Symptoms of stomach ache
A stomach ache is simply a pain in your belly. You can calm a stomach ache by drinking clear fluids, eating a bland diet, and avoiding heavy, greasy, and spicy foods.
A stomach ache is simply a pain in your belly. A stomach ache is usually a sign that something is not right in your belly. There may be various reasons why you are having a stomach ache. In most cases, it occurs after there’s an inflammation of the stomach or intestinal lining. Sometimes you can treat it at home, but if it gets severe, consider seeking professional medical help.
Generally, a stomach ache is characterized by pain in the abdomen. However, you may get other symptoms that accompany stomach pain. Some of them include:
What causes stomach aches?
Because of the many organs located in the belly or abdomen, it might be hard to know what’s causing the stomach ache right away.
Infections
Stomach infections are a common cause of stomach aches. You may get a stomach ache due to either a bacterial or viral infection. A bacterial infection causes food poisoning, while a viral infection causes stomach flu or gastroenteritis. When any of the two types of infections get to your digestive system, your body will try to get rid of it by initiating diarrhea or vomiting. This may also come with a stomach ache.
Other conditions that may cause belly pain as a result of bacterial infection include:
Germs that cause bacterial and viral infections can easily get transferred between people. Try to prevent this by cleaning your hands regularly and not sharing utensils and straws with other people.
Reproductive issues
Conditions that affect the reproductive system can also cause stomach pains. Some conditions including STDs, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, and menstrual cramps may cause belly pains in females. If you get stomach aches and you suspect pregnancy, consider seeing a doctor as soon as you can about it. In males, testicular injuries may cause issues like vomiting and bellyache if the injury is severe.
Food reactions
Food reactions may happen due to things like excessive eating, indigestion, food allergies, and intolerance.
A good example of intolerance is lactose intolerance, where your stomach cannot absorb foods with lactose (e.g. dairy milk products). This condition may lead to symptoms like gas, stomach ache, bloating, and diarrhea.
Another example of a food reaction condition is celiac disease. This is an autoimmune condition that causes a reaction after consumption of gluten, a protein found in grains like rye, wheat, and barley. If you have gluten intolerance you should try avoiding food with these grains.
Food allergies are not the same as food intolerance. This is because food allergies involve the immune system. After consuming food that you are allergic to, your immune system causes a reaction that may harm your body more than just a temporary reaction.
Anatomical issues
These are problems that affect how your organs work causing belly pain. Examples of conditions that cause stomach ache include Crohn’s disease, hernias, tumors, and torsion of organs.
Crohn’s disease is a condition that leads to swelling and scarring of the intestinal wall. This swelling may cause your intestines to block, and as a result, you feel pain in your belly.
Hernias and tumors also cause blockage of the intestines. In a case of torsion, which means twisting, you can get torsion of the ovaries, intestines, or testicles. This condition prevents blood supply to these organs and disrupts their normal functioning causing belly pains.
Constipation
Constipation is another common cause of stomach aches. Constipation occurs when you don’t include enough fluids and fiber in your diet.
Mental health issues
Going through mental or emotional issues like anxiety, stress, and depression may cause physical symptoms like stomach pains.