Diagnosis
Especially in the case of stomach cramps in combination with nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, the underlying disease should be diagnosed promptly. The first step in the search for the cause of stomach cramps and nausea is a detailed doctor-patient consultation (anamnesis). During this conversation the exact location of the stomach cramps should be clarified.
It is also important to discuss the temporal relationship between food intake and the occurrence of the symptoms. The affected patient will also be asked about other symptoms.The anamnesis interview is usually followed by a physical examination instead of an examination of the abdomen for pressure pain. In addition, an auscultation (listening with a stethoscope) of all bowel segments is performed.
If the findings are unclear, the attending physician will then perform an ultrasound examination of the abdomen. With this procedure many of the possible underlying diseases can be diagnosed without any radiation exposure. Especially in children, a blood test should be performed in case of stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Especially an increase in white blood cells (leukocytes) and the inflammation parameter CRP can indicate whether the disease is bacterially or virally induced. Furthermore, due to the sometimes enormous loss of fluid, a so-called blood gas analysis (BGA) should be carried out. With the help of this blood analysis, a possible derailment of the acid-base balance can be detected early and then treated.
Stomach cramps that occur with nausea but without vomiting
Vomiting is a reflex of the body. It occurs, for example, when toxic substances are ingested, which lead to irritation of the stomach lining. The vomiting center in the brain is then activated.
This leads to gag reflex and finally to vomiting. In this way the body tries to get rid of any harmful substance. So if stomach cramps and nausea occur without vomiting, it is not to be assumed that there is an external irritation or intolerance, but rather an internal cause of the complaints, which does not necessarily lead to severe irritation of the stomach lining.
Complaints without vomiting often occur with gallstones. The bile helps in the digestion of fats. If gallstones block the path of the bile into the digestive tract, fats can no longer be digested properly and this leads to stomach cramps and nausea.
Another possible cause is the irritable stomach syndrome called functional dyspepsia. Here, digestive problems are caused in particular by psychological factors such as stress and restlessness, which initially occur independently of the problems coming from the stomach. These can be accompanied by increased production of gastric acid and thus attack the stomach lining.
These complaints can be well described with the expression “This hits me in the stomach! In general, it should always be remembered that each person has a different nausea. Therefore, the same diseases of the digestive tract that lead to stomach cramps and nausea can occur in some people with vomiting or without vomiting.
