Stomach cramps _ stomachache
Cramps are unpleasant, often painful sensations caused by contraction or over-shortening of muscles. Cramps can be caused by cold, overexertion or low calcium level in blood (especially for adolescents, who need calcium for both blood and bone maturing) though the most common reason is low sodium and potassium levels in blood accompanied by excessive dehydration. Illness or poisoning can also cause cramps, particularly in the stomach, which is referred to as colic if it fits particular characteristics.
Stomach cramps: IntroductionExactly what people mean when they say “stomach cramps” is not entirely clear. The most correct interpretation is the stomach muscle spasms, with associated pain, but many people use the term loosely to mean any kind of stomach discomfort, stomach ache, abdominal discomfort or abdominal pain. People may say “stomach cramps” when they are really cramps of the intestines. Thus, to determine the cause of stomach cramps, it may be necessary to examine other areas such as the causes of symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal cramping, stomach ache, abdominal bloating, menstrual cramps or other types of abdominal discomfort.
“Stomach cramps are usually a painful squeezing sensation that comes and goes over a span of minutes. They crescendo up and then decrease,” says Bruce Luxson, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of gastroenterology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri. The squeezing sensation does not always originate in your stomach, by the way. Sometimes the trouble is further down.
Take, for example, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—a troubling and unexplained digestive problem that can cause pain, cramps, diarrhea and constipation. What you perceive as stomach cramps are actually spasms of the intestines. “In less severe cases of IBS, you get cramps when you have the urge to go to the bathroom, and they go away after you’ve defecated,” says Andrew H. Soll, M.D., a professor of medicine and director of the affiliated training program for gastroenterology at the University of California at Los Angeles and chief of gastroenterology at Veterans Administration Hospital.
What you put in your mouth is another common cause of stomach cramps. Lactose intolerance—the inability to digest the sugar in dairy products—affects a third of Americans and can cause cramps. Downing spoiled potato salad at your company picnic—or any other inappropriately handled food—usually leads to a bacterial battle down below called food poisoning that features cramping, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea. And not enough fiber or water are the leading causes of both constipation and diarrhea, often linked to cramping, says Dr. Luxson.
Diverticulosis is a disease characterized by small pouches filled with stool or irritating bacteria that form on the muscle wall of your small bowel. It not only causes spasms and cramping, but hemorrhaging as well, says Dr. Soll. Another medical problem—viral infection—can also cause cramps.
Stress also apparently plays a role in stomach cramps for children as well as adults, says John Boyle, M.D., a gastroenterologist and chief of pediatric gastroenterology at Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital in Cleveland. “It doesn’t cause the cramps, but it can bring them on,” he says.
The following simple tips will help you in preventing and treating stomach cramps:
?Choose over-the-counter drugs: Many drugs available over the counter are excellent treatment for the cramps caused by overindulgence. Antacids and sodium bicarbonate are excellent treatment for cramps caused by heartburn.
?Eat your food properly: Experts recommend that you eat slowly, chew the food well and do not guzzle the drinks with the food. When you chew the food well, it gets mixed with the saliva and thus becomes easy to digest. To change the speed of eating, you can sit down at the table and add candlelight and soft music.
?Do not gorge the food: Stomachs are very sensitive to overeating. A distended stomach can cause sharp pain and thus can be very uncomfortable to some people. If you suffer from stomach cramps frequently, try eating smaller meals and more frequent meals throughout the day.
?Avoid eating when upset: Anxiety and eating do not go well together. If you eat under tension, the blood supply to your stomach is reduced and the food becomes hard to digest. You can follow the method of deep relaxation to ease the tension.
?Choose noncaffeinated drinks: Coffee and colas worsen the condition of the tense stomach. Instead, choose water, fruit juices or herbal teas for drinking.
?Minimize the intake of cold fluids: When you gulp down any icy cold drink very rapidly, your stomach goes into temporary but painful spasms.
?Increase your intake of fiber: Research has shown that eating two high-fiber cookies each day will reduce the instances of stomach pain by half. Fiber helps food in moving the food very quickly through the digestive system and hence may reduce the stomach and the intestinal cramps.
?Let your stomach relax: Take a break of half-hour or more after a big meal before doing any heavy duty activities. Exercise diverts the blood from the digestive system to the arms and legs thereby increasing the chances o intestinal cramps.
?Go for a light walk: If you have had a sumptuous meal and are feeling full, take a light walk. Light exercise especially walking has been shown to increase the rate at which the digested foods move through the bowels. This allows the stomach to empty faster, thus reducing stomach cramps.