Abdominal pain from stress
introduction
In many situations a certain level is at work stress real miracles: concentration increases, tiredness evaporates and unpleasant tasks sometimes take care of themselves. In many cases, however, it is unfortunately not just a little stress. Exams, work pressure, lack of sleep and interpersonal conflicts can, when they pile up, really hit the stomach - and not just in a figurative sense.
Many people have experienced that in their lives mental stress physical Symptoms can cause, be it Cardiac arrhythmias or dizziness by stress be triggered, headache or even stress-related abdominal pain. These complaints are referred to in technical jargon as "psychosomatic“, Derived from the ancient Greek psyché (soul) and soma (body).
Especially the Digestive organs so stomach and Intestines are particularly sensitive to stressso complaints like Loss of appetite, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea or Constipation can be the result.
What helps with stress-related abdominal pain?
But what can be done about stress-related abdominal pain? Ideally, therapy starts directly at the trigger. In this case, a change in the stress-inducing lifestyle should be the focus.
Many of those affected may notice that the abdominal pain occurs mainly in episodes with particularly strong psychological stress or that the pain is additionally increased by stress. It is therefore primarily important to reduce stress. How exactly this can happen depends heavily on the individual and the factors causing stress. The pain-causing stressors should by no means be ignored, but rather serve as an occasion to consider how they can be eliminated or at least mitigated.
Also read our topic: How can you reduce stress?
Time pressure and learning stress can be reduced through effective time management. The repressing of upcoming appointments and postponing unavoidable tasks ultimately increases the stress level enormously and should be avoided. Creating and following a task or learning plan brings structure and order to the often chaotic everyday life and can thus help reduce stress. It can also be helpful to prepare for stressful situations in order to achieve a habituation effect. Good preparation for exam situations is, for example, to simulate them so that the stress level during the actual exam is no longer that high.
In the case of personal conflicts that are responsible for the abdominal pain, the solution is sometimes a little more complex. In any case, it is advisable to talk about personal problems, be it with your partner, friends or family members.
In any case, one should not deal with one's complaints lightly, because in the worst case these could lead to a chronicity of the symptoms or to acute illnesses such as a stomach ulcer. This has to be prevented so that one is ultimately not caught in a spiral of stress and pain.
If you cannot find solutions to reduce stress yourself, personal problems in particular are often difficult to cope with, you should not be afraid to seek professional help in the form of a psychotherapeutic conversation. General practitioners can also help here.
Read more on the topic:
- Abdominal pain from psyche
- Abdominal pain - what to do
However, small Behavior change positive for psychosomatic complaints such as abdominal and Stomach pain due to stress impact. Take your time to Quiet Before leaving the house, be sure to go to the bathroom and try yours Eating habits adapt. Not only for the digestive tract but also for general well-being is a balanced, healthy and high fiber diet as well as sphysical activity advantageous.
Nonetheless, these measures are not always enough. With especially strong or regular Gastrointestinal discomfort should be one medical evaluation respectively. If necessary, an examination of the stomach and / or intestines is then carried out in order to ensure that the permanent abdominal pain is not a chronic disease.
Can be used for stomach problems Medication like the so-called Antacids Provide short-term remedies that neutralize the stomach acid and thus protect the gastric mucosa. Also means like Buscopan with the active ingredient butylscopolamine bromide, which has an antispasmodic effect on the gastrointestinal tract, can be helpful. However, antacids or buscopan are not intended for the permanent treatment of stress-related abdominal pain and should therefore not be taken beyond the period prescribed by the doctor or recommended on the package insert.
Stress-related abdominal pain during pregnancy
Especially during the pregnancy should severe stresswhich can lead to physical discomfort at best avoidedas this can have a negative impact on pregnancy and the development of the unborn child.
With very high stress, the risk of premature labor and thus the risk of premature birth or miscarriage can ultimately also increase.
For the sake of the mother and child, it is important to reduce the stress level and the associated abdominal pain. Pregnancy in itself is an exciting time that can be associated with many fears and even stress.
Birth preparation courses give expectant mothers the opportunity to learn strategies for coping with stress and anxiety before the birth. Care by a midwife, who is of great help with her experience and knowledge about childbirth and the child, can also be used to cope with stress.
The Exchange with other expectant mothers or already "baby experienced" mothers contribute to the upcoming birth or similar. to look more relaxed.
Pregnant women who have it through severe mental stress If you experience stress-related abdominal pain, you should definitely Seek support. This can be the partner, family or friends. If the worries, fears or interpersonal conflicts cannot be resolved, it is advisable to seek the help of a therapist.
Here pregnant women can e.g. address their feelings of helplessness and overburdened by partnership conflicts, money worries or other problems and solutions can be worked out together.
Generally are Exercise in the fresh air, one balanced nutrition and "pregnancy-friendly" physical activity sensible measures to increase well-being and to promote stress reduction.
Taking medication to treat abdominal pain during pregnancy should only be done in consultation with a doctor. Lots Medication are during pregnancy not permitted and medical knowledge is required to prescribe a suitable agent.
Abdominal pain from fear
The digestive organs are sometimes very sensitive to stress and, above all, fear - the exact extent to which this depends very much on the person affected. Genetic backgrounds play a role as well as experiences and habits accumulated in the course of life. In short, you initially have little control over how sensitive the digestive tract reacts to psychological stress. But why do stress and fear lead to abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or the like at all?
In the original sense, stress is a useful reaction of the body to dangerous situations. Stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released, primarily to increase blood flow to the muscles so that threats can be responded to more quickly. At the same time, however, the blood flow to organs that are initially not required, such as the intestine, also decreases. This reduced blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract can lead to physical complaints such as abdominal pain.
Also read: Vomiting from stress
Stress-related abdominal pain in children
Stress and anxiety can at Children to a large number of partly very unspecific Symptoms (stress symptoms) so that it is often not immediately apparent that these are possibly caused by psychological stress. A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that roughly every fifth student in Germany under psychosomatic complaints suffers. Depending on the age, these include sleep disorders, loss of appetite, diarrhea and especially often stomach pain. The causes can be, for example, fear of classmates, fear of failure at school and in general, as well as fear of separation.
If a child suffers from abdominal pain for which there is initially no explanation, it is important to keep the possibility of stress-related physical complaints in mind. Abdominal pain can be a major burden for both the child and the parents. Treatment of pain in children should be symptomatic as well as causal. If in doubt or at a loss, you should parents don't be afraid medical or psychological help to claim something. If the abdominal pain persists despite various support measures by the parents, it can also be direct therapeutic help for the child to be useful.
