Extreme stomach pain after eating may be the result of food poisoning if it's an isolated event. If you consistently experience severe stomach pain after eating, you need to talk to your doctor about testing for other conditions. Extreme stomach pain is related to inflammation and swelling in the gut that causes cramping, bloating, diarrhea and pain. Write down the foods you've eaten in the last few days and discuss your symptoms with your doctor to determine the cause.
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning occurs when you eat or drink something that has bacteria, toxins, viruses or parasites in it. Severe stomach pain is one of the first symptoms that will develop, followed by vomiting, diarrhea and nausea. The symptoms can develop in as little as a few hours, but sometimes you may not experience any reactions for a few days. Your doctor may want to test your vomit or stool to determine if you have food poisoning. Food poisoning can be prevented in certain situations by washing your hands before handling foods, cooking meats and seafood thoroughly and not eating leftovers.
IBS, Food Intolerance and Allergies
Other conditions to take into consideration if the extreme stomach pain is consistent are irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, food intolerance or a food allergy. The common condition of IBS mainly affects the colon and the digestive tract. Stomach pain is a symptom that develops shortly after eating if you have IBS. Food intolerance is a malfunction of the digestive system to produce enough enzymes to properly break down the proteins and sugars in foods. A food allergy is different from intolerance, because it is a reaction of your immune system that will cause such signs as hives, shortness of breath and facial swelling in addition to digestive symptoms.
Elimination Diet
An elimination diet may be recommended to determine the foods that are causing the severe pain. An elimination diet is not intended to diagnose a condition but rather it is used to identify certain foods to which you experience adverse reactions. Under your doctor's supervision, remove all suspected foods for up to two weeks. One at a time, reintroduce each suspect food and record the reactions you experience. Discuss your findings with your doctor.
Warning
If you develop severe pain that affects your ability to function, call your doctor and go to the emergency room. Other alarming signs are blood in your stool, difficulty breathing or fever.
