Ask If Your Dining Partners Are On The Same Boat
Fear food poisoning? If you ate at a restaurant, you might hear on the news that others got sick too. Check-in with your family or anyone else you ate dinner with to see if theyre feeling symptoms like stomach pain in the morning the next day. Often, more than one person will be afflicted, says Dr. Fleisher.
Skip That Second Cup Of Coffee
If acid reflux is causing some belly issues like stomach pain in the morning, consider cutting down or, even better, cutting out. Caffeine is a double whammy in people with digestive issues, says Dr. Fleisher. For one thing, it can relax pressure on the valve between the esophagus and stomach, making it easier for the acid to splash back up. Plus, it makes the intestine work harder, which could lead to diarrhea, he says. If you think coffee could be the culprit, try eliminating it for a week, suggests Dr. Greenwald. The only way to know is to limit it for a defined period of time and see if the symptoms get better, he says. Its hard to say dont do it forever, but its easy to do for a week. That said, if youre constipated and bloated, caffeine is just one of the many foods that act like a natural laxative. It helps things move along naturally so you can get relief from a bathroom break quicker, says Dr. Cohen. These are the 10 pain symptoms you should never ignore, including stomach aches.
How Can I Avoid Stomach Pain At Night
There are a variety of preventive measures you can take for stomach pain at night. Most precautions require basic lifestyle moderations.
Here is a list of fairly simple lifestyle changes you can do:
- Avoid overeating before bedtime
- Try to go for a walk after eating meals
- Do not eat heavy meals during nighttime
- Maintain a list of foods that you are allergic to
- Avoid eating fried and oily foods at night
- Limit your intake of alcohol
- Elevate the level of your head while sleeping
- Do not miss medications for chronic conditions
- Avoid specific gas-producing foods such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, beans and coffee night
- Try to limit your intake of citrus fruits and tomatoes, especially before bedtime
- Dont eat with your mouth open
- Avoid talking while you eat to avoid swallowing air
- Try to chew your food slowly
- Do exercises to strengthen your abs
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Change In Bowel Movement Frequency
There is no magic number of bowel movements we should all be having each day. Some people go three-to-four times a day, and that is normal for them. Others only move their bowels once a day and that is their normal. However, if you or a loved one experiences a significant change in bowel movement frequency, whether more or less often, its important to discuss this change with your healthcare provider.
Youre Having A Panic Attack
Sometimes your morning chest pain is motivated by something more mental than physical. Case in point: Panic attacks.
An acute episode of intense fear or anxiety, a panic attack often mimics a myocardial infarction.
During a panic attack, a person may experience chest pain and heart palpitations, Dr. Higgins says.
In addition to chest pain, a pounding heart and shortness of breath, other signs of a panic attack may involve the following, per the Mayo Clinic:
- Sense of impending doom or danger
- Fear of loss of control or death
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Reasons For Morning Stomach Symptoms
It is important to have a basic understanding of the alimentary tract. Food enters through the mouth, passes down the throat and travels through the esophagus to the stomach. Here it is churned and mixed with stomach acid and enzymes. Once the food is partially digested, it is released as a thick fluid into the small intestine.
As mentioned above, many of the morning stomach symptoms are associated with stomach acid. This highly corrosive substance is produced by specialized cells in the inner wall of the stomach. Although it is capable of digesting human tissue, the body and in particular the stomach, has different mechanisms to prevent the acid from damaging the gut. The stomach has a thick layer of mucus that coats its inner wall and acts as a barrier against the action of the stomach acid.
Normally the stomach acid is isolated to the stomach cavity, with small amounts being passed out in a controlled manner into the duodenum . The duodenum has its own mechanisms to rapidly neutralize moderate amounts of stomach acid. However, problems arise when the :
- mucus barrier becomes compromised,
- excessive amounts of stomach acid are produced,
- stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus,
- duodenums mechanisms cannot rapidly neutralize the incoming acid.
Watch What You Eat And Drink
Are you having pizza just before bedtime? Midnight snacks of hot dogs?
What you eat and drink are often at the source of your problem. Try to cut out or at least limit the following, especially 1-2 hours before bedtime:
- High-fat foods. These move more slowly through your system and leave you bloated or trigger heartburn.
- Gas-producing foods. These include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and baked beans. Pay attention to what causes your gas.
- Coffee and fizzy drinks. These can also leave you feeling gassy.
- Citrus fruits, tomatoes, and spicy foods. These might trigger heartburn.
- Chewing gum or hard candy. Donât talk while chewing or eat with your mouth open. This may cause you to swallow air.
- Drugs that may irritate your stomach. Examples include aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs that can cause an ulcer to act out.
- Alcohol and smoking. Both of these can irritate the lining of your stomach.
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Stomach Ache But Only At Night
If you have found this page, chances are you too suffer a mysterious abdominal pain but only at night. I suffered this for over 10 years and eventually worked out a cure. I cannot offer that this will help you at all, but I write this in case it helps at least one other person.
All links on this page will open in a new window/tab.
The chances are you are reading this in the middle of the night as you continue to search for help in desperation. Im hoping my story might offer some hope and help.
The discomfort would wake me up, a broadly diffuse discomfort, not excruciating, but enough to wake me up and then prevent going back to sleep again. The main focus of the pain was the left lower abdomen, 2 inches below my belly button and offset to the left.
You know the story already. Persistent visits to the GP, but only to be dismissed as irritable bowel syndrome , all diagnostic investigations coming back normal, multiple medications tried without effect. Permanent fatigue from insomnia as part of the package and then the raft of secondary problems such as aches and pains, issues with work, overall unreliability, disbelief from everyone else and on and on.
Wake Up With A Belly Ache Most Mornings
I then go to sleep around 2:00am and every morning when I stomach cramps in the morning female in your mid to upper abdomen â¦
Why does my stomach hurt every morning when I wake up? | Zocdoc â¦
Sometimes, however, things go wrong, bringing stomach cramps in the morning female. Here are a few reasons why your belly may be aching-from simple to serious:.
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When To Contact A Medical Professional
Get medical help right away or call your local emergency number if you:
- Are currently being treated for cancer
- Are unable to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
- Are vomiting blood or have blood in your stool
- Have chest, neck, or shoulder pain
- Have sudden, sharp abdominal pain
- Have pain in, or between, your shoulder blades with nausea
- Have tenderness in your belly, or your belly is rigid and hard to the touch
- Are pregnant or could be pregnant
- Had a recent injury to your abdomen
- Have difficulty breathing
- Abdominal discomfort that lasts 1 week or longer
- Abdominal pain that does not improve in 24 to 48 hours, or becomes more severe and frequent and occurs with nausea and vomiting
- Bloating that persists for more than 2 days
- Burning sensation when you urinate or frequent urination
- Diarrhea for more than 5 days
- Fever, over 100°F for adults or 100.4°F for children, with pain
- Prolonged poor appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
Drink More Water Less Soda
Water helps keep things moving in your gut so you stay regular. Pay attention to your body when youâre thirsty, and have a glass of water, not soda. Carbonation can cause stomach pain because the fizz can lead to gas.
Alcoholic and caffeinated beverages can cause trouble for some people, too, so steer clear of them if they bother your stomach.
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What Can I Do About Stomach Pain At Night
The appropriate treatment for stomach pain at night depends upon the reason that is causing it. You should try to identify the core issue and address it. For instance, if the pain is related to gas, you should walk to clear up the gas or ask your pharmacist for an antacid.
If you have recurrent abdominal pain during the night , you should consult a gastroenterologist. Your primary healthcare provider may also be able to guide you towards a relevant remedial method.
Conditions such as acid reflux or irritable bowel syndrome can be treated with the use of medications. Some conditions, such as gallstones or kidney stones, may also require surgical removal for relief from stomach pain and other symptoms. Your doctor determines the size of stones, your complete health condition, age and other factors before indicating surgery.
Symptoms Related To Stomach Pain
The symptoms that come with stomach pain depend on whats causing the stomach pain.
For example, if the stomach pain comes with symptoms like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, the problem could be gastroenteritis or food poisoning.
Stomach cramps and general stomach pain might be associated with food intolerance, excess wind, indigestion and bloating.
Tummy pain that doesnt go away could be constipation or a urinary tract infection. Children with a urinary tract infection might also have pain when doing a wee and be doing more wees than normal. They might also have a fever, be vomiting and feel irritable.
Tummy pain might also be associated with pneumonia or other respiratory infections. In this case, your child will probably also have a fever, cough and possibly a sore throat.
A sore tummy is more likely to be a sign of something serious if it wakes your child up, or if the pain is in a specific area of the abdomen, away from your childs belly button. For example, in appendicitis, the pain is usually sharp, and the pain often starts in the middle then moves to the lower right section of the abdomen. Your child might also have fever, loss of appetite and vomiting.
With all types of stomach pain, theres a risk that your child will become dehydrated. You should watch for signs of dehydration, including sunken eyes, less urination than usual, lethargy and weight loss.
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How To Treat This
Treatment depends entirely on the cause. For example, acid reflux may be eased with an over-the-counter antacid, and gas pains may clear up after the gas passes.
For other conditions, however, treatment from a doctor may be necessary. In addition to needing a definitive diagnosis, your doctor will need to determine a treatment that is most likely to ease your symptoms. Most common causes of unexplained stomach pain will require treatment from a doctor.
About Stomach Pain Or Ache
Stomach pain in children is very often caused by wind and indigestion, neither of which is serious.
A sore tummy might also be a sign of infections like food poisoning, gastroenteritis, pneumonia or urinary tract infections.
Anxiety or stress can cause butterflies in the tummy.
Severe stomach pain might be caused by more serious illnesses like appendicitis or intussusception, which is when part of the intestine slides into or over itself.
Tummy pain that keeps coming back might be associated with constipation, food intolerances or inflammation in the gut.
In adolescent girls, stomach pain can be caused by reproductive issues, including period pain, a twisted ovary and ectopic pregnancy.
Sometimes stomach pain is functional abdominal pain. This means that the stomach is very sensitive, even to the normal movement of food through the digestive system.
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Nausea And Vomiting Are They The Same
Nausea and vomiting are not diseases. They are symptoms of many different conditions, such as infections, illnesses, concussion or brain injury, appendicitis, and migraines. The timing of nausea or vomiting can indicate what may be wrong with you.
Vomiting is the forcible voluntary or involuntary evacuation or throwing up of stomach contents through the mouth. Nausea frequently precedes the urge to vomit, but it does not always result in vomiting. Infection and damage to the stomach lining and intestines, food irritation, inner ear infection, and brain injury can result in dizziness and motion sickness, which are potential causes of vomiting.
Address Any Underlying Medical Conditions
If you have an underlying medical condition, such as an intestinal disease, diet and lifestyle changes may not be enough to help address chronic bloating. Its important to speak with your doctor for possible treatment modifications and testing.
Its possible to wake up with both a bloated face and stomach. This is most likely attributed to fluid retention. Possible causes for morning face bloating include:
- eating high sodium foods the day before
- alcohol consumption
- medications that cause fluid retention, such as antidepressants and NSAIDs
- hormone changes, such as those that occur during menstruation
- Cushings syndrome
- hypothyroidism
If you have an underlying medical condition, such as Cushings syndrome or hypothyroidism, your treatment may help gradually reduce morning facial bloating.
Occasional face swelling may be prevented with some of the same strategies as those for stomach bloating, including:
- eating smaller meals
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How Do You Relieve Abdominal Pain
Stomach pain has a wide variety of causes and treatments. Some conditions, such as gallstones or appendicitis, may require surgery. Others, such as ulcers or infections, may be eased with medicine. And sometimes you may just have to get through a bout of stomach flu or a kidney stone until it passes.
If you dont know whats causing your abdominal pain, its important to find out, especially if it doesnt go away on its own. Remember that even mild cases can be serious. However, if you have a pretty good idea that your stomachache is related to digestion, you can begin by treating yourself with:
- Bowel rest. Stop eating, or only eat easy-to-digest foods like crackers or bananas.
- Hydration. Drink plenty of water or a hydration formula.
- Heat therapy. Try a warm water bottle or a soak in the bath.
- Home remedies. Try licorice for gas, ginger for indigestion, or peppermint to help relax your intestinal muscles.
You’ve Got A Pulmonary Condition
Pulmonary problems can cause you to wake up with chest pain too.
“Pulmonary embolism is the most common cause of pulmonary-related chest pain and usually starts as a sudden, intense, sharp, stabbing pain that grows worse with breathing in or out,” Dr. Higgins says.
Other signs of a pulmonary embolism may include, per the Cleveland Clinic:
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Feeling anxious, lightheaded,faint or passing out
Other lung issues â such as severe pneumonia â can also cause pulmonary chest pain, Dr. Higgins adds.
âFix it:â Lung-related chest pain can be potentially dangerous, so itâs important to consult with your doctor immediately. Indeed, pulmonary embolisms can inhibit blood flow and, in severe cases, result in death , according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Similarly, pneumonia, if left untreated, can cause serious complications, especially for people in high-risk groups such as individuals with weakened immune systems or pre-existing lung or heart disease as well as young children and seniors, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Most cases of pulmonary embolism are treated with blood-thinner drugs to help the clot dissolve, Dr. Higgins says, while pneumonia may be treated with antibiotics.
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Change How Often You Eat
Some people get belly pain between meals, when thereâs no buffer for the acid in your stomach. If this happens, eat smaller meals or snacks spaced out through the day so your stomach isnât empty for long periods.
The opposite also can cause stomach pain. If you eat so much that you feel stuffed, your stomach is likely to hurt.
You Ate Gassy Foods The Night Before
That big bowl of salad you ate for dinner last night could be bringing on your morning bloat and gas.
Gas-inducing foods such as beans, legumes, cauliflower and cabbage contain a lot of fiber and FODMAPs , which get fermented by gut microbes to make CO2, methane and other gases that give you digestive discomfort, Dr. Sharma says.
Spicy foods can make you fart too. Too much spiciness triggers gut motility, making you pass more gas, Dr. Sharma says.
âFix it:â To prevent painful morning gas, limit gas-inducing foods and drink lots of water, Dr. Sharma says. Taking probiotics is also helpful, he adds.
When your morning belly bloat is in full swing, you can turn to over-the-counter medications like simethicone â found in products like Gas-X â to decrease the discomfort caused by excessive gas, Dr. Sharma says. And check out six other natural remedies for gas.
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