Stomach pain is one of the most common health problems for which many people complain about. At times, this pain occurs suddenly and goes away after a few hours. However, sometimes this pain stays for a week or more and requires proper treatment. Knowing the underlying causes of sudden or chronic abdominal pain can help you understand the cause of the problem and seek the help of the right specialist.
Why Does The Stomach Hurt?
This is a question that doctors hear very often in their office, and it is sometimes very difficult to answer it right away. This happens because people sometimes use the term “stomach” to refer to various problems in the digestive tract. And the digestive system itself includes many organs, ranging from the oropharynx and esophagus to the rectum.
The difficulty arises in part because the feeling of pain in the abdomen, especially in the upper part of it, can be caused by a completely different organ, not related to digestion. The pain in the heart, the lower part of the lungs, pancreas, gallbladder, kidneys, ovaries, uterus, and even back muscles can also feel like abdominal pain. Therefore, the doctor often needs to conduct a literal detective investigation to determine the true causes of pain.
Causes Of Sudden Abdominal Pain
Some abdominal pains occur suddenly. The pain may be temporary and go away on its own, or it may be more severe and require medical attention. Five common causes of sudden abdominal pain are:
1. Binge Eating
If you eat too much, you may suffer from bloating. The walls of the intestine get stretched, pain receptors are irritated, painful spasms, and a feeling of discomfort occurs. You should avoid eating foods that trigger gas production, such as beans, apricots, whole grains. These types of carbohydrates are difficult for the intestines to digest and cause gas to build up, leading to bloating and stretching of the intestinal wall.
2. Drinking Alcohol
Many people complain about having bad stomach pain after drinking alcohol. However, they are not aware that drinking alcohol even in small quantities can lead to gastritis as it causes your stomach to produce more acid. As a result, a person feels pain in the stomach and diarrhea may also occur.
Stomach pain due to excessive consumption of alcohol is common in the United States, especially in New Jersey, which according to some, is the hub of addiction. Thus, the government is providing an addiction treatment guide to facilitate addicts in New Jersey to combat the substance abuse problem. By choosing any suitable addiction treatment, a person can get rid of several health problems, including stomach pain.
3. Stomach Flu
Stomach flu (also known as viral gastroenteritis) symptoms appear suddenly. Viral gastroenteritis can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Most often, it gets provoked by norovirus or rotavirus, but others are possible, including coronavirus infection.
4. Perforated Ulcer
A wound on the gastric mucosa that does not get healed in time (in case of a peptic ulcer) can be complicated. In the wall of the stomach, acid literally burns a hole through which the contents flow into the abdominal cavity.
You may have mild ulcer symptoms, and then suddenly, excruciating pain develops, and you feel terrible. The most dangerous is peritonitis, caused by irritation and inflammation of the tissues of the abdominal cavity due to ingestion of stomach contents.
5. Inflammation Of One Part Of The Digestive Tract
Every time a part of the intestine, gallbladder, or pancreas becomes inflamed, it can hurt, and sometimes the stomach feels it first. For example, inflammation of the pancreas, which is located behind the stomach, can be mistaken for abdominal pain.
Inflammation of the appendix (appendicitis) can also be interpreted as abdominal pain. In the early stages, a person feels pain in the center of the abdomen, rather than in the lower right part of it, where the appendix is.
Chronic Abdominal Pain
Some abdominal pains can last for months or years. They come and go, exacerbate and fade, and therefore require a visit to the doctor. The five causes of chronic abdominal pain are:
6. Peptic Ulcer
A sore on the stomach lining is called a peptic ulcer. Defects in the lining of the stomach cause burning or gnawing pain, especially when you are not eating (stomach acid can irritate an empty stomach). Such a problem causes a chronic abdominal pain.
7. Heartburn
The fiery feeling that occurs due to acid reflux, i.e., the throwing of stomach contents into the esophagus – can sometimes feel like stomach pain. It can always appear after a meal or every time you wake up. Usually, reflux patients who are unaware of it complain of a burning sensation when they wake up in the morning.
This is due to the fact that they lye horizontally, and the acid from the stomach flowed into the esophagus and got collected there. The acid can irritate the esophagus and cause abdominal pain.
8. Gallstones
Small stones or clumps of hardened materials that form in the gallbladder can cause stomach pain if they obstruct the flow of bile from the gallbladder or block the duct that leads out of the pancreas.
9. Poor Bowel Circulation
When you eat, you need more blood in your intestines. Thus, if you have narrowed arteries in your gastrointestinal tract, you will have stomach pain. Consult your doctor to verify the actual cause of the problem.
10. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Just because you feel pain in the upper abdomen does not mean that it is not associated with the colon. This may be due to irritable bowel syndrome, which is an intestinal disorder. A person suffering from such a problem may have recurring stomach pain, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea.
Take Away
Monitor your symptoms closely and give your body a few days to deal with the problem. And if you have a clear idea of the type of pain you are experiencing, an over-the-counter medication like famotidine for heartburn can help. But stay away from certain medications that can cause problems with abdominal pain.
