For as many as 35 to 70 percent of people, stress goes right to their stomach at some point in their lives, Harvard Health Publications reports. Stomach pain caused by stress, called functional abdominal pain, has no identifiable physical cause. While stress can exacerbate abdominal pain caused by physical disorders such as ulcers, it doesn't cause them. Women experience stress-related functional abdominal pain more often than men.
Causes
When you're stressed, your body turns on certain neurotransmitters that initiate physical reactions. The sympathetic nervous system activates "flight or flight" reactions in situations that your mind perceives as dangerous or harmful, slowing digestion and diverting blood away from the abdomen to the brain and other, more vital organs. Once the perceived danger passes, the parasympathetic system calms the body down. Both systems interact with the enteric system, which controls the digestive tract. The reactions that occur can cause stomach pain or symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation. Pain may occur more frequently after eating because the intestinal tract becomes more active right after you eat.
Symptoms
Stress-related stomach pain after eating often manifests itself as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, a condition that affects as many as 58 million Americans, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. For some reason, people with IBS have a hyperactive gut, with stress being one of the triggers. Diarrhea or constipation accompanied by abdominal pain or bloating may indicate IBS, which responds to lifestyle changes and medication. Stomach pain after eating may also indicate that you have a stomach ulcer, which needs medical evaluation and treatment. Bacteria, not stress, causes stomach ulcers, but stress can worsen the pain.
Treatments
Treatment depends on the cause, but if no cause is found, reducing stress with biofeedback or relaxation techniques may help. Anti-anxiety drugs may help reduce abdominal symptoms by decreasing stress reactions. Antidepressants may also help reduce pain sensations. Antispasmodics, medications that relax the bowel, can help reduce stomach pain as well as diarrhea.
Prevention
Modifying behaviors can decrease stomach pain after eating related to stress. Eating slowly, avoiding carbonated beverages, which can cause gas and bloating, adding more fiber to your diet and staying away from artificial sugars such as sorbitol, which can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea may also help. Up to 40 percent of people with IBS have lactose intolerance and should avoid dairy products, notes the American College of Gastroenterology. Other potential triggers for stomach pain may include gas-producing foods such as onions, beans, cabbage or broccoli. People react differently to different foods, so knowing your trigger foods helps you avoid them. Keeping a food diary can pinpoint trigger foods. Cognitive behavior therapy and hypnosis help some people with persistent functional stomach pain.
