Stomach pain and gas

Introduction / definition

stomach pain and Flatulence are not diseases in their own right, but rather are two physical symptoms that others deal with Basic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract express. They can occur individually or simultaneously, the causes can be very diverse. Often, however, flatulence and stomach pain are caused by wrong nutrition or stressso that they are usually harmless and only last a short time. However, if they make themselves felt permanently or repeatedly and are accompanied by other complaints at the same time, both symptoms can also have organic causes that should be clarified by a doctor.

Learn more about the topic: Upper abdominal pain and gas

causes

The causes of stomach pain can on the one hand be organic and arise from diseases of the stomach itself (Inflammation of the gastric mucosa / gastritis, Gastric ulcer / gastric ulcer, Stomach tumors), but it is also possible that certain diets and stress (Abdominal pain from stress, stomach pain from stress), Express fears, depression or nervousness symptomatically in the form of stomach pain.

Diseases of organs outside the gastrointestinal tract can also trigger apparent stomach pain (e.g. Heart attack). Flatulence can also be caused in many ways, so play Food intolerance, an increased intake of Fiber, Legumes, or cabbage, and the excessive air swallowing caused by hasty eating often play a role. Excessive consumption of coffee and alcohol as well as psychological stressful situations (fear, nervousness, stress) or even organic intestinal diseases (intestinal infection by bacteria or fungi, taking medication, inflammatory bowel disease) can lead to flatulence.

If stomach pain occurs together with increased flatulence, this speaks in many cases for food intolerance, such as Milk- or Fructose, histamine or gluten. Also Food poisoning or Gastrointestinal infections, bacteria, viruses or fungi ingested through food can trigger both symptoms at the same time. Excessive psychological stress such as stress or anxiety cause it in some cases Irritation syndromes in the stomach and intestines, which are caused by increased intrinsic movement in the gastrointestinal muscles.

diagnosis

The doctor can usually determine whether a patient suffers from stomach pain and / or flatulence based on the anamnesis. Frequent questions that are asked during a visit to the doctor are about regular medication, basic / previous illnesses of the gastrointestinal system, diet in everyday life, increased stress and other symptoms. In the physical exam tenderness may occur when palpating the abdomen. In most cases, further examinations, such as food intolerance (e.g. Lactose tolerance test), Blood and stool tests in order to make a possible diagnosis and to forego more complex examination methods. However, if these tests and examinations are inconclusive, a ultrasonic or X-ray examination of the abdomen, as well as one Stomach- and or Colonoscopy with eventual Tissue sampling continue.

Symptoms

Stomach pain is usually localized in the left or middle upper abdomen, although the pain sensation does not always have to be the same: In addition to stabbing symptoms, stomach pain can also develop convulsive, boring, burning and sharp to the touch. Often, patients with stomach pain are also accompanied by other symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract, so that a simultaneous presence of nausea, Vomit, Diarrhea or constipation and Flatulence is quite possible. Flatulence (=Intestinal winds; Flatulence; Meteorism) often correlate with the feeling of a strongly inflated or bulging abdomen and the increased discharge of winds through the anus. They can be accompanied by cramp-like, oppressive abdominal pain whenever the intestinal gases are stuck in the digestive system.

Stomach pain and gas with diarrhea

There are many different clinical pictures that cause stomach pain, flatulence and diarrhea at the same time. Some are dangerous in the long term, others are completely harmless. The most common causes include simple gastrointestinal infections. They are usually caused by viruses, start suddenly and go away after a few days. In order to accelerate the healing of such gastrointestinal infections, only a small amount of solid food should be consumed until the diarrhea improves significantly. In particular "light food" is well tolerated. These include, for example, cooked carrots and potatoes, rice and pretzels.
It is important to drink a lot during diarrhea to compensate for the loss of fluid. In the case of severe diarrhea, an electrolyte solution can also be taken to stabilize the salt balance.

If the stomach pain is in the foreground, an inflammation of the pancreas can also be the cause of the complaints. This manifests itself particularly in pain in the stomach, flanks and back.

If the symptoms have existed for a long time, a food intolerance or allergy can be the cause of the symptoms. To find out whether and which food is causing the symptoms, a diary can be kept of the dishes eaten and the occurrence of the symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome can also cause gas, abdominal pain and diarrhea at the same time. While no physical cause for the symptoms can be determined in IBS, the disease is very stressful for many in the long term.

If stomach pain has been in the foreground for a long time, an inflammation of the stomach lining can cause the symptoms. In order to be able to initiate the correct therapy and to prevent consequential damage from such gastric mucosal inflammation, a doctor should be consulted.

Read more about this under: Stomach cramps with diarrhea and Diarrhea and stomach pain

Stomach pain and gas with belching

The belching of air can be an indication that either a lot related to stomach pain and gas Air swallowed while eating will or that much gas is formed in the gastrointestinal tract.
Causes for this can be Sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition or eating too fast. If the belching is acidic and causes pain such as heartburn, the symptoms may indicate inflammation of the esophagus. Most often this is caused by excessive acid reflux from the stomach.

Possible treatment strategies for such a reflux disease are taking those prescribed very often today Acid blockers or changing eating habits - eating behavior almost always plays a major role in the development of heartburn: less fatty foods and more frequent small dishes can already reduce the symptoms. After eating, the body position should be held upright for about 30 minutes. Very sweet, spicy, or acidic foods can also make the symptoms worse.

Stomach pain and gas with bloating

Feeling of fullness occurs in combination with stomach pain and flatulence, especially in 3 clinical pictures: the Inflammation of the stomach lining, the Gastric ulcer and the Irritable bowel syndrome. All of these illnesses should be clarified and treated by a doctor in order to prevent serious secondary illnesses or psychological stress.
A gastrointestinal infection or malnutrition can also cause a feeling of fullness, stomach pain and gas.

If the symptoms only last a few days, you can usually do without a doctor's visit. However, if they recur or last a long time, a doctor should be consulted.

Stomach pain and gas, combined with a feeling of fullness, are also common after a gastroscopy. However, these symptoms usually go away within a few hours.

Stomach pain and gas with nausea

Stomach pain, flatulence and nausea can occur together in different diseases. These complaints are not uncommon Food intolerance or after eating something bad beforehand. Common foods that are not well tolerated are milk and the lactose, fructose and gluten contained in it, a protein in different types of wheat. Also one caused by viruses Gastrointestinal infection can be the cause. In all of these cases, symptoms usually subside within a few hours or days.

Nausea in pregnancy is not uncommon. Sometimes this can also occur in combination with stomach pain and gas. This is normal and usually has no dangerous consequences. Only if vomiting is frequent, care should be taken to supply the body with enough fluids and nutrients.

Many patients with a so-called Irritable bowel syndrome show this combination of symptoms. The symptoms usually appear about 10 minutes to an hour after eating and improve after a bowel movement. The triggers for irritable bowel syndrome are not yet known, but the psyche and stress seem to play an important role. Treatment is complex due to the unknown causes and should be discussed with a doctor.

Other possible causes of stomach pain, gas, and nausea are one Inflammation of the stomach lining, various Cancers, hormonal disorders or blocked vessels in the gastrointestinal area. They should be clarified in particular if the symptoms appeared very quickly, are very severe or have lasted for weeks or months.

Stomach pain and gas with back pain

Back pain can, albeit rarely, occur in all painful diseases of the stomach such as the Inflammation of the stomach lining occur. Along with pain in the stomach and flanks, back pain typically occurs in one acute inflammation of the pancreas on. Stool irregularities or flatulence can often be observed because digestion is impaired by the lack of digestive juices.

If the back pain and stomach pain came on suddenly, very severe and slowly moving downwards, there should be a possibility Abdominal artery disease and go to hospital immediately.
Back and stomach pain as well as flatulence are among the most common complaints for us - they often occur side by side without being causally related.

Read more on this topic under: Abdominal pain and back pain

Stomach pain and gas with heartburn

Under heartburn is understood as a pain behind the sternum that often rises from the upper abdomen to the throat or throat. Heartburn is called burning felt and often arises due to excessive reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus as part of reflux disease. Flatulence is usually not caused by this condition.

In addition to causing stomach and chest pain, heartburn can lead to long-term ulcers or cancer of the esophagus. Therefore, frequent heartburn should definitely be presented to a doctor. Most of the time, the disease can easily be caused by a Change in eating habits and taking an acid-blocking drug.

therapy

The therapy of stomach pain and / or flatulence depends entirely on the root cause. If these are harmless and based, for example, on diet or stress, antispasmodic (Antispasmodics how Butylscopalamine), analgesic, and inflating (Fennel tea) Means as well Medicationwhich inhibit acid formation in the stomach (Proton pump inhibitors how Omeprazole), definitely help. Also warmth, Relaxation and gently massaging the abdomen clockwise can be helpful.
Home remedies (Home remedies for stomach pain) can also help alleviate symptoms when treating stomach pain without a serious cause.

You can find further information under our topic: Anti-flatulence drugs.

However, if the stomach pain and flatulence are an expression of an underlying disease, this should be treated first (e.g. therapy inflammatory bowel disease, possible discontinuation of irritating / harmful medication, Administration of antibiotics at Gastrointestinal infections Etc.).

prophylaxis

To avoid stomach pain and flatulence, affected patients can take care of a few things themselves to prevent unnecessary discomfort. A healthy, balanced, low-irritation nutrition (moderate amounts, not too fatty or too spicy, etc.), a reduction in the intake of flatulent foods (legumes, cabbage, onions) and the avoidance of alcohol and nicotine, can help in many cases. Attention should also be paid to eating more slowly, chewing food well and consuming smaller portions.

In addition, drinking enough water throughout the day and exercising regularly reduce the risk of stomach pain and gas. If there are food intolerances, the "alpha and omega" is to absolutely avoid the foods that cause the symptoms (Lactose, gluten, Fructose). Going to a nutritionist can help and make it much easier to integrate the intolerance disease into everyday life. are mental stress (Stress, anger, sadness, fear) the trigger for permanent gastrointestinal complaints, relaxing measures like autogenic training or even possibly one psychological therapy noticeably relieve symptoms.

Stomach pain and gas during pregnancy

Stomach pain and gas in pregnancy are frequently. The change in hormones slows down digestion in the stomach and intestines even in early pregnancy. This leads to increased gas build-up and sometimes stomach pain.
If the child grows, the stomach is compressed and the pain is increased. In particular, large meals and gasifying foods like Brussels sprouts, beans, or broccoli can cause pain and gas during pregnancy. Symptoms usually stop when the pregnancy ends. In order to overcome the time until birth, for example, small instead of a few large meals can often be eaten and more exercise can be incorporated into everyday life.

Stomach pain and gas after eating

If abdominal pain and flatulence occur after eating, this can indicate a number of diseases. Pain that occurs immediately after eating can be signs of gas regardless of gas Gastric ulcer be. If this disease is suspected, a Consulted a doctor in order to initiate appropriate therapy and to rule out that there are no other diseases behind the symptoms. Epigastric pain several hours after eating is common with duodenal ulcer and is treated like gastric ulcer. If the symptoms occur especially after consuming sweet or sour food, alcohol or coffee, a Reflux disease exist.

Flatulence and Abdominal pain after eating can, especially if they occur together, indicate a Food intolerance be. Common foods that cause such symptoms are milk or milk sugar, fructose, gluten, or histamine.

A progressive vascular occlusion in the gastrointestinal area manifests itself in pain, and sometimes gas, after ingestion. Severe, sudden pain after eating very fatty foods is typical of biliary colic.Biliary colic pain is mostly localized in the right upper abdomen, but it can also project onto the stomach. If the suspicion is obvious, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible.

Very severe pain in the epigastric region after a large meal and a lot of alcohol consumption can also be caused by a Inflammation of the pancreas caused.