A "cramp" describes non-serious abdominal pain. It's not unusual for cramps to be followed or accompanied by gas, bloating and diarrhea. If your pain lasts longer than 24 hours, if it's recurring or chronic, and you develop a fever, MedlinePlus suggests contacting your physician right away.
Abdominal Pain
Emergency room visits for non-injury related abdominal pain increased nearly 32 percent between 1999 and 2008, notes the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adding that abdominal pain is among the most common reasons Americans over the age of 14 go to the Emergency Room. At some point, almost everyone experiences abdominal pain, and it's typically not a serious problem. If you begin experiencing belly cramps while eating, it's possible that you have a digestive disease that is being exacerbated through the eating process.
Digestive Diseases
An estimated 70 million Americans are affected by digestive disorders, causing nearly 60 million doctor visits each year, according to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website. Digestive disorders can affect people of any age, but occur more frequently in those over the age of 60. They can occur at any time -- starting when food enters your mouth until it leaves your body through your bowels. Some of the most common digestive disorder that can cause abdominal pain while you're eating include gastritis and gastric ulcers, pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, colitis and others.
Food Causes
If you have abdominal pain when eating certain foods, causes may include Celiac disease, food poisoning, gas, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance or the stomach flu, suggests MayoClinic.com. Lactose intolerance and fructose malabsorption are similar conditions in that they affect people who are missing certain enzymes that help digest food. Symptoms of Celiac disease, which include painful cramping in the abdomen, can occur if you eat gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies and any foods that contain wheat, barely or rye. If you are lactose intolerant, you can develop painful cramps if you eat dairy products such as milk, cheese and ice cream. Those who have fructose malabsorption can develop painful symptoms while eating foods containing fructose -- fruit, sweetened beverages and processed foods with high fructose corn syrup, for example.
Inflammatory Conditions
Inflammatory conditions are not caused by food, but can worsen when you eat. A peptic ulcer is an open sore on the inside lining of the stomach, intestine or esophagus. The most common symptom is abdominal pain. While stress, long-term use of alcohol and pain medications can cause a peptic ulcer, eating can irritate the sores and cause cramp-like pain in your abdomen. Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a condition that affects the colon and digestive tract. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse explains that while the cause of IBS is unknown, food plays a role in the severity of symptoms. Fatty foods, dairy products, chocolate, and beverages with caffeine or carbonation can cause a flare-up.
Considerations
Treatment of your condition depends on your other symptoms. If you experience constipation, meaning that you move your bowels fewer than once every three days, adding fiber to your diet can improve symptoms. On the other hand, if you have diarrhea, gas and bloating, you may need less fiber in your diet. Keep track of which foods cause your stomach cramps to see if there is a pattern. If you develop pain while eating fruit and sweetened processed foods, you could be sensitive to fructose. You may be lactose intolerant if dairy products cause your painful cramps.
References
- MedlinePlus: Abdominal Pain
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Emergency Department Visits for Chest Pain and Abdominal Pain
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Digestive Disorders on Common Gastrointestinal Diseases
- American College of Gastroenterology: Abdominal Pain Syndromes
- Mayo Clinic: Symptom Checker
