The irritable stomach is colloquially known as nervous stomach and technically known as functional dyspepsia. In Germany about 10 to 20% of the people suffer from it. The term irritable stomach is used to describe various complaints of the upper abdomen, which are often very unspecific.
These include for example a feeling of fullness, stomach pain or nausea. However, there are no recognizable or known organic causes for the complaints. In a sense, the digestive system has its own brain. Emotional stress situations such as stress or sadness are registered and the stomach can react to them by causing various complaints.
Causes
So far, the exact causes of a irritable stomach are not yet known. Since the diagnosis in patients with irritable stomachs is inconspicuous, it has been assumed until now that there is no organic cause for an irritable stomach. Therefore, there is neither an inflammation nor any other disease of the stomach that could explain the symptoms.
In patients who have a irritable stomach, the nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract is very sensitive to stimuli. In addition, there is also gastric acid, which can cause pain. Likewise, the stomach of these people often reacts very sensitively to stress and other psychological factors.
Aggravated stomach complaints typically occur more frequently in emotionally stressful situations. It is also suspected that increased activity of the stomach muscles could be the trigger. The increased contraction of the muscles can cause complaints in the form of stomach cramps.
Decreased activity of the stomach muscles can also cause an irritated stomach if the food pulp remains in the stomach for too long. Likewise, diet and lifestyle have a considerable influence on the stomach and general well-being. Foods containing fat and sugar, coffee, alcohol and cigarettes can damage the stomach in the long term and lead to discomfort.
Diagnosis
In order to diagnose irritable stomach or irritable bowel syndrome, other organic diseases of the stomach must be excluded. It is therefore very important to carry out a thorough examination so that no disease, such as gastritis or peptic ulcer, is overlooked. In addition to the physical examination, the blood and stool should also be examined so that any abnormalities can be detected.
In addition, an ultrasound examination of the abdomen and a gastroscopy are usually carried out so that other diseases can be ruled out with certainty. It is often helpful to keep a diary of the symptoms that occur in order to make a diagnosis. In this way, it is possible to identify the situations in which the complaints are more pronounced and whether they are caused by certain foods, for example. Stomach cramps after eating could also be caused by intolerances. If the stomach complaints persist for more than three months and are without a recognizable cause, they are called irritable stomachs.
