Medical App & Medical Advice with Hello Doctor

Why do I have stomach pain?

Not again! Where is this pain in my stomach coming from? Do stomach cramps hit you when you least expect them? There are some obvious causes for stomach cramps, like the tummy bug or food poisoning, but what about unexpected causes? Here are 5 reasons that might be behind your mysterious pain.

It’s all about your heartburn

A condition known as Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease, or heartburn, can lead to some serious stomach pain. If left untreated, your heartburn could burn the lining of your oesophagus, causing that unwelcome pain. To treat it, use an over-the-counter remedy, which you can find at your local pharmacy.

You have a food intolerance

Ever heard of gluten intolerance? It’s when your body can’t digest a substance called gluten. If left undigested, it could cause stomach pain. A lot of the time, people with an intolerance don’t know about it. So it’s a good idea to go for a check-up. Here are some examples of common food intolerances:

  • Gluten – this includes wheat products
  • Lactose – most dairy products contain lactose
  • Alcohol
  • Fructose – found in fruit, table sugar, honey and cool drinks
  • Eggs

In most cases an elimination diet is recommended for people with food intolerances. So, for example, if you can’t eat eggs you must remove them from your diet. If the change is too drastic, and it sometimes can be, limit the amount you eat. If you find that you can eat small amounts of the problem food without experiencing pain, then stick to that limit.

Stress can be a pain

Stress isn’t just in your head. It’s a real issue and can affect your body in bad ways. When you’re severely stressed, it could lead to pain – like stomach pain. Speak to your doctor to find out if your pain is stress-related. If it is, work with a therapist to find the source of your stress. That way you’ll find a healthy solution instead of using medication. Which leads us to our next point.

Your medicine is to blame

Medicine can help you and treat you, but sometimes, it can be harmful. This, however, is rare and only a concern if you abuse medication or use it regularly. Almost all drugs come with side-effects, some rare, some not so rare. If you’re on chronic medication, find out what the side-effects are. If there is a link between your medicine and your stomach pain, ask your doctor for something else.

My workout burn is painful

You’d be surprised by how many people don’t know that exercise is the cause of their pain! However, this pain, unless extreme, is normal and not anything you need to worry about. Did you do some weight training yesterday? Your stomach muscles may have worked, without you knowing about it!

How do you know the difference? If the pain is from muscle-strain, it would usually only bother you when you move around. Rub on some soothing lotion and you’ll be fine. The pain is just a build-up of lactic acid. Your body will take care of it within a day or two, so don’t stress, and don’t use it as a reason to skip gym!

Kyle Boshoff for HelloDoctor.com

Source: WebMD;