Post-meal stomach pain may cause physical and social discomfort. A variety of factors influence abdominal pain after you eat and they may be interfering with your health and personal well-being. If pain occurs regularly after you finish eating, contact your doctor for a medical evaluation and to determine the most appropriate course of action.
Gas
Adults typically produce one to four pints of gas each day and the average adult passes gas nearly 14 times a day, reports the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, NDDIC. Foods affect people differently, but certain foods increase gas production. Beans, lactose, sorbitol, fructose, corn, pasta, peas and high fibers foods all contribute to gas. After you finish a meal, the food travels to your small intestines for digestion and absorption. Certain foods, including certain starches, carbohydrates and fibers resist break down. Your small intestines sends the food to your large intestines where bacteria breaks the food into vapors, which your body releases as gas. Post-meal gas may cause abdominal pain, discomfort and bloating.
Indigestion
Dyspepsia, or indigestion, refers to post-meal feelings of fullness that present as a burning pain in your upper abdominal region. Indigestion's cause is unknown, but it is linked to abnormal contracting and relaxing movements of the small intestines during reception, digestion and movement of food. Refraining from smoking and drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks may reduce the occurrence of indigestion. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking antacids to relieve indigestion.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS consists of a group of physical symptoms which include bloating, gas, abdominal pain, stomach cramping, diarrhea and constipation. IBS patients experience heightened nerve and muscle sensitivity in their colons while eating food. Excessive colon contractions while eating and digesting food lead to post-meal pain and additional symptoms, including whitish mucous in your stool. Milk products, ice cream, fatty foods, caffeine, carbonation and chocolate all aggravate symptoms of IBS. Gradually increasing the amount of fiber in your diet may relieve constipation and eating small meals may reduce post-meal abdominal pain. Talk to your doctor about antispasmodics, which help control colon spasms.
Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease is a genetic "inflammatory bowel disease" that causes inflammation of your digestive, or gastrointestinal tract. NDDIC reports that Crohn's disease is linked to abnormal functioning of the immune system. The immune system fails to recognize certain foods and bacterias and classifies and reacts to them as foreign invaders. White blood cells accumulate in the intestines lining to fight the "invaders" and cause inflammation. The inflammation typically demonstrates as pain in the lower right region of your stomach. Treatment includes certain anti-inflammation drugs and nutritional therapy.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Gas in the Digestive Tract
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Indigestion
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: What I Need to Know About Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Crohn's Disease
- MedlinePlus: Gas
