Food Allergies May Be A Cause Of Pain After A Meal
It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of us have food sensitivities. Food sensitivity reactions, also called delayed hypersensitivity reactions and in the past called serum sickness, occur when IgA, IgG and IgM antibodies are triggered in response to foods, chemicals, and bacterial toxins. The most common antibody reactions are IgG to mold and foods exposure to molds and foods is quite high compared to pollens. These IgA, IgM and IgG responses are called delayed sensitivity reactions because the symptoms they cause can take from several hours to several days to appear, which makes it very difficult to track down the offending food or substance.
Allergies and intolerances are directly associated with the health of the small intestine. Most everyone alive today has several food sensitivities they are not aware of that could be hampering their health. Mineral imbalances and high heavy metal levels could be the cause of your food sensitivities. Correcting the imbalances through diet and supplements will improve your tolerance to foods.
You may also need to try a very specific diet, like a low FODMAP diet . If you want a systematic approach to gut healing you can try the Gut Thrive in Five protocol.
You Might Have A Food Allergy
A food allergy is a step up in severity from a food intolerance. If you have an allergic reaction to a food, it means your immune system has mistakenly identified that food as a potentially harmful invader and mounted a defense against it, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology explains. That immune system defense is what leads to symptoms like abdominal cramping, a tingly or itchy mouth, hives and overall bodily itching, facial swelling, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and even potentially life-threatening trouble breathing.
According to the AAAAI, the most common food allergens are proteins in cows milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts. If you notice youre constantly dealing with pretty intense symptom flare-ups after eating these foods, an allergy could be to blame.
Vague Upper Abdominal Pain Associated With Nausea And Belching
Sometimes stomach pain is hard to identify or comes with multiple symptoms. Vague pain in the upper and mid-abdominal area that is linked to nausea, burping, or belching could be signs of a heart attack, particularly in older patients. Physicians say tests like an ECG or cardiac markers can be lifesaving. They also warn that vomiting with back or jaw pain and shortness of breath can also be a sign of a life-threatening emergency.
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When In Doubt About Your Abdominal Symptoms Physicians Say Its Best To Call Your Doctor Or Head To The Er
The egg salad didn’t taste quite right, but you were hungry. Or maybe your craving for cheesecake overrode the punishment you knew your lactose intolerance would inflict. You expect stomach distress in situations like these, but other times, abdominal pain can come out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s severe enough or lasts for so long that you know it’s not simply a matter of eating something that didn’t agree with you.
Digestive system issues account for 51 million visits to doctors’ offices and emergency departments yearly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The severity of the pain, its location within your abdominal area, and accompanying symptoms may provide clues to the origin of the pain and whether or not you should seek help immediately. Here are some of the most common signs your tummy troubles need more than an over-the-counter remedy.
Systemic Candida Can Cause Abdominal Pain Too
Did you know that 1/3 of the worlds population is affected by candidiasis?
Candida is a fungal infection and is a type of fungi in the yeast family which is why it is commonly called a yeast infection. Candida is found in most everyone and in small amounts should still allow a person to be in good health. It is a yeast found in our guts and in the vagina as well. Normally, it is controlled by good microbes and causes no complications.
However, candida can grow and get out of hand if one creates the right environment, like after a round of antibiotics or while on the birth control pill. Yeast and fungus slow down a persons oxidation rate or metabolic rate. Candida thrives in an alkaline medium. Slow oxidizers run alkaline and are more susceptible to candida. In order to resolve candida, you must correct the biochemistry.
A key underlying cause of candida is a copper imbalance. Copper is one of the bodys main ways to kill yeast. When copper is unavailable to the body for use, the body cant get rid of the yeasts properly.
If someone has low zinc or a copper imbalance they can do all the candida diets or cleanses under the sun, but never truly correct the core underlying imbalance with candida in their body. Balancing the bodys biochemistry can correct chronic issues with candida without the need for a specific anti-candida remedy or cleanse. This is a much gentler approach and a better long-term solution.
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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 .
Diagnosis Of Stomach Pain After Meals
Your doctor will ask you a number of questions about your diet, lifestyle, and medical history. All of these can significantly affect the digestive system.
Doctors can use computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans to diagnose gastrointestinal pain, but it is not always easy to generate accurate images of the digestive system using these methods.
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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.
Causes Of Serious Bloating You Need To Know About And What To Do About Them
1. Ovarian cancer isnt the most likely, but it is one of the most lethal. Although ovarian cancer is only the fifth most common cancer in women, it causes more deaths than any other reproductive cancer mostly in women over 50. Risk factors include never having children or having them late in life, obesity, a family history of ovarian cancer, certain genetic abnormalities, and long-term treatment with hormone replacement therapy. Persistent bloating, feeling full faster, and pelvic pain are typical symptoms.
What to do if youre concerned about ovarian cancer:
A thorough pelvic exam or transvaginal ultrasound is the best way to diagnose ovarian cancer. The blood test CA-125 isnt a reliable screening test, but it can be helpful for following the course of treatment after diagnosis.
2. Uterine cancer. In addition to bloating, uterine cancer can cause abnormal vaginal bleeding, a watery or blood-tinged vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, or pain with intercourse or urination. But its important to know that sometimes bloating or a change in bowel habits may be the only initial signs of uterine cancer. Important risk factors include taking tamoxifen taking estrogen supplements that dont also contain progesterone radiation therapy a family history of uterine cancer or a family history of a form of inherited colon cancer called Lynch syndrome.
What to do if youre concerned about uterine cancer:
What to do if youre concerned about colon cancer:
See More
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Acute Diarrhea After Meals
Acute diarrhea is a sudden onset of diarrhea episodes. Diarrhea due to any cause may occur after eating, as the simple act of eating stimulates muscle movement within your large intestine to empty your bowels. When you have an underlying cause such as an infection, food poisoning, or IBS, these contractions may be stronger and more painful than usual and come with a sense of urgency.
If Your Stomach Hurts Suddenly
Acute stomach pain comes on quickly and lasts for a limited amount of time, typically a few hours to a few days. It’s usually caused by external factors, like a particular food or contaminant that didn’t agree with your stomach. Even people with completely healthy digestive tracts will experience occasional stomach pain.
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When Should I Call The Doctor
Sometimes, what seems like one problem food poisoning, for example can turn out to be something more serious, like appendicitis.
- the pain is very strong
- you’re vomiting a lot
- you already have another health condition
- the pain gets worse over time, doesn’t go away, or wakes you up from sleep
Also let the doctor know if you:
- have a fever
- have pain when you pee
- have trouble pooping or peeing
- have blood in your poop or pee
- think the belly pain is from an injury
- might be pregnant
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Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten that can impact sufferers in different ways. One is stomach pain after you eat gluten, Bedford says. BTW: Your stomach can also hurt if you have a mild gluten intolerance , but this is different from Celiac disease. With Celiac, a person’s small intestine becomes damaged when they eat gluten with a gluten intolerance, someone may simply have a physical reaction like diarrhea or gas after eating gluten. Your doctor can help you determine what might be at the root of the problem.
If youre struggling with chronic pain after you eat and are also dealing with weight loss, anemia, vomiting, trouble swallowing, or blood in your poop, it could be a sign of an ulcer, Gabbard says. Ulcers, which are sores that develop in the lining of your esophagus, stomach, or small intestine, are usually treated with acid-reducing medication and antibiotics in some cases, so you really need to see a doctor about this.
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Treatment For Stomach Ulcers
If you think you have a stomach ulcer, you should see a doctor, as they may prescribe treatment.
If you take NSAIDs, they will review this, and may recommend an alternative painkiller but you shouldnt stop taking any prescribed medication without talking to your doctor first.
You should get medical help urgently if you:
- vomit blood
- feel a sharp pain in your tummy that gets worse
Learn What May Be Causing Your Stomach Pain And When You Should See A Doctor
Have you ever had stomach pains, but couldnt pinpoint the cause? Fortunately, stomach pain usually isnt cause for concern.
“An upset stomach is very common and can be related to a number of health issues,” explains Dr. Jessica McKee, gastroenterologist at Geisinger Medical Center. “Often, it goes away on its own. Still, it can sometimes be a symptom of something more serious.”
Here are some different causes for an upset stomach and when you may need to see a doctor.
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Colon Damage From Impaired Blood Flow
Acute intestinal ischemia means that the blood flow to the large and/or small intestines has been cut off. It is also called acute mesenteric ischemia, or AMI.
The ischemia is caused by blockage in one of the arteries leading into the abdomen, usually due to atherosclerosis or a blood clot.
Most susceptible are those with very high or low blood pressure heart disease or using illegal drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine.
Symptoms include sudden, severe pain in one area of the abdomen nausea and vomiting and repeated, urgent bowel movements, often with blood.
Acute intestinal ischemia is a life-threatening medical emergency. If it is suspected, take the patient to the emergency room or call 9-1-1.
Diagnosis is made through arteriogram, which involves injecting dye into the abdominal arteries under x-ray in order to find the exact location of the blockage.
Treatment involves “clot-busting” drugs to destroy a clot, or emergency surgery to remove whatever is causing the blockage and possibly some of the damaged intestine as well.
Rarity: Rare
Top Symptoms: abdominal pain , nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, being severely ill
Urgency: Hospital emergency room
What Is Stomach Churning
Stomach churning and gurgling can be an uncomfortable feeling in the abdomen. Although a queasy stomach is usually only temporary if you have an upset stomach for a week or longer it could be a sign of an underlying condition.
If you have ever experienced stomach growling, especially stomach gurgling after eating, then you may well know the other symptoms that run alongside it. Other symptoms of a sour stomach can include nausea and digestive issues.
Moreover, continue reading to find out what causes upset stomach and gas. We also explain when you should see a doctor, and further signs to look out for.
Stomach Noises such as stomach churning and gurgling and Pain: Causes and Symptoms for Those Belly Noises and Cramps
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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
Small Bowel Water Content
A group of researchers found that, compared to healthy control subjects, IBS-D patients have lower amounts of water in the small intestine and it passes through quicker to the large intestine, which may contribute to postprandial diarrhea.
This research dovetails with the FODMAPs theory for IBS as foods with high osmotic value are particularly troublesome for people with IBS. If true, the development of medications that would slow transit time and thus better regulate the flow of liquid into the large intestine may be of value.
Clearly, research into the factors behind postprandial diarrhea in IBS is quite limited, and therefore no definitive conclusions can be drawn. In addition, despite the variety of plausible theories explaining the problem, data regarding treatments for this condition don’t exist, so it’s unclear thus far which treatments will help patients, and which do not.
Hopefully, further research will shed more light on the subject and offer some effective treatment options. In the meantime, if you tend to experience urgent diarrhea episodes after eating, discuss the subject with your physician to see if any of the proposed interventions would be a safe option for you.
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What Causes Stomach Pain After Eating
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If your tummy hurts after eating, a simple bout of indigestion might be to blame. But there are also times when pain after eating can be a sign of something more serious.
Read on to learn about some of the common causes of stomach ache, abdominal pain or stomach cramps after eating, how to treat and manage the discomfort, and when to see a doctor.
Severe Stomach Pain After Eating A Fatty Meal
If you find yourself doubled over after eating a high-fat meal, you may be experiencing a gallbladder attack. “Women are especially prone to gallbladder disease,” says Hardeep Singh, MD, gastroenterologist from St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, CA. “Overweight women in their 40s are at highest risk.” The pain becomes worse after eating, lasts 30 to 60 minutes, and may come and go, becoming more constant and severe over time, says Singh.
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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 it’s 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 tummy’s 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.