Internal Medicine

Stomach pain with nausea

introduction

stomach pain (Gastralgia) often go along nausea hand in hand. There are various causes depending on age, gender and lifestyle. What to do at Abdominal pain and nausea? And how bad are the diseases really? The next page explains the various causes of stomach pain and nausea, what to do, and how to interpret the various symptoms.

causes

The causes for stomach pain associated with nausea are very different:

One did the day before eaten something bad, such as spoiled fish, this leads to stomach pain, which is paired with nausea and is common too Vomit to lead.
That too Withdrawal from medicationsuch as pain relievers or morphine can cause stomach pain, nausea, and hot flashes.

Other causes can be

a virus
a pregnancy
Read more about this at: Stomach pain in pregnancy
a Inflammation of the lining of the stomach (Gastritis)
a Gastric ulcer
Stomach cancer
heartburn (Reflux disease) or a intolerance (Lactose intolerance or Celiac disease)

be.

But also psychological causes, for example stress or fear, can manifest as stomach pain and nausea.

Especially in older women, one should also contact you if you have stomach pain with hot flashes and nausea Heart attack think that is often caused by pain in the epigastric region (i.e. on the left side of the abdomen).

Another cause that also mainly affects elderly patients is a Aortic aneurysm. This is a pathological expansion of the main artery, i.e. the aorta, mostly as a result of arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure (arterial hypertension) arises. Often there is stomach and back pain with nausea.

diagnosis

The diagnosis Stomach pain and nausea are quickly posed. Only the specific diagnosis, i.e. whether it is a Inflammation of the stomach (gastritis), a simple one virus or one intolerance is more difficult to judge by a layperson.

A doctor can initially go through the conversation, the anamnesetrying to make the correct diagnosis. For example, does the patient feel strongly black stool on (Tarry stool) this speaks for a gastritis.

The further helps Palpation, so that Palpation of the abdomen, often further to determine any tension.

In order to make an accurate diagnosis, the temperature be measured. At a greatly increased temperature, i.e. at fever, it is probably a virus. However, if it is a woman of childbearing age whose body temperature is only slightly increased (approx. 0.5-1 °), this often speaks for a pregnancy.

Also a Allergy test or one Gastroscopy can be helpful in making the correct diagnosis.

Frequency distribution

Stomach pain and nausea are very common. This is mainly our fault Food culture. A bread roll is quickly pushed in between two meetings, followed by the coffee. Heartburn, stomach pain and nausea are usually the result. Also one Inflammation of the stomach lining (Gastritis) or a Gastric ulcer (Ulcer) is quite common, especially in those with a high alcohol consumption, as this attacks the stomach lining.

Concomitant symptoms

In addition to stomach pain and nausea, others often occur Concomitant symptoms that can help classify the disease more precisely and tell the patient what to do.

Occur alongside the stomach pain and the nausea as well Abdominal pain on, this can be a Signs of pregnancy be.
It is also typical that the Body temperature slightly increased is.
Often comes Cravings as well as the feeling more on the toilet to have to go. That remains period in addition, pregnancy is quite safe.

Stomach pain and nausea should be within the first during pregnancy four months disappear, but can also last longer.

In addition to stomach pain and nausea also occur Back pain on, the cause in elderly patients may be a bulging of the aorta, a Aortic aneurysm be. To blame for the bulging is a increased blood pressure paired with arteriosclerosis.

You can also read the topic on: Abdominal pain and back pain

But also one Inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) can radiate into the back.

Sometimes one also leads Pancreatitis, so an inflammation of the pancreas or even a Pancreatic cancerto pain in the left abdomen, which is mistaken for stomach pain. Nausea and back pain are common accompanying symptoms because the pancreas is directly adjacent to the spine.

However, it is also possible that the symptoms were originally unrelated. If you were in bed for a long time because of stomach pain and nausea, the muscles break down and it can be caused by a Overload come back pain.

Even with the so-called Irritable bowel syndrome In addition to stomach pain and nausea, back pain or a headache occur. Irritable bowel syndrome is a Hypersensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract. Especially after large meals or under stress, the gastrointestinal tract develops large amounts of gas, which too Flatulence lead and there is increased nausea and stomach pain. Due to the cramping of the muscles, the pain can extend into the back.

Another accompanying symptom can be stomach pain and nausea fever be. Fever occurs mainly when bacteria or Viruses weaken the body. A gastrointestinal infection leads to severe abdominal pain with increased nausea, which then occurs Vomit or diarrhea leads. The infection is usually accompanied by a fever, which can appear in stages or go away on its own after a few days. The fever always comes too chills to. There are innumerable bacteria and viruses that can lead to gastrointestinal infections. Is common lack of hygiene or wrong food to blame for the outbreak of such an infection.

A Peritonitis also goes with severe stomach pain and Abdominal pain as well as nausea and fever. Acute pancreatitis (pancreatitis) also causes pain in the stomach or stomach area, nausea and fever.

Another accompanying symptom besides stomach pain and nausea can be Hot flashes be. This triad of symptoms can have different meanings: For older female as well as male patients one should contact one Heart attack think that this can also radiate into the abdominal area and lead to severe pain there.

Consumption of spoiled food can also lead to severe stomach pain with possible vomiting, nausea and hot flashes.

Even during the pregnancy this triad of symptoms can occur frequently.

Other causes can be the Overdose or the sudden one Discontinuation of addictive substancessuch as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, or a pain pill such as morphine.

A Acute abdomen, for example by a Visual intestinal inflammation or one Intestinal obstruction also manifests itself in severe stomach and abdominal pain, nausea, hot flashes and a hard abdominal wall.

At a Mushroom poisoning In addition to stomach pain and nausea, there are also strong sweats and possibly also Hallucinations.

Stomach pain with nausea and diarrhea

Diarrhea combined with stomach pain and nausea are classic signs of one Abdominal influenza (med: gastroenteritis). These discomforts mostly occur after the sufferer food contaminated with pathogens recorded. In most cases, viruses or bacteria that multiply explosively in the intestine after ingestion are the cause of the inflammation. Poisoning with other chemical substances is rarely the cause of the complaints.
In the case of gastrointestinal flu, it is also possible to infect people who are already sick.

The classic gastrointestinal flu occurs, depending on the pathogen, hours to days after consuming the spoiled food or contact with a sick person and usually subsides within a few days. The typical sequence of complaints can easily be explained by the passage of pathogens through the body.
The first symptom is usually nausea and stomach pain when the pathogen has reached the stomach. With further passage of the pathogens along the intestine, diarrhea also occurs, since the inflamed intestinal mucosa secretes large amounts of water in order to flush out the pathogen. In extreme cases it can too Blood in the stool come when the inflammation of the intestinal lining penetrates deeper layers.
The pain during the illness can be described as spasmodic. With the extreme movements, the body tries to get the pathogens through the gastrointestinal tract as quickly as possible.

If the symptoms persist or if there is no apparent cause, a doctor should be consulted urgently.

Stomach pain with nausea and heartburn

Heartburn is a sign of stomach acid rising into the esophagus. A simple cause can be simple here stress be who truly hits the stomach. Stress leads through hormonal processes in the body to increased stomach acid, which on the one hand leads to gastric mucosal inflammation with the classic symptoms of stomach pain and nausea and on the other hand to the rise of excess stomach acid into the esophagus and thus to heartburn.

Stomach pain with nausea and gas

Flatulence as a sign of too much air in the digestive tract in connection with stomach pain and nausea can be an expression of various harmless but also life-threatening diseases.
One of the common causes of recurring gas combined with stomach pain and nausea can be Food intolerance be, above all Lactose or fructose. As an initial self-test, those affected can avoid foods that contain lactose or fructose and hope for improvement. If the suspicion is confirmed, it is advisable to consult your family doctor and further investigate the suspected intolerance and, if necessary, treat it accordingly.

However, it should be seen as a warning sign if the abdominal wall becomes extremely cramped and "hard as a board" in combination with the symptoms. This is usually a sign of a threatening process in the abdomen and a doctor should be consulted.

Stomach pain with nausea and headache

Even if headaches, stomach pains and nausea have little to do with each other at first glance, they can often be related. For one thing, stomach pains with nausea usually arise on the floor of one Inflammation of the stomach liningwhich in many cases as well as headaches by stress arise. The symptoms appear in both cases as a physical reaction to stress and thus occur together. If you reduce the daily stress level, both symptoms will in most cases disappear spontaneously.

Another reason may be the treatment of the existing headache with pain relievers. Lots Painkiller like for example Acetylaslicylic acid (Aspirin), Ibuprofen or diclofenac lead to gastric mucosal inflammation and thus their main complaints stomach pain and nausea.

If the headache occurs in connection with gastrointestinal flu, it is a sign of infection in the body and, similar to the headache with normal flu, is caused by the infection and usually disappears as the gastrointestinal complaints subside.

If the stomach pain, nausea and headache always occur in connection with the consumption of a certain food, then one should Food allergy be considered. A helpful here Food diary to manage and document when the complaints occur in order to find out connections and to determine the intolerance.
If there is no connection to the intake of certain foods, but the symptoms always occur together, one can also be migraine Be the cause of the discomfort. Because in addition to the classic nausea, many migraine patients also report accompanying stomach pains. Here, however, when treating with painkillers, it is difficult to differentiate whether the stomach pain and nausea, as described above, are a side effect of the painkillers or are part of the symptoms of migraines. The family doctor should carefully consider this and begin or change the treatment accordingly.

Stomach pain with nausea and dizziness

Often dizziness combined with stomach pain, vomiting or even diarrhea is a result of the fluid loss associated with it. As a result of vomiting or diarrhea, the body can lose large amounts of fluid in a very short time. If this loss is not compensated for by the ingestion of equally large amounts of fluid, the body will experience a fluid deficit, which leads to a decrease in blood volume in the body, since this consists largely of water. The decreased amount of blood leads to a drop in blood pressure, which leads to dizziness when the blood supply to the brain is reduced.
So it helps with dizziness in connection with the symptoms of gastrointestinal flu much to drink to fight the dizziness.

Special Attention is advised when stomach pain is accompanied by nausea and dizziness multiple days occur without gastrointestinal flu or other digestive disorders being the cause. Here the complaints can also express one Heart attack be. Women and diabetics in particular often have these symptoms, which differ from classic chest pain. Especially those affected with risk factors for a heart attack such as increased blood lipids, diabetes mellitus or high blood pressure should urgently consult a doctor if the cause of the symptoms is unclear. If sweating and anxiety are added to the symptoms, you should not hesitate to call an emergency doctor immediately.

Stomach pain with nausea and fever

Fever usually means that the body is undergoing a defense reaction of the immune system. In connection with stomach pain, fever usually means that the body's defense reaction is directed against pathogens that cavort in this area. Viruses or bacteria are usually the cause here. The duration is usually a few days at most, so that when the symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract subside, the fever usually also disappears. However, if the fever rises very high, a doctor should be consulted despite the symptoms that usually go away on their own.

Therapy / what to do

The therapy of stomach pain and nausea is just as varied as the various causes. What to do for stomach pain and nausea is great depending on the disease:

The stomach ache and the nausea are in one pregnancy food and odors that cause nausea should be avoided. Help in extreme cases Medication with the active ingredient Pyridoxines (Vitamin B6) and Antihistamine. Most of the time, the pregnancy sickness disappears after a few weeks or can be reduced to bearable by a certain diet.
At a Gastric ulcer (Ulcer) or one Inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) it helps to reduce irritants such as alcohol or too much fatty meat, for example. There are also stomach-sparing drugsthat help to build up a protective environment in the stomach and thus protect the gastric mucosa (for example so-called Proton inhibitors).
At a Gastric cancer must additionally operated on become, as well as with one Pancreatic cancer, whereby the life expectancies with the latter are only extremely low.
Are the stomach pain and nausea dem Irritable bowel syndrome owed, it only helps to eat more consciously and avoid stress.
At a Gastrointestinal infection it depends on whether a bacterium or a virus is responsible for the complaints. In the case of bacterial infestation, a antibiotic get the disease under control quickly. Since viruses do not react to antibiotics, treatment is more difficult here and therapy must be limited to giving the patient enough water to avoid dehydration and possibly to Home remedies to treat stomach pain To fall back on. Bananas or rusks are foods that are usually good to eat. Also anise- or fenneltea often help to calm the stomach. Nux Vomica is recommended for homeopathy.

Medicines for stomach pain with nausea

Medicines for stomach pain There are many with nausea, but there are different specific preparations for the different causes of the symptoms. A drug that helps both stomach pain and nausea are the so-called Dopamine antagonists like the known Metoclopramide (MCP). One effect of metoclopramide is to relieve nausea through certain effects in the brain. It also leads to increased forward movement of the bowel. In the case of gastrointestinal flu, this forward movement of the intestine leads to faster transport of the “culprit” through the gastrointestinal tract. Since the stomach pain ends as soon as the pathogen or the spoiled food has passed the stomach, the rapid forward movement also leads to rapid relief of the symptoms.

Medicines such as are effective against cramping stomach pain and nausea Scopolamine or Butylscopolamine (e.g. Buscopan®). Since these can only relieve muscle spasms in the gastrointestinal tract, the drugs with this active ingredient do not work for stomach pains that are not triggered by muscle spasms.

Are stomach pain and nausea on one Inflammation of the stomach lining attributed so alleviate the so-called Proton pump inhibitors how Omeprazole or Pantozol® the discomfort, as this significantly reduces the amount of gastric acid in the stomach, which is the cause of the discomfort.
In no case should painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen or diclofenac be taken in the event of stomach pain and nausea, as these can cause gastric mucosal inflammation as side effects and thus even worsen the symptoms.

Home remedies for stomach pain with nausea

Home remedies can also provide relief for stomach pains and nausea. Herbal teas can often help to soothe an upset stomach and relieve the cramps that cause the enormous pain. The soothing and anti-inflammatory chamomile is just as suitable as peppermint.
If the symptoms of stomach pain with nausea are accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea, large quantities should be drunk to compensate for the loss of fluids caused by vomiting or diarrhea and to prevent the body from drying out. From the outside, heat can help relieve stomach pain, as heat relaxes the muscles. A hot water bottle, a cherry stone pillow or a warm bath are suitable here.

Read more about this under: Home remedies for stomach pain, home remedies for nausea and Home remedies for diarrhea

prophylaxis

Gastrointestinal infections in particular are usually through Hygiene measures easy to get around. To prevent inflammation of the stomach lining or stomach ulcers, it only helps alcohol and nicotine such as Caffeine largely to be avoided. Who Stress Avoiding and consciously taking time to eat daily can usually counteract irritable bowel syndrome well. To avoid inflammation of the pancreas, it is especially helpful to drink little alcohol.

forecast

Usually it is forecast of stomach pain and nausea very good:

A infection in most cases disappears after a few days.
Of the Irritable bowel syndrome on the other hand is a permanent sensory disorder.Here stomach pain and nausea can only be avoided if the lifestyle is actively and permanently changed.
At a Inflammation of the stomach lining the prognosis is still quite good, but the therapy should be followed consistently Stomach cancer to avoid because often only one surgical intervention With chemotherapy helps.
Pancreatic cancer has a miserable prognosis with a life expectancy of around 6 months.

However, most stomach pains with nausea are due to harmless causes. In the event of psychological overload, it helps to treat yourself to a few days of rest, then the stomach pain and nausea should go away on their own.

Stomach pain with nausea in pregnancy

Stomach pains with nausea are mainly too Start of pregnancy No rarity. They can even be the first sign of pregnancy. The symptoms are traditionally accompanied by vomiting, but the absence of vomiting does not rule out pregnancy.

There are many causes of stomach pain and nausea, most of them are harmless and as a result of the numerous physical changes caused by pregnancy. Especially for the gastrointestinal tract, the pregnancy hormones released in the body (e.g. progesterone) mean a change in its usual mobility towards a rather sluggish digestion. This has next Constipation and gas in pregnancy As a result, the food can ultimately back up into the stomach and cause stomach pain with nausea there.

The steadily growing child itself also leads to direct constriction in the later course of pregnancy. In late pregnancy, the uterus with the baby extends directly to the stomach and constricts it, which can also lead to stomach pain and nausea. Kicks and movements of the child can also irritate the stomach in such a way that it reacts with violent cramps and nausea.

However, there is one to consider, especially in late pregnancy life threatening Cause of stomach pain with nausea, the so-called HELLP syndrome. This is caused by a liver dysfunction and usually manifests itself in severe pain in the epigastric region and nausea. These symptoms come on very suddenly and are of high intensity. A visit to the doctor is urgently necessary in the event of uncertainty, especially if there were risk factors for HELLP syndrome during pregnancy.