Today you will discover 11 Causes of Stomach Pain after Eating and Remedies to combat the condition.
Nothing is more frustrating than stomach pains that follow eating your favorite meals.
These pains can be a nuisance especially if you do not know the underlying cause.
While there are many reasons that may cause this discomfort, most of them require a simple solution.
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Common Symptoms Stomach Pain after Eating
However, it is crucial to know the underlying cause. Doing this will help you in determining the best steps to take to reduce the pain and enjoy your meals. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the common causes of stomach pain after eating and things to do to reduce the discomforts.
Symptoms
Before looking at the various causes of stomach upset or pain after eating, we are going to discuss some of the common symptoms that accommodate these conditions. They include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Gas
- Abdominal cramping
- Bloating or tightness in the abdomen
- Acid reflux
- Mild to severe pain in the upper abdomen
- Early fullness during a meal
- Uncomfortable fullness after a meal
- Burning in the lower abdomen
- Pain in the chest or arm
- Vomiting
- Partial regurgitation of stomach contents
If you experience or someone you know experience a severe pain, it should be treated as a medical emergency. For this reason, you should seek medical assistance immediately.
Dehydration should also be treated as a medical emergency.
If you find that you are not in a position to consume liquid without vomiting or have severe diarrhoea, you also need to seek emergency assistance.
So what are the causes of stomach pains soon after eating food?
Food Allergies
One of the most common symptoms is food allergies. Generally, the food allergies develop when your body mistakes a particular type of food as a foreign invader and it releases antibodies to combat it. As a measure to prevent the food item to enter the body, the immune system can cause a variety of symptoms including stomach pain among other. The most common food allergies include;
- Soy
- Milk
- Peanuts and tree nuts
- Fish and shellfish
- Wheat
- Eggs
Food Intolerance
Food intolerance or sensitivity is another cause of stomach pains immediately after eating. This condition occurs when your digestive system doesn’t agree with a particular type of food.
When this occurs, your digestive system may get irritated or may not digest the food the way it should be.
One of the best examples is lactose intolerance. People affected with this condition often get stomach upset when they consume milk or other dairy products.
Celiac Disease
The celiac disease develops when your body has an immune response to gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in rye, wheat, and barley. Exposing your body to this protein may lead to damage to your small intestine lining. When this happens, you can easily get stomach pain and other complications especially after eating foods that contain gluten.
GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease abbreviated as GERD is a persistent or chronic digestive condition that leads to the stomach acid coming back up to your esophagus. The acid reflux may irritate the lining of the esophagus leading to serious damage.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
With so many people suffering from this condition, it is not a wonder to find it on this list. This common condition affects the large intestines. This condition may lead to stomach pain after eating food as well as the following symptoms.
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Cramping
- Constipation
- Gas
- Diarrhea
Cohn’s Disease
Among the conditions we have listed above, this is probably the most serious condition. This severe inflammatory bowel disease leads to inflammation of various parts of the digestive tract.
This condition may lead to severe diarrhea, pain, as well as blood in the stool. Because this is a life-threatening condition, you should immediate medical assistance when you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms.
Peptic Ulcers
The Peptic ulcers are sores that develop on the inside part of the stomach lining as well as the duodenum. One of the most common symptoms of this condition is a burning stomach pain. The pain is most often aggravated when you consume spicy foods.
When you experience this condition more than once, you need to visit a doctor.
The doctor will access your condition by performing various tests that investigate the presence of bacteria in the stomach. The tests may also involve taking a picture of the wall of your stomach. The most common symptoms associated with this condition include:
- nausea,
- fatigue,
- abdominal pains,
- loss of appetite
- stomach cramps
Diverticulosis
Diverticulosis develops when the small pouches bulge outward through the colon (large intestines). This condition risk increase as we grow old with up to fifty percent of individuals who more than sixty years have to experience it.
Although this condition doesn’t have to be accompanied with symptoms, consuming fiber is shown to reduce the risk. The best thing about this is that you can manage it at your home by eating more fiber.
It can also be diagnosed through colonoscopy. Although it doesn’t have symptoms in some people, those who suffer from this condition may have the following symptoms.
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach Bloating
- Flatulence
- Constipation
- Abdominal cramps
Chronic Pancreatitis
This condition involves progressive inflammatory changes that develop in your pancreas. This may lead to permanent structural damage, which may lead to a variety of symptoms including nausea, pain, and diarrhoea.
In case you are suffering from any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you should visit your primary care physician as soon as possible. The common treatment procedures involve behavior changes especially limiting alcohol intake. The symptoms that accompany this conditions include:
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal pain that comes and goes
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea or vomiting
Sugar Alcohols
This may sound absurd, but the sugar alcohols don’t contain any alcohol or sugars. Generally, these artificial sweeteners are used in candles and sugar-free gums.
A perfect example is a sorbitol, which are food additives that are regulated by FDA. Various individuals find that these sugar alcohols cause digestive distress especially when you consume it in large quantities.
Constipation
Constipation is a condition that develops when the stool moves slowly in our digestive system. When this happens, the intestines will absorb more water than they should, making the stool to feel hard.
If you are suffering from consistent constipation for several weeks, it can lead to bloating and stomach pains. The condition may worsen when you eat before going to the toilet and the body tries to digest the new food.
Stomach Pain After Eating Diagnosis
Your doctor will give you a diagnosis of the conditions causing the stomach pains after eating by listening to you’re the symptoms you describe. In other times, further tests are needed to find out exactly what is affecting the condition. This includes:
- Endoscopy
- X-ray
- PH monitoring
- Colonoscopy
- Fecal sampling for blood
- MRI
- CT scan
- Blood tests
For people suffering from food intolerance, then you need to do a trial an error to identify the condition affecting you. For effective results, the doctor may advise you to keep a food diary or eliminate a certain diet.
Treatment For Stomach Pain After Eating
If you are suffering from stomach upset after consuming your food and you have tried a variety of home-based solution and haven’t found one that works, high chances are that you have not pinpointed the underlying cause. As mentioned earlier the treatment for this condition will depend on the underlying cause.
If you suspect a food allergy may have something to do with your condition, you may need to visit an allergist to get the correct diagnosis. If the main cause is due to food intolerance, the best cause of action is to avoid that food as much as possible.
While a lactose-free diet may not be appealing, there are various ways to make it work.
Seeking a nutritionist advice or purchasing a cookbook with lactose-free recipes may help. On the other hand, if you think gluten is contributing to your woes, you should visit a gastroenterologist to perform a test before ruling it out.
Additionally, most of these symptoms that arise after consuming food can be easily managed by taking the OTC medications. However, it is crucial to talk to your doctor before starting any new medication regardless of whether it requires a prescription or not. Below are some of the treatments that are found at your nearest pharmacy;
- Simethicone such as Gas-X medications may help relieve bloating
- Acid reducers such as Pepcid or Zantac can help reduce production of excess stomach acid
- Antacids like Rolaids, Alka-Seltzer, and Tums) helps to minimize the stomach acid, reducing the burning feelings
- Beano plays a major role in preventing gas buildup
- Antidiarrheals such as Imodium may help stop diarrhea as well as the other associated symptoms
- Pepto-Bismol helps to coat the esophagus lining reducing the burning sensation. It also treats diarrhoea and nausea.
- Diphenhydramine medications may help to fight the symptoms that are related to allergic immune response
- Stool softeners and laxatives may also help combat bloating and constipation
- Taking Probiotics on a regular base will introduce the good bacteria in the stomach boosting the overall digestive health
- Acetaminophen may help relieve the pain without causing irritation to your stomach as ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen does
- Taking fiber supplements such as Benefiber and Metamucil may also assist in ensuring normal bowel movement as well as preventing constipation.
Any Complications?
The complication that may come up will depend on the cause of the stomach pain. For instance, food allergies may lead to a severe allergic reaction referred to as anaphylaxis, which can lead to life-threatening conditions such as making you have difficulty breathing.
Another complication may arise when you have GERD, which may damage your esophagus, making you have difficulties in swallowing. Chronic constipation may also lead to anal fissures while peptic ulcer may lead to internal bleeding.
Additionally, Cohn’s disease is also associated with serious complications such as fistulas and bowel obstructions, which may need surgical repair.
Prevention
Luckily, there are some things that you can do to prevent the stomach pain after eating. In order to do this, you should practice the following tips.
- Keep away from foods that caused digestive problems in the past
- Observe good portion control
- Take plenty of water in between meals and with meals
- Follow a healthy diet that contains vegetables and fruits especially those with high fiber content
- Avoid taking too much alcohol, and caffeine
- Instead of taking three standard meals, try separating it into 5 to 6 portions
- Practice meditation, yoga and other exercises that help reduce the overall stress
Conclusion
Many things may lead to stomach pain after eating. This could range from simple conditions such as heartburn or common indigestion. While there are, various home-based methods and over the counter medications that can help you in dealing with this condition.
You should visit a doctor especially if you find the condition worsens even when you have stopped eating. Additionally, you should visit your primary caregiver if the symptoms persist for several weeks as you may be suffering from a chronic condition.
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