A lot happens in our bellies. In addition to the necessary intestinal gas and menstrual misery, we often suffer from stomach pain. Ate something bad? Pregnant? These are the five types of stomach ache and tips to do something about it!
Bloated feeling
You feel like there is a real gas explosion going on in your stomach. Something even seems to snap every now and then. You don’t even have to expand your belly to look like you’re about to squeeze a child out of it at any moment. Even your unbuttoned pants provide no relief.
Cause? In nine out of ten cases, a bloated feeling is caused by something you have eaten. A spicy taco, your mother’s stew or that kilo of spicy chips you’ve been eating. The food doesn’t even have to taste that hot to leave a trail of complete havoc in your intestines. This description is not correct, but it does give you a bloated feeling. You may have a sensitivity to a certain food, such as gluten or lactose.
SOS: Unashamedly let the firecracker pop from underneath. In other words: pooping. Even if your boyfriend is nearby or your mother-in-law is visiting, you can retreat to the toilet or take a short walk with your so-called dog. A few good farts will relieve the pain within seconds.
Doctor’s advice: Do you regularly suffer from intestinal cramps? Then pay close attention to your overall diet and add more fiber to your meals. An extra scoop of wheat bran or a bowl of muesli with yogurt in the evening will help stabilize your bowel movements. And eat at a leisurely pace with not too much air. That means: close your mouth when you eat. It sounds crazy, but it can really make a world of difference.
Abdominal and back pain
It is the pain of all pains: menstrual pain. No matter how much Feminax you put through it and how much you live on paracetamol, it comes back happily every month. Really nice, being a woman. Out of sheer misery you spend day after day filling jugs and lying curled up in a fetal position eating your pain away with chocolate.
Cause? Your period is the culprit. Some women have so heavy periods that they almost get a complete hernia from the cramps in their abdomen. That doesn’t even have to do with the amount of blood that drains every month. Menstrual cramps are caused by your uterine wall contracting and your ovaries expelling the unfertilized egg.
SOS: Go for a run! The last thing you want to do is get off the couch, but exercise gives your body a boost and eases the pain. Relaxation exercises (which you can find everywhere on the internet) help if you cannot fall asleep at night due to pain. And of course the good old hot bath is still recommended.
Doctor’s advice: Are your menstrual complaints so persistent that you are almost considering ripping out your uterus yourself? The pill was always the answer, but the NuvaRing, an IUD or Implanon also secrete a certain amount of hormones, so that your period is no longer so intense. An advantage of the last two: some women never get their period again. Huzzah! This way you discover which contraception suits you.
Heavy on the stomach
If you haven’t eaten anything for a while and you treat your growling stomach to a filling lunch, you know that you will have to pay the price later. Because once that filet American sandwich has collapsed, you will get a terrible stomach ache. A heavy feeling that just doesn’t make you feel nauseous.
Cause? It’s clear: you either ate too much, too quickly, or ingested a combination of food that caused a chemical reaction in your digestive system. Either way, you’re in pain. Sometimes this can also cause heartburn, which makes the whole thing even more annoying.
SOS: Do you suffer from heartburn? Drink small amounts of warm milk. The milk counteracts acidification and you will quickly notice relief. A heavy feeling in the stomach? Go for a walk or drink hot tea. That relieves the worst of the pain.
Doctor’s advice: If you continue to have stomach problems in the long term, it is wise to choose foods that are as neutral as possible. No sharp things, not too spicy and not too chemical. Pure products such as fresh fruit (preferably not too sour varieties such as kiwi) and green vegetables will do a lot of work. As a last resort, you can always purchase a good antacid at the pharmacy.
Perpetual abdominal pain
Do you get up in the morning with a stomach ache? And do you also go to bed with it? And do you immediately get persistent stomach cramps when you are in a stressful situation? Then you suffer from stress stomach ache. Insurmountable unfortunately, but it does cause inhibitions in your daily life. Just try to get through a meeting normally or finish that project you’ve been working on for ages with a stomach ache.
Cause? Stress, stress and more stress. Stress is an unhealthy amount of tension. And you feel that tension in your stomach. It is actually a response from your body that says: this far and no further.
SOS: Listen to your body and give yourself some rest. Even if the situation seems hopeless and you really can’t give yourself five minutes of breathing space, do it anyway. You won’t achieve anything if you end up with not only a promotion, but also a burnout from that project. With more peace of mind you can also move more mountains. Working also involves taking a break.
Doctor’s advice: Long-term stress can be seriously harmful to the body. It is very important to take a day off every now and then or to spend an afternoon doing nothing. Do you find that difficult? Try to do it very consciously by going to yoga or doing something with your hands every Saturday afternoon. Work in the garden, put together something fun or give your house a makeover. As long as it’s mindful.
Stabbing pain
A stabbing pain in your stomach is always a moment when you have to be extra alert. It feels like you are being stabbed and you prefer to walk crookedly through the house. It may happen that you feel a twinge in your side after exercising, but if you suffer from this feeling for a long time, definitely go to the doctor. This usually indicates an inflammation, for which you can receive a course of antibiotics.
Cause? A stabbing pain often means that you may be suffering from gallstones, renal pelvis or your appendix. Is the pain mainly in your back and does it bother you most when urinating? Then it could possibly be kidney stones.
SOS: If you have a stabbing pain, take two paracetemol immediately. Build up your level slowly by repeating this three times a day. Eventually the pain should go away. Doesn’t this happen? Then still go to the doctor.
Doctor’s advice: Don’t be afraid to go to the doctor because you fear a scary illness. Usually, a stomach ache means something very harmless, but it can become serious if you don’t do anything about it. So definitely drop by.
