimize discomfort. If you have GERD, dont eat within 2 hours of bedtime.

Lying down too soon after eating may cause heartburn and abdominal pain. Try waiting at least 2 hours after eating before lying down.

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Can Stomachaches Be Prevented

Not all belly pain can be prevented. But to help avoid common types of stomachaches:

• Wash your hands before eating or preparing food, and after using the bathroom.
• Don’t overeat, and try not to eat right before going to sleep.
• Drink plenty of water and eat fiber-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to keep food moving through your digestive system.
• Avoid foods that have passed their expiration date or or weren’t stored properly.
• If you have a food allergy or intolerance, avoid eating foods that make you sick. If you have a food allergy, always carry two epinephrine auto-injectors, and know when you should use them.