How Are Back Pain And Nausea Treated
Treatments for back pain and nausea will address the underlying condition. Anti-nausea medications can help the immediate symptoms subside. Examples include dolasetron and granisetron . You can take either of these medications while youre pregnant. If your back pain doesnt subside with rest and medical treatments, your doctor may evaluate you for a more serious injury.
Chronic Constipation Or Constipation Alternating With Diarrhea
It is normal to occasionally feel constipatedhaving difficulty moving bowels or infrequent bowel movements. There are a variety of reasons why someone may experience occasional constipation. But if you or a loved one is frequently experiencing constipation, or constipation alternating with diarrhea, it is important to see a healthcare provider or gastroenterologist. Your healthcare provider will be able to run tests to determine the cause of the constipation and recommend for the best course of treatment for you or your loved one.
What Are The Four Types Of Abdominal Pain
Since your abdomen it is home to many organs, your healthcare provider may want to narrow down the kind of pain youre having by narrowing down the region youre feeling it in. Healthcare providers often divide the abdomen into quadrants or four parts. They may ask if your pain is in the:
- Right upper quadrant.
- Left lower quadrant.
Don’t Miss: What Medication Helps With Stomach Ulcers
Nauseous While Hungry During Pregnancy
The vast majority of pregnant women an estimated 90 percent experience some form of nausea or vomiting. You may have heard that certain foods or smells can trigger episodes of morning sickness, but is it also possible to experience morning sickness as the result of an empty stomach?
You bet. Research suggests that expectant moms who are dealing with morning sickness from hell are best off making sure their stomach is never empty. If you’re pregnant and feel nauseous whenever you haven’t eaten in a while, consume small meals every few hours, and snack on high-protein foods, such as a handful of nuts, between meals.
Are you in your first trimester and taking a prenatal supplement that contains iron? This, too, may be a cause of your nausea while hungry. You may want to consider switching to folic-acid-only supplements and getting your iron exclusively through your diet especially if you are not anemic, and this may eliminate the unpleasant problem of feeling sick because you are hungry.
How Can I Feel Better
Most bellyaches don’t 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 what’s behind their stress and give advice on how to fix problems or handle them better.
Also Check: What To Give Toddler For Stomach Bug
How Long Does It Take For Nausea And Fatigue To Get Better
There are many reasons why you may have nausea and fatigue at the same time. Often, the cause is related to things you can change, like your diet and lifestyle. But sometimes, nausea and fatigue can be caused by a medical condition. It isnt always easy to tell whats causing your symptoms, so see a doctor if they dont get better with self-care, youre worried or if you have any of the symptoms listed in the When to see a doctor section above.
The amount of time it will take for your symptoms to get better usually depends on the cause and the treatments recommended by a doctor.
What Are Signs Of An Unhealthy Digestive System
Signs of an unhealthy digestive system may include:
- Weight gain: Unintentional weight gain or loss is one of the most common signs of an unhealthy gut. When your gut is not working properly, it can interfere with your bodys ability to regulate blood sugar levels.
- Increased stress: An unhealthy gut can impact hormonal balance and contribute to stress, anxiety, and other mood disorders.
- Skin irritation: Skin problems such as eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, and acne have been linked to an unhealthy digestive system.
- Bloating and gas: Even though gas is a normal part of the fermentation and digestion process in the body, improper digestion, and bad bacteria strains can lead to excessive gas. Gas trapped in the gut can cause uncomfortable or painful bloating and heartburn.
- Diarrhea: An unhealthy gut can cause diarrhea, which can further worsen gut health by causing good bacteria to flow out of the gut.
- Constipation: People suffering from constipation usually have a lower level of good gut bacteria, which impacts digestion.
- Sleep problems: An unhealthy gut can lead to poor sleep or insomnia. As sleep problems begin to mount and extend over a period, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, and other health issues can set in and complicate things even further.
Don’t Miss: What Does Sleeping On Your Stomach Mean
Why Else Could You Feel Nauseous On An Empty Stomach
Interested in finding out why people told me they feel nauseous on an empty stomach when they’re PMS-ing or eating a carb-filled junk food diet, I turned to one of SteadyHealth‘s “in-house” physicians, Dr Sasa Milosevic for a medical explanation.
He told me it’s fairly logical to feel sick to your stomach while you are on a very high-carb diet, because:
A meal that is very high in carbs induces the release of more insulin than after a usual meal. Insulin helps the carbs to enter the muscle cells and fat cells more quickly. If the time between meals is long , the consequence is a fast drop in blood glucose levels, hence hypoglycemia, which may then cause nausea.
The moral of the story is, of course, that exploring healthier foods doesn’t just confer long-term health benefits but also short-term advantages. If you’re feeling sick when hungry on a high-carb diet, your body’s telling you you’re not feeding it the foods it really needs to stay healthy, and that it is time to adjust your diet.
What about PMS, then? Dr Milosevic has some interesting comments to offer about menstruation-related nausea on an empty stomach, too:
I suppose you can put it in the context of appetite changes. Appetite changes during PMS can cause changes in the amount of food intake that the gastrointestinal system is not accustomed to. And a sudden increase or decrease in food intake can cause nausea.
A Bladder Or Kidney Infection
Bladder infections can definitely cause abdominal pain, as well as painful and urgent urination, and/or blood in the urine. If its a kidney infection youre dealing with, you may also have a fever, chills, thigh pain, and joint tenderness.
How to treat it: Most cases can be treated with a course of oral antibiotics, though severe cases may require hospitalization and IV antibiotics. In rare cases, surgery may be required, says Dr. Dann.
You May Like: How Long Can Stomach Flu Last
Does Ginger Really Work To Help Relieve Nausea
It may seem like a myth just waiting to be busted, but if your mom ever gave you ginger ale for an upset tummy, she wasnt wrong to try it. You see, though ginger ale typically doesnt contain enough ginger to effectively settle an upset stomach, ginger itself is often advocated as a helpful treatment for nausea. And according to recent studies, it works.14
Most people think of the ginger you eat as a root, but thats actually not quite right. Officially, the ginger you eat is the rhizome part of the Zingiber officinale plant. The rhizome is the stem piece the roots grow from.
So, the compounds that make ginger so helpful are called gingerols. These are the bits that give ginger its sweetly spiced flavor and aroma.
Of course, ginger tea can be a great way to get your ginger when youre struggling with stomach pain or mild nausea symptoms. And its quite easy to make.
How to Make Ginger Tea
- Simply peel the rhizome and slice off a few slivers of ginger .
- Let them rest in hot water for about 20-25 minutes.
- Now, ginger does have a bit of bite, but youll likely acquire a taste for it quickly if you dont already love it.
And if tea isnt your thing, you can actually just shave off a piece of raw ginger and chew on it for a bit. Of course, you dont want to eat the whole thing, but just chew on it, and let the juices calm your symptoms.
How Can I Improve My Digestive System
Your digestive system breaks down food into nutrients your body needs to function properly. And when it comes to a healthy gut, bacteria plays a huge role. Balanced levels of healthy bacteria create normal gut flora and line the entire digestive system, synthesizing vitamin K, and promoting blood flow and enteric nerve functions.
Your diet and lifestyle can have a direct impact on your gut health. Here are signs of an unhealthy digestive system and what you can do to help it function efficiently and improve your overall health.
Don’t Miss: How Do You Lose Your Stomach Pouch
Youre Taking Too Many Fat
The previous three issues are pretty easy to fix, but there might also be a more chronic reason why you feel yucky. “That comes from taking too many fat-soluble vitaminsthe ones we most commonly encounter are vitamins A, D, E, and K, says Dr. Sonpal.
With non-fat soluble vitamins, if you get too much, you simply pee them outno harm done. But fat-soluble vitamins leave deposits in your body, so you can end up overloading on them and doing some harm. If this is the case, the nausea wont go away after a few hours, even if you have some food. “If you notice youre having chronic nausea see your doctor and back off those vitamins immediately because that can be dangerous,” says Dr. Sonpal.
To avoid this, don’t exceed the RDA: that’s 700 micrograms of vitamin A, 600 international units of vitamin D, 15 milligrams of vitamin E, and 90 micrograms of vitamin K.
Emergency Situation If Your Stomach Hurts And You Feel Like Throwing Up
Look for treatment if you have nausea or are vomiting for more than a week. A lot of cases of vomiting clear up within 6 to 24 hours after the first episode.
Under 6 years of ages
Seek emergency situation take care of any child under 6 years of ages who:
- has both vomiting and diarrhea
- has projectile vomiting
- is showing symptoms of dehydration, like wrinkled skin, irritability, a weak pulse, or decreased awareness
- has actually been vomiting for more than two or 3 hours
- has a fever of above 100°F. hasnt urinated in more than six hours.
Over 6 years old
Look for emergency situation look after children over 6 years old if:
- vomiting has lasted for more than 24 hours.
- there are symptoms of dehydration.
- the child hasnt urinated in more than six hours.
- the child appears confused or lethargic.
- the child has a fever greater than 102°F .
Adults
Look for emergency situation healthcare if you have any of the following symptoms:
- a severe headache.
- severe or consistent abdominal pain.
Don’t Miss: Can Anxiety Affect Your Stomach
Don’t Take Vitamins At The Same Time As Other Medications
It may be super simple to take all of your pills at once and call it a day, but one of the easiest ways not to get nauseous after taking vitamins is by taking them without other medications or supplements.
For instance, some women don’t feel well when taking their birth control pills and multivitamins at the same time, says Debanjan Banerjee, MD, consultant at DoctorSpring and a consultant geriatric psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences.
A simple solution, Dr. Banerjee says, is to show your doctor both your vitamins and medications to know if they are indeed safe to be consumed together.
When To Go To The Er With Stomach Pain
You should seek immediate medical attention or go to the ER if you have:
- Constant or severe abdominal pain
- Pain associated with a high fever
- Changes in pain intensity or location, such as going from a dull ache to a sharp stab or starting in one area and radiating to another
- Pain accompanied by other serious or unusual symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or change in behavior
- Pain localized to one particular area
- Right lower quadrant could indicate appendicitis
- Right upper quadrant could indicate cholecystitis or a gallbladder infection
- Left lower quadrant could indicate diverticulitis or a colon infection
Also Check: What Is An Aneurysm In Your Stomach
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.
Gastroenteritis And Infectious Colitis
These are the terms for inflammation in the lining of the intestines and colon, respectively. Symptoms will vary based on the location and cause. In both cases, the underlying cause could be due to a condition such as Crohns disease or even something more benign such as a lack of blood flow to the abdominal area, says Dr. Dann. Patients with infectious colitis generally have diarrhea associated abdominal pain, which may be severe.
How to treat it: Depending on the severity of symptoms, antibiotics may be needed.
You May Like: How To Lose Your Lower Stomach Fat Fast
Common Causes For Stomach Pain And Vomiting
Many medical conditions can lead to stomach aches and nausea. If you believe your condition is worsening, its always best to seek the advice of a medical professional.
Here are a few of the common causes of abdominal pain:
- Gastroenteritis . The symptoms of Gastroenteritis typically include stomach ache and nausea, as well as diarrhea. The stomach flu can quickly cause dehydration. If you think you have gastroenteritis, be sure to drink plenty of water and seek care with your primary physician or an urgent care provider.
- Food allergies. Stomach pain and nausea are possible symptoms of a food allergy. The pain would typically start within two hours of eating the food that is causing the reaction. Food allergies are not always serious, but if stomach pain does not ease in a few hours, it is wise to seek medical attention.
- Food poisoning. Symptoms like fever and diarrhea in addition to your stomach pain could indicate that you are suffering from food poisoning. If you recently ate raw or undercooked meat, or if you think you may have eaten food that was otherwise contaminated, this is likely the cause of your pain.
These issues will usually resolve themselves with treatment at home. Other more serious issues that require medical attention include appendicitis, a bowel blockage, hernias, ulcers, colitis, Crohns disease, and stomach cancer.
How Does Stress Affect Your Gastrointestinal Tract
Well, your gut is coated with tons of nerves that move the food you digest through your gastrointestinal tract.
But if you get stressed out, your brain can mess with the messages it sends to those nerves.
The harder those nerves try to push in an effort to move food through your system, even if the food isnt there, the more nauseous youll end up feeling. And it doesnt take a ton of stress to make you feel this way.
So, what can you do to counteract some of the stress and help reset your gut in this situation?
For starters take a deep breath. Work on calming yourself down. Recent studies have shown that controlled breathing could actually be quite effective when it comes to learning to control nausea.
Read Also: What Can You Take For Upset Stomach
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 byacid 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: