Treatments For Stomach Pain After Meals
Mild cases are usually treated at home without too much trouble. Doctors recommend putting yourself on a light diet, eating in frequent but small amounts for 24 to 36 hours until you can tolerate more substantial foods. Sports drinks, soups and broths, and juices are highly recommended.
More serious cases are treated with a range of therapies. Doctors look for structural or functional problems in the digestive tract itself to identify and treat the problem at its source. Various interventions may be employed in that case, such as:
- Intravenous drug infusion
- Surgery to treat or even remove an infected organ
Causes Of Stomach Pain Based On Location
- Upper right: Gallstones, cholecystitis, stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer, hepatitis.
- Upper center: Heartburn/indigestion, hiatal hernia, epigastric hernia, stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer, hepatitis.
- Upper left: Functional dyspepsia, stomach ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis.
- Middle right: Kidney stones, kidney infection, inflammatory bowel disease , constipation.
- Middle center: Umbilical hernia, appendicitis, stomach ulcer, IBD, pancreatitis.
- Middle left: Kidney stones, kidney infection, IBD, constipation.
- Lower right: Appendicitis, IBD, constipation, pelvic pain.
- Lower center: Bladder infection, prostatitis, IBD, inguinal hernia, pelvic pain.
- Lower left: Constipation, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, IBD, pelvic pain, inguinal hernia.
When to Seek Medical Help
According to Dr. Kingsley, you should call your primary care physician if mild pain lasts more than a couple of days, or if the severe stomach pain is accompanied by other symptoms.
When to seek immediate medical attention
Get medical help immediately if:
- You have abdominal pain that is very sharp, severe, and sudden.
- You also have pain in the chest, neck, or shoulder.
- Youre vomiting blood, have bloody diarrhea, or have black, tarry stools .
- You have a high fever.
- Youre having difficulty breathing.
- You develop consistent nausea and/or vomiting.
- Your abdomen is stiff, hard, and tender to the touch.
- You cant move your bowels, especially if youre also vomiting.
When to make an appointment to see your doctor
Why Is Your Stomach Upset Every Morning
Waking up with an upset stomach in the morning isn’t the greatest way to start your day. Nearly everyone has experienced an upset stomach from time to time, whether it’s due to indigestion, illness, or just something that you’ve consumed the night before doesn’t agree with you the next day. However, for some people, waking up with an upset stomach is something they have to deal with on a daily basis. For those who have this problem each and every day, they need to know what is causing their symptoms.
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Types Of Abdominal Pain
There are several types of abdominal pain, which are based on how quickly your pain starts and how long it lasts:
- Acute pain starts over a few hours or days and may come with other symptoms.
- Chronic pain lasts longer — from weeks to months or more — and may come and go.
- Progressive pain gets worse over time and often comes with other symptoms.
Remedies And Treatments For Upset Stomach And Diarrhea
Upset Stomach Remedies
Most stomach ailments can be treated at home. As soon as you start feeling sick, begin limiting your diet to clear liquids in frequent, small amounts. Make sure to drink enough fluids to keep your urine clear or a pale yellow.
If youâre not able to keep liquids down and begin to vomit, start with sips of water or sucking on ice chips. Once you are able to keep that down, try other fluids like:
- Clear soup broth or bouillon
- Clear soft-drinks like 7-Up, Sprite, or Ginger Ale
- Juices like apple, grape, cherry, or cranberry
- Popsicles
Once you are able to keep all liquids down, try some solid foods along with the liquids. Good foods to try are:
- Applesauce
- White rice
- White toast
It may take several days to one week to regain your appetite, energy level, and for your bowels to regain normalcy.
Diarrhea TreatmentsMost cases of diarrhea clear on their own within a couple of days without treatment. If you’ve tried lifestyle changes and home remedies for an upset stomach and diarrhea without success, your doctor might recommend the following:
Antibiotics might help treat diarrhea caused by bacteria or parasites. If a virus is causing your diarrhea, antibiotics won’t help. Alternatively, if your doctor determines that antibiotics are whatâs causing your diarrhea, they will likely lower the dose or switch to another medication.
Treatment to Replace Fluids
Treating underlying conditions
Upset Stomach and Diarrhea Prevention
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What Is Stomach Pain
The stomach is the organ responsible for most of your foods digestion. Breaking down food swallowed through your esophagus and sending the resulting mixture onto the small intestine is the stomachs primary function.
Most everyone has had a stomach ache after eating at some time or another. The causes are usually quite benign, ranging from overindulging to simply eating something that didnt agree with you. However, frequent stomach pain after eating is a sign of a deeper problem and shouldnt be ignored.
Stomach aches and pains can happen at almost any point during this process. While some of this is usually normal, see a doctor right away if youre experiencing:
- Unintentional weight loss
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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When To Talk To Your Doctor About An Upset Stomach
An upset stomach typically goes away on its own within 48 hours. Sometimes stomach pain indicates a more serious health problem, however. Know when to speak to a healthcare professional for stomach pain.
- Speak to a medical professional if your symptoms do not go away after a day or two.
- If you have other symptoms such as fever, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or blood in vomit or stool, make an appointment with your doctor.
- Talk to your doctor if you cant keep liquids or foods down, and you notice signs of dehydration.
- Pay attention if you notice a pattern, or you have recurring stomach pain. Maybe you have stomach pain after you eat dairy, or you get an upset stomach after eating pasta with red sauce. Maybe you regularly have an upset stomach but havent noticed a pattern. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor.
Theres no threshold for contacting your primary care provider. If you are worried or uncertain about your symptoms, call your doctors office.
Why Does My Stomach Get Upset Everytime I Eat
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Lower Your Caffeine Intake
Caffeine can be a stomach irritant. If you consume high amounts every day, lowering your caffeine intake could soothe your stomach.
You might also consider changing the time of day when you drink caffeine to see if that helps. If caffeine is the main culprit, you may want to gradually eliminate it from your diet.
Causes Of Stomach Pain After Eating
There are many conditions that can cause stomach or abdominal pain after eating. Some causes are routine, some are serious, and some are medical emergencies.
Causes of stomach pain include:
Irritable bowel syndrome
As many as 20% of Americans live with some form of IBS. The condition often causes lower stomach pain, especially but not always after a meal. Doctors diagnose IBS based on the reported symptoms and will work with you to find an appropriate diet and treatment regimen for it.
Functional dyspepsia
Also called a nervous stomach, functional dyspepsia causes excess pain, discomfort, and feelings of fullness in people who have only eaten a modest-sized meal. Symptoms can last many hours after eating and are not relieved by using the bathroom, unlike IBS.
Acute pancreatitis
Pain following a meal is one of the primary symptoms of acute pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. Your pancreas produces enzymes needed for digestion. Pancreatitis is a medical emergency, so you should see a doctor to rule out pancreatitis as a cause for your stomach pain.
Other possible causes of stomach pain after eating include:
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How Can I Prevent Stomach Bloating
If your stomach bloating is caused by diet or alcohol, you can help prevent it by making some lifestyle changes. Some good general guidelines include:
If the cause of your bloated stomach is something more specific, such as specific food intolerance, perimenopause or a medical condition, you might need a little help with diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Some options include:
How Long Will Indigestion Last
Indigestion might go way as soon as you change your diet and habits. If you do take medication for your upset stomach, only do so with your healthcare providers approval. Some medications, especially acid reducers, can have long-term side effects. These may include an increased risk of infections or low levels of important nutrients.
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Make Water Your Number One Drink
Flush toxins, decrease your histamine response, and prevent bloating by drinking lots of water. Sure, green tea is good for you and coffee has benefits, too, but to reduce bloating fast, stick to water for the day. If you are really craving tea, make ginger tea.
*Ginger is good for your digestion and is an anti-inflammatory food.
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What Causes Wind Gas And Bloating
Everybody has gas-related symptoms from time to time. In most cases, this is part of the natural working of the body and the symptoms soon pass. Some people complain they are feeling bloated all the time. As mentioned above, people are occasionally sensitive to normal amounts of gas in the tummy. The reasons for this are not entirely clear.
There are some conditions associated with larger than normal amounts of gas in the tummy:
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You Feel A Really Sharp Pain In Your Ribs
Hiatal herniasa condition where your stomach bulges into your esophaguscan cause recurrent burping, says Kavanagh. On its own, a hiatal hernia isnt an emergency, but it can be very uncomfortable.
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Theres also risk the hernia will become strangulatedwhen the hernia cuts off blood supply to the rest of the abdomen, according to Harvard Health Publishing. A strangulated hiatal hernia requires emergency surgery, and can be fatal if left untreated.
Reflexology And Meridian Centers
Another great tool for bile flow testing is reflexology and your Meridian centers. Chinese medicine has your body mapped out into a specific zone called Meridians to help healing through reflexology, acupressure, and acupuncture. Pain in any Meridian or trigger point may mean that the energy is stuck and not flowing due to a health issue.
Your gallbladder points include the web between your right thumb and forefinger, between your shoulder blades, across your Iliotibial band running from your buttocks to your foot into your 4th toe. If you are experiencing pain or cramping in these areas, especially between 11 pm and 1 am when your gallbladder is the most active or between 1 am and 3 am when your liver is the most active, may mean that your have poor bile flow or poor gallbladder and/or liver function.
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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:
Keep Stress From Causing An Upset Stomach
Stress can cause stomachaches, diarrhea, and other digestive problems, but stress management can keep them under control.
If you get butterflies in your stomach when you have to give a speech, drive through white-knuckle traffic, or argue with your spouse, youre not alone: Stress can exact a very real physical toll on your digestive system. Your gut is extremely sensitive to stress and your overall emotions. And conversely, the right stress management techniques can help soothe an upset stomach.
The Link Between Your Gut and Your Emotions
The physical reason why emotions and stress can lead to stomachaches and other digestive problems is because the gut is highly sensitive and full of nerves, just like the brain.
“There is definitely a connection between the brain and the gut,” says Francisco J. Marrero, MD, a gastroenterologist with the Digestive Disease Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. “The gut is called the little brain it’s the largest area of nerves outside the brain.”
Upset Stomach: Even Little Stresses Affect the Little Brain
Stress and nerves often have very noticeable physical symptoms that focus around the digestive tract.
“Any time you’re in a stressful situation, a lot of people will get butterflies in their stomach or may get diarrhea,” says Dr. Marrero. “It gets better when they get out of that stressful situation.”
Upset Stomach: Getting a Handle on Stress
To reduce stress and manage digestive problems on your own, try these stress management tips:
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Possible Causes Of Upset Stomach Every Morning
1. Morning Sickness
For women in the early stages of pregnancy, upset stomachs can strike any time during the day, but the stomach issues usually occur first thing in the morning. The morning sickness typically doesn’t pose any risk to the pregnancy, and although the nausea is annoying and uncomfortable, the most common symptom is vomiting. The good news is that after the first trimester, the symptoms usually pass. Discuss with your health care provider the severity and frequency of the symptoms to make sure you do not develop other complications or become anemic.
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS is a chronic disorder that causes food to move too quickly through the digestive track. Normally, IBS doesn’t create any lasting damage in your colon however, it can cause early morning stomach issues and diarrhea. Any change in routines or added stress can cause IBS symptoms to appear more frequently. Restless sleep has also been known to aggravate IBS symptoms first thing in the morning. Other symptoms may include abdominal cramps, gas, bloating, and watery diarrhea. Thankfully, a high fiber diet and a relaxing period before bedtime can help prevent these issues.
3. Gastritis
4. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
5. Pancreatitis
6. Cholecystitis
7. Peptic Ulcers
8. Dehydration
Urgent Advice: Speak To Your Gp As Soon As Possible If:
- you have severe abdominal pain, especially if it’s concentrated in one area
- the pain starts suddenly or unexpectedly
If your GP is closed, phone 111.
Serious causes of sudden severe abdominal pain include:
- appendicitis the swelling of the appendix means your appendix will need to be removed
- a bleeding or perforated stomach ulcer
- acute cholecystitis inflammation of the gallbladder, which may need to be removed
- kidney stones small stones may be passed out in your urine, but larger stones may block the kidney tubes, and you’ll need to go to hospital to have them broken up
- diverticulitis inflammation of the small pouches in the bowel that sometimes requires treatment with antibiotics in hospital
If your GP suspects you have one of these conditions, they may refer you to hospital immediately.
Sudden and severe pain in your abdomen can also sometimes be caused by an infection of the stomach and bowel . It may also be caused by a pulled muscle in your abdomen or by an injury.
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Warning Signs And Symptoms
Weight loss is one of the main warning signs for serious bloating. If you find yourself losing more than a few pounds without changing your diet or starting a new exercise regimen, that should be cause for concern, especially if its 10 percent or more of your body weight. Weight loss can be caused by tumors that press on the intestines, making you feel full after just a small amount of food, or from substances secreted by tumors that suppress your appetite.
Ascites is an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen or pelvis. It can cause bloating, weight gain, and a rapidly expanding waistline. Ascites is usually caused by liver disease, but cancer is the culprit about 10 percent of the time. A large amount of fluid can make you look and feel like youre several months pregnant. The combination of bloating and jaundice, which turns the eyes and skin yellow, can be a sign of cancer thats spread to the liver, although it can also occur with more benign forms of liver disease like hepatitis.
Blood in your stool, vaginal bleeding in between periods, or postmenopausal vaginal bleeding can all be associated with serious bloating. Fortunately, the most common causes of these symptoms arent the most serious, but bleeding should always be evaluated because it can be a sign of cancer, particularly colon or uterine cancer.
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