Stomach Cramps Treatment

by Sam Malone


The stomach can be extremely susceptible to germs and infections. Abdominal or stomach pain can be caused by something as simple as overeating or as complicated as appendicitis.  If you face regular cramping without any apparent cause, then you should get a complete workup. The stomach pain can start out as a mild ache and can fast move debilitating cramps depending on the cause. The degree of the pain and other symptoms will depend on the degree of the condition affecting the stomach.

The main causes of abdominal cramping or intestinal cramping after eating includes:

  • Constipation, indigestion, gas or flatulence
  • Food poisoning
  • Food allergies like lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance
  • Ulcers
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Gastro-oesophageal  reflux disease (GERD)
  • Gall stones
  • Menstruation and its related symptoms like cramps or premenstrual symptoms
  • Kidney stones
  • Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
  • Appendicitis
  • The symptoms for stomach cramping and conditions resulting in those cramps can cause painful symptoms.
  • The cramps can be painful, erratic and even debilitating.
  • Digestion can get affected too and the person could have loose motions.
  • Inability to keep food down.
  • Severe infections can also result in a continuous fever.
  • Sore spots on the abdomen which are a sign of a rapidly deteriorating appendicitis.

The treatment for stomach pain or abdominal cramps will vary based on the cause of the pain. Basic indigestion issues can be remedied with some home remedies like drinking lots of water, eating cumin seeds or carom seeds or even chewing on some mint leaves too. If indigestion or food poisoning is the cause of the aches, you need to wait till the infection naturally leaves your body. Drinking water can help the contaminant to leave the body faster. In case you are suffering from diarrhoea or fever for more than two to three days, you should seek professional medical care.

If you are feeling constipated, water is usually the answer. Drink lots of it. Increase your intake of insoluble fibre to make it easy to pass stools. You can even have psyllium husk. To deal with menstrual cramps and pains related to menstruation, you can try hot water bags and simple over-the-counter pain relief medications. Sometimes regular exercise also helps deal with stomach cramping during periods. During generic stomach cramps and abdominal pain, you should also avoid eating outside or eating foods that can act as a trigger to worsen your condition – tea, coffee, alcohol and nicotine included.

If the cause of your pain is ulcers, PIP, IBS, GERD or any other intestinal condition, you need to know what foods to stick to if you have this condition. In case it is the first time you are suffering from this condition, additional symptoms occasionally show up like bloody stools or burning or acidity in the stomach. Your doctor, and this condition definitely needs a doctor, will tell you how to eat to avoid flare ups. Typically soft foods and easy carbohydrates are recommended as the stomach and the intestines find it easy to digest and not aggravate the condition further.

The best treatment for recurrent stomach pain or cramps, if you suffer from them, is to streamline your diet and activity in life. Eating correctly and healthily will go a long way from preventing stomach pains. Eating fibre is always recommended but sometimes eating too much fibre can also result in stomach pain or cramps. Regular exercise helps regulate your body better. Avoid eating food too quickly or that’s a sure shot way of getting stomach ache.

Reference:  

  1. http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/003120.htm
  2. http://www.oneonta.edu/development/health/

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.


Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
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