Although many use the term stomachache to describe pain in the abdominal region, the pain may or may not have anything to do with the stomach. The abdomen contains many organs of the digestive system, including the stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, pancreas as well as other organs such as the kidneys, spleen and appendix. Conditions affecting any organ within the abdomen can cause mild to moderate pain that patients may describe as a stomachache.
Constipation
Doctors define constipation as the occurrence of a bowel movement fewer than three times a week, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Constipation occurs when the muscle contractions of the colon become disrupted. When the muscles of the colon wall contract too slowly or too weakly, the movement of the stool slows. Because the colon absorbs water from the stool, the stool remaining in the colon for too long allows too much water to be absorbed, leaving the stool hard and dry and decreasing its ability to move even farther. Constipation causes abdominal discomfort that may be described as a stomachache.
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning, also known as food-borne illness, occurs when a person ingests food contaminated with bacteria, viruses or parasites. Contamination usually results from improper food handling, improper cooking or food being held at improper temperatures. Once ingested, the organism can cause illness within a few hours or it may begin days later, according to MayoClinic.com. Food poisoning causes abdominal pain and stomach cramps usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, fatigue and fever.
Ulcers
An ulcer, or an open sore, can occur anywhere along the digestive tract, including the esophagus, the stomach and the small intestine. Although doctors used to believe that stomach ulcers, known as gastric ulcers, resulted from stress, they now realize that ulcers occur due to an infection from the bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori. The bacteria damage the mucus membrane of the stomach allowing stomach acid to penetrate into the sensitive lining, causing irritation that leads to an ulcer. A stomach ulcer causes a stomachache that may feel severe enough to awaken the patient during the night. The stomachache may feel worse when eating or drinking as the presence of food particles increases the irritation.
Gallstones
The gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ in the upper abdominal region, stores a substance produced by the liver known as bile. Bile, which contains water, cholesterol, bile salts, proteins and bilirubin, helps with the breakdown of fats in the small intestine. When the bile contains too much cholesterol or bilirubin and not enough salts, or when the gallbladder fails to empty completely, substances can fall out of the solution forming small stones. These stones can block the flow of bile and inhibit the digestion of fats. A blocked bile duct can cause a steady pain in the upper right side of the abdomen that lasts from 30 minutes to hours, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. The steadiness of the pain leads patients to describe it as a stomachache.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Constipation
- MayoClinic.com: Food Poisoning
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Ulcers -- What You Can Do to Heal Your Ulcer
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: H. Pylori and Peptic Ulcers
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Gallstones
