Most people experience pain or discomfort in the stomach from time to time. If it happens only once in a while when you have eaten something your stomach doesn't agree with, and it quickly passes when you empty the stomach, it is not really something to worry about.
However, if it becomes frequent or even weekly or daily it is necessary to take action and find out what the problem is. Here are some of the most common causes.
1. Low stomach acidity
When the acid in the stomach is too weak to digest the food, the first consequence will be that the food sits long in the stomach causing bloating; during that time some liquid can be forced up the esophagus causing heartburn. When the food eventually moves on it is only semi-digested and not really ready for the intestines. It will therefore cause pain and is a contributing factor to IBS, leaking gut and food intolerance and allergy. In many cases the acid production is low because the vagus nerve is pinched in the neck. Optimal acid production can be achieved when the vagus nerve is liberated by a kinesiologist or chiropractor.
2. Hiatus hernia
Hiatus hernia is a type of hernia where the upper part of the stomach has been forced up through a hole in the diaphragm. This could have happened during birth or through heavy lifting or pregnancy. It will cause heartburn and pain and because it pinches the vagus nerve, it may cause decreased acid production. In most cases a kinesiologist or a chiropractor can push down the stomach.
3. Helicobacter Pylori
H. pylori is a bacterium that burrows itself in the stomach lining. The symptoms are burning pain, bloating, burping and in some individuals it will cause nausea and vomiting. It is the main cause of stomach ulcers and can cause gastritis. The standard cure is treatment with two different antibiotics over a couple of weeks. It may also be eliminated if the person optimizes the acid production as outlined above.
4. Stomach ulcer
A stomach ulcer will cause burning pain, heartburn, chest pain, belching and vomiting. In severe cases the person will vomit blood or food eaten days before and severe pain in the abdominal area that radiates to the back. It is caused either by H. pylori or medicine of the NSAID type (aspirin, ibuprofen etc.). When you eliminate the causes - H. pylori or the medicine - the ulcers will normally heal by itself. If the medicine is prescribed to you, do not stop the medication without consulting your doctor.
5. Candidiasis
Candidiasis means an overgrowth of a fungus called Candida Albican in the intestines. In most cases it is caused by a treatment with antibiotics. Symptoms are pain and diarrhea, but can also cause sudden onset of depression. You may be able to eliminate it through a certain diet, but if it is severe you should see your doctor.
6. Food Intolerance
This will cause pain half an hour to one hour after a meal. It means a certain kind of food does not agree with the stomach or intestine. It can be caused by too low stomach acidity, but if it doesn't improve when you optimize you stomach acid production, you may have to eliminate certain foods from your diet.
7. Bad Food Combining
Some people get stomach pain from combining foods that don't digest well together, like proteins and carbohydrates. Find out from a food combining chart, which foods go well together and experiment a little.
8. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS causes lower abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation or both alternating. According to the official explanation there is no cure, and a life long diet is recommended. However, there is reason to believe it can be caused by too low stomach acidity.
9. Bad Habits
In order to avoid diluting the stomach acid you should not drink anything one hour before eating and you should drink as little as possible during the meal. Also make sure you chew the food properly; thereby you break the food down into smaller particles and you mix it with enzymes needed for the digestion.
10. Appendicitis
Appendicitis means an inflammation of the appendix, which is a little blind-ended tube near the junction of the small intestine and the large intestine. Typical symptoms will be pain in the right side of the abdomen and diarrhea, but symptoms can vary considerably. Appendicitis is a medical emergency.
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