Abdominal pain and nausea after eating
If abdominal pain and nausea occur after eating, this can be the result of excessive food intake. In this case, the complaints occur after eating too much or eating very fatty foods. Typically, the symptoms are accompanied by a feeling of fullness and, due to their genesis, can be regarded as having no disease value.
Abdominal pain after eating can also be a symptom of heartburn (GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease). In this disease, too much gastric acid is produced, which can damage the oesophagus and stomach by burping. Especially the esophagus is damaged in this process, as it is lined with an acid-sensitive surface.
The reflux disease becomes symptomatic by strongest pain in the upper abdomen and chest region, which has a burning character. The primary drug therapy of heartburn includes proton pump inhibitors, which inhibit the formation of stomach acid. In addition, general measures help to alleviate the symptoms.
For example, avoiding spicy foods or abstaining from alcohol has a positive effect. In addition, no more food should be taken shortly before going to bed, because the vertical component of gravity, which is missing when lying down, can no longer prevent the stomach acid from flowing back into the oesophagus and thus promotes the occurrence of reflux. Furthermore, an inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) can be the cause of abdominal pain and nausea immediately after eating.
This is also caused by increased acid production, for example as a result of an imbalance between factors responsible for the production of protective substances and those that stimulate acid production. The occurrence of gastritis is encouraged by the presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. This strongly stimulates the production of gastric acid and thus leads to damage of the gastric mucosa, which can manifest itself in abdominal pain and nausea.
In this case, the gastritis is treated with antibiotics in addition to the proton pump inhibitors. Abdominal pain after eating can also be caused by food intolerance, often accompanied by flatulence and diarrhoea. Once such intolerance has been diagnosed by a doctor, it can be easily controlled by avoiding the relevant foods. Another reason for nausea and abdominal pain after eating is food poisoning, whereby the symptoms usually disappear on their own within a day. Furthermore, bloated food can cause complaints after eating.
Stomach ache and diarrhoea after eating
Abdominal pain and diarrhoea after eating can have various causes. Regardless of the underlying disease, if they occur frequently, they can cause fear of eating and loss of appetite, leading to malnutrition. Because this can have a lasting effect on health, it is important to consult a physician early on after a meal to clarify any recurring complaints.
A common clinical picture causing such symptoms is food intolerance. In the western world, it is mainly the intolerance of lactose in milk and gluten in wheat products as well as the allergic reaction to proteins such as histamine that are common. Another important disease that can lead to gastrointestinal problems after eating is irritable bowel syndrome.
Although it is not dangerous, it is a complex and often very stressful disease. The cause of the irritable bowel has not been completely clarified to date, and the therapy is very varied depending on the form. If the abdominal pain and diarrhoea occur over several months or are unusually severe, serious and possibly life-threatening diseases can be responsible for the symptoms. These include, for example, calcification of vessels in the intestines, which progresses slowly and intensifies the symptoms mentioned above over the years. Chronic, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, as well as a stomach ulcer, can also cause gastrointestinal complaints after eating and can become life-threatening without appropriate therapy.
