Causes Of Excessive Gas By Foods
When it comes to food, what causes excessive gas? Food and drink are the most common reasons for causes of excessive gas formation in the stomach. Below are some foods that can cause stomach trouble.
- An inability to break down certain sugar compounds in the digestive tract can lead to those sugars sitting in the intestines, which then begin fermenting and causing gas. If gas is an issue, cut back on consuming products with added sugar, such as chocolate bars, cookies, cakes, sodas, and hard candies. Indulge cravings with natural sugars such as honey or maple syrup.
- Imbalances in gut flora can cause flatulence. Our stomachs have both good and bad bacteria that enter through food and water. If theyre not kept in check, the bad bacteria can multiply and grow, causing imbalance issues in the gut. This imbalance leads to bloating, cramps, and bad gas. Eating foods that encourage the growth of good bacteria is essential to preventing this from happening. Traditional fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, and miso are excellent choices.
- Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are some of the worst offenders, but only if your body isnt accustomed to eating them. While they do produce more gas in the stomach, if theyre eaten regularly enough, the body will adapt to that level of gas production.
- Other foods that cause gas are prunes, Brussels sprouts, onions, lentils and raisins.
What Are The Symptoms Of Appendicitis
The classic symptoms of appendicitis include:
- Pain in your lower right belly or pain near your navel that moves lower. This is usually the first sign.
- Loss of appetite
- Constipation or diarrhea with gas
If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor right away. Timely diagnosis and treatment are important. Donât eat, drink, or use any pain remedies, antacids, laxatives, or heating pads.
Diverticulitis Or Diverticular Inflection:
Diverticula are small pockets that can form in the inside lining of the intestines. Theyre common in middle-aged and older people, but typically arent symptomatic unless they become inflamed or infected .
Mild cases can cause cramping in the lower stomach, often occurring on the left side of the abdomen. More advanced cases can cause severe pain, fever, tenderness, nausea/vomiting and changes in bowel movements.
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Diagnosis Of Abdominal Pain In Adults
If examinations and tests are needed, these may include:
- a rectal exam to check for hidden blood or other problems
- if you are a man, the doctor may check your penis and scrotum
- if you are a woman, the doctor may do a pelvic exam to check for problems in your womb , fallopian tubes and ovaries, and do a pregnancy test
- a blood test to look for infection or bleeding
- other blood tests may look at enzymes in the liver, pancreas and heart to sort out which organ may be involved
- a urine test to look for a urine infection or blood
- an ECG to rule out a heart attack
- other tests, including x-ray, ultrasound or CT scan
- sometimes you may be referred to another doctor to help find the cause of the problem.
- endoscopy is an examination where a flexible tube with a light and video camera at the tip is used to examine some internal organs without the need for surgery. Different names are used depending on which organ is being looked at.
If you do have tests, the doctor will explain the results to you. Some results may take a number of days to come back and these will be sent to your local doctor.
When To See A Doctor About Abdominal Pain
Go straight to your doctor or the emergency department of the nearest hospital if you have any of:
- severe pain
- pain lasting for several hours
- pain and/or vaginal bleeding if you are pregnant
- pain in your scrotum if you are a male
- pain and vomiting or shortness of breath
- pain and vomiting blood
- blood in your bowel motions or urine
- pain that spreads to your chest, neck or shoulder
- fever and sweats
- unable to move your bowels or pass gas
- any other concerns.
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Ways To Relieve And Cure The Pain
After a night of binge drinking, stomach pain and other hangover symptoms can be disturbing. Although these may sometimes resolve on their own, there are ways to reduce the pain and feel better. These include:
1. Enjoy a Toast for Breakfast
Stomach pain is usually the result of increased levels of stomach acid in your stomach. That is why eating something as dry as a toast may help soak up that acid. You can also enjoy salty crackers to get the same result. This will help relieve stomach pain and make the heartburn less severe.
2. Have Some Yogurt
A cup of yogurt is also good for your digestive system mainly because it is a good source of lactic acid bacteria. Combine yogurt with a toast to get better results. You may find it easier to deal with your stomach pain after drinking if you opt for some probiotic yogurt.
3. Drink Some Mint Tea
Mint tea is an old yet an effective way to treat your upset stomach. All you have to do is prepare a cup of warm mint tea and enjoy it slowly to treat your hangover stomachache. If you do not want to drink mint tea, simply chewing on fresh mint leaves may still help.
4. Have a Cup of Ginger Tea
5. Enjoy Chicken Soup
Chicken soup will always work great to relieve stomach pain after drinking because it provides you with important nutrients and even helps reduce dehydration. It works by restoring the electrolyte balance in your body, which is the reason why you feel better soon after having a small bowl of chicken soup.
6. Eat Some Bananas
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 .
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What Are The Causes Of Severe Abdominal Pain
- Appendicitis the swelling of the appendix , which causes unbearable pain in the lower right-hand side of your abdomen, and removal of the appendix is needed.
- Acute cholecystitis Gallstones causes inflammation of the gallbladder which results in removing of a gallbladder.
- Kidney stones small stones may come out in your urine, but larger stones may block the kidney tubes, and that needs to be broken down.
- Diverticulitis small pouches in the bowel leads to inflammation that sometimes requires treatment with antibiotics in a hospital.
Full Body Discomfort Or Malaise With Diarrhea Or Constipation
Possible explanation: lactose intolerance
What is it: Lactose is a component of milk-based products that requires an enzyme called lactase in order to be digested. In many people, this enzyme stops being produced in sufficient quantities and the lactose gets passed to the large intestine. Once there, it promotes the growth and activity of some gut bacteria that in turn cause a variety of unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
Treatment: There is no cure for the gradual lessening of lactase production, but the condition can be mitigated by avoiding milk-based products or by taking lactase supplements that aid in the digestion of lactose.
Gastroenterologist AppointmentSome reasons for your stomach pain are no big deal at all, and theyll usually resolve on their own. But some can indicate a deeper or potentially more dangerous problem. If you have been having stomach pain that lingers, it may be time to talk with a gastroenterologist. Contact Carolina Digestive today to make an appointment and find some much-needed relief.
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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.
Eating For A Healthy Gut
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How Is Abdominal Pain Treated
Treating abdominal pain depends on its cause. Options include:
- Medications for inflammation, gastroesophageal reflux disease or ulcers.
- Antibiotics for infection.
- Changes in personal behavior for abdominal pain caused by certain foods or beverages.
- Local or spinal injections of numbing agents or corticosteroids by pain management physicians.
In more severe cases like appendicitis and hernia, surgery is necessary.
Crampy Pain With Diarrhea Or Constipation
Lower “crampy” abdominal pain accompanied by bloating and diarrhea or constipation can be signs of irritable bowel syndrome , says Singh. “It’s exceptionally common and affects 15% of the U.S. population, particularly younger women, although it can happen at any age.” Symptoms of IBS can usually be controlled by managing diet, lifestyle, and stress. Medication and counseling may be needed in some cases.
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Food Allergy Or Intolerance
Some people may be allergic to certain foods. These can irritate the stomach and may cause pain after eating.
An intolerance is a milder form of an allergy. Both allergies and intolerances can be caused by many different foods.
Common intolerances include gluten, wheat, and lactose.
People can keep a food diary if they think they might have an allergy.
A food diary is a written record of what they have consumed at each meal, including drinks and snacks. They should also include a note of when their stomach hurts.
Keeping a diary can help determine the foods causing an issue. People can then cut this food out of their diet.
What Are Symptoms Of Stomach Pain
Stomach pain, or abdominal pain, can range from bloating and indigestion to severe and sharp, stabbing pain.
Symptoms of stomach pain depend on the cause.Pain may be dull or sharp, intermittent or constant, mild or severe. Pain may occur in any part of the abdomen, and may also radiate to other areas such as the back, flank, or shoulder.
Symptoms that may accompany stomach pain may include:
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What Helps Upper Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy
Treatment and home remedies
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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When To Go To The Doctor
A casual bellyache is not a major problem, but in certain conditions it is essential to see a doctor, for example:
- When the stomach pain occurs frequently and accompanied by symptoms such as acidity, reflux, nausea, among others.
- If you also have other symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting.
- When there is high fever that does not lower.
- In cases where the pain is very intense and with difficult to perform daily activities.
- When there are no bowel movements for some days.
- When other than stomach pain there is discomfort when urinating or bloody stools.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Why Does my Stomach Hurt so Bad, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.
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.
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How Common Are Stomachaches
Just about everybody will experience abdominal pain at one point or another. Most causes of abdominal pain are not serious and resolve spontaneously. A healthcare provider can usually readily diagnose and treat these conditions. However, abdominal pain can also be a sign of a serious illness, or even an emergency. Abdominal pain is responsible for some 5% of emergency room visits.
Tests For Growling Stomach
Once you contact your physician with other symptoms accompanying growling stomach, he or she may be required to perform several tests to help diagnose the underlying cause. To begin with, the doctor may review your medical history, ask a few questions related to the symptoms and listen to any abnormal bowel sounds using a stethoscope.
The doctor may also perform other tests that include:
- Auscultation
- A CT scan of the abdominal area
- Endescopy-a test that captures pictures inside the abdomen
- Blood tests- blood tests are done to rule out infections.
Once the doctor has completed the tests, you will be given prescriptions for the diagnosed conditions. The medications should help ease your symptoms and also reduce stomach growling.
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Causes Of Stomach Gurgling
Hunger: Sometimes, stomach gurgles are your bodys way of telling you its time to eat. These stomach gurgles can be louder if you dont consume food but fill yourself with coffee or alcohol. When your stomach speaks, its important that you listen.
Intestinal disorders: Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome could cause stomach gurgling. You may also experience accompanying symptoms like abdominal pain.
Lack of sleep: When you dont sleep, your body becomes stressed, which can trigger overeating and an increase in stomach gurgling.
Nervousness: When were anxious or nervous, we experience what is known as butterflies in the stomach. Well, those butterflies can also cause your stomach to get noisier, contributing to gurgling.
Food intolerance: When a person is intolerant to a certain food for example, dairy your stomach becomes more distressed, which triggers gurgling. You may also notice the accompanying gas or pain when you consume a food that your body cant process.
Sedentary lifestyle: Regular exercise and activity boosts digestion, and lack of exercise can cause a sluggish digestion and slower intestinal motility, which can result in constipation.
Carbonated drinks and fast food: Carbonated beverages and fast food combined can increase stomach distress along with gas and acid production. The high-fat food coupled with carbonated beverages leads to indigestion, heartburn, and stomach gurgling after eating.
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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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