In some cases, there are quite severe pains in the stomach during pregnancy, however, not everyone knows what to do with this. Often, such a manifestation refers to a completely physiological process, but in some cases it can indicate the occurrence of a serious pathology.
If you experience pain, you need to determine the root cause and only then take appropriate measures to conduct treatment.
Feature of the problem
Any organ in the human body can be sick if there is an intense effect on the roots of nerves. Pain in the stomach during pregnancy is a protective element of the entire system, so they report the occurrence of a dangerous manifestation that can impair the functioning of organs and systems. In particular, nerve endings are particularly sensitive to:
- crushing;
- tissue damage;
- environmental change.
Receptors respond to the course of the inflammatory process, thermal effects, mechanical damage to tissues, as well as metabolic and metabolic disorders. Pain can be observed for physiological and pathological reasons. If the physiological pain response is a natural defense, then the psychological is a symptom of the disease.
Stomach pain during pregnancy can have completely different intensity, manifestation and duration. All this depends on the type of pathology, severity, location and size of the lesion.
Causes of occurrence
Often, stomach pain during pregnancy results from an increase in the uterus. As a result, internal organs are somewhat shifted and squeezed, including the intestines and stomach. The natural causes of pain are related to diseases of the intestines and stomach. These problems include:
- binge eating;
- stress
- hungry pains;
- heartburn;
- insufficient or slow secretion of gastric juice;
- muscle tension in the abdominal region.
Strong filling of the stomach slows down the digestion process somewhat, which provokes the occurrence of severity and aching pain of varying intensity. Sharp painful sensations can occur in the first trimester, which is associated with changes in the hormonal balance that occur in the woman's body, as well as toxicosis.
In addition, there may be pathological factors in the formation of gastric pain, since at this time the body is always under stress. As a result of this, a sharp decrease in immunity occurs, the body poorly resists various infections, which increases the risk of various diseases. In addition, during pregnancy, digestive diseases are often greatly exacerbated or appear for the first time.
The cause of stomach pain during pregnancy can be conditions such as:
- exacerbation of gastritis or ulcers;
- malignant tumors;
- polyps;
- traumatic damage to the stomach;
- the penetration of pathogens;
- food poisoning;
- problems with internal organs.
In some cases, the cause of pain can be an allergy. Basically, this problem disappears after childbirth. With lactose deficiency, the consumption of dairy products may cause heaviness in the stomach, as well as pain, accompanied by upset stools and flatulence.
The main symptoms
If the stomach hurts during pregnancy, then it is necessary to determine the main cause of the pain, what may be the accompanying symptoms, as well as the peculiarity of the diagnosis. If pain is observed slightly above the navel or to the left, then this is due to the growth of the uterus. In the presence of intestinal problems, pain is localized below the navel.
Pain can have a wide variety of character and intensity. In addition, the duration of this manifestation must be taken into account. If the stomach hurts during pregnancy in the early stages, then this may indicate the presence of gastritis. In this case, there is significant discomfort, and the aching sensations last a fairly long time. Sharp pain is characteristic for the course of an ulcer. In the presence of gastritis, pain is felt immediately after eating food, especially if you eat fatty or sour foods.
The intensity of painful sensations noticeably increases during a period of significant physical exertion or with disturbances in the nervous system and stresses. It is all these factors that cause severe pain in the presence of ulcers or duodenitis. In the presence of pathologies of the digestive system, the intensity and duration of pain are observed. In addition, such attendant signs should alert as:
- constant severity and discomfort;
- diarrhea or chronic constipation;
- nausea;
- diarrhea with spotting;
- depression;
- worsening of well-being.
If the stomach hurts during pregnancy in the early stages, then you should consult a doctor and conduct a diagnosis and proper treatment so as not to provoke complications.
Pain at different stages of pregnancy
Many people wonder if the stomach can hurt during pregnancy and for what reasons this happens. In the initial stages, this may be due to a sharp increase in the level of sex hormones in the blood. As a result, the digestive organs begin to function much harder to improve the flow of nutrients to the fetus. Pain in the stomach during pregnancy in the early stages can additionally provoke such signs as:
- severity
- loss of appetite;
- nausea.
In addition, during this period toxicosis is observed, which can provoke an exacerbation of gastritis or ulcers, which also causes the onset of pain.
In the second trimester, the uterus begins to grow quite quickly, and squeezes the internal organs. First of all, the intestines begin to suffer, as a result of which the passage of food worsens, the digestion process is disrupted, and feces are accumulated. All this leads to pain.
In the third trimester, the bottom of the uterus reaches the stomach, slightly displaces it and squeezes it. As a result of this, the production of gastric juice is disrupted, food stagnation, severity, sharp, cramping pains are observed. Before the birth, the fetus begins to fall, and the uterus ceases to put pressure on the stomach, so the digestion process should normalize. If pain is observed at 37-39 weeks, then this may indicate the onset of labor.
Sometimes, even after pregnancy, the stomach hurts, as it takes some time to rebuild the body and normalize the hormonal background, however, this can be a sign of a complex disease, therefore, it is necessary to conduct timely diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnostics
If the stomach hurts during pregnancy, what to do, the doctor will not be able to determine before conducting a comprehensive diagnosis and establishing a provoking factor. This requires laboratory and instrumental research. However, before this, the doctor examines the patient, gets acquainted with the history of her illness, in order to have a complete picture of the features of the pathological process.
Diagnostic value is possessed by such laboratory tests as:
- general blood analysis;
- biochemical analysis;
- clinical analysis of urine.
During pregnancy, it is allowed to conduct such types of instrumental examinations as ultrasound diagnostics, gastroscopy, and tomography.
Treatment feature
When there are pains in the stomach during pregnancy, only the attending doctor can determine what to do, since not all drugs and medical procedures are allowed during this period. The therapeutic process must be carried out very carefully, and most importantly, it is important to take into account the peculiarity of its effect on the child. In general, treatment almost completely eliminates surgical exposure and is limited only by conservative methods.
Be sure to treat the underlying disease. With physiological pains, taking medications is possible only if they are very intense. If the discomfort is slight or moderate, then you can do with such means as:
- diet therapy;
- massage;
- gymnastics;
- normalization of the drinking regime.
Symptomatic therapy is aimed at eliminating manifestations such as constipation, diarrhea, and nausea. The most worrying is the pain in the stomach in early pregnancy, since taking almost all medications is contraindicated during this period. Treatment in the 2nd trimester has much less restrictions. During this period, physiotherapy exercises, outdoor walks, and the use of mineral water help a lot. In addition, dietotherapy is considered a good remedy. It is very important to prevent stress and psychological stress.
In the 3rd trimester for treatment, it is best to use traditional medicine, and drugs are taken strictly as prescribed by the doctor.
Drug therapy
Before using any medicine, you need to carefully study the instructions for use, as many drugs are strictly contraindicated. If the stomach hurts very much during pregnancy, the doctor may prescribe No-shpa, Tserukal, Gastrofarm. To reduce the acidity level of gastric juice and anesthetize, you need to take "Maalox".
To reduce the production of hydrochloric acid and prevent bloating, the use of the drug "Gelusillac" is indicated. Prescribing drugs and their dosage can only be done by the attending doctor after examination and making an accurate diagnosis. In addition, he will monitor the treatment and adjust it if necessary.
The use of folk techniques
You can eliminate pain during pregnancy with the help of traditional medicine and homeopathy. However, therapy should be carried out only after consulting a doctor and strictly under his supervision. When gastritis occurs, it is recommended to take decoctions of herbs, in particular, such as yarrow, chamomile, St. John's wort. To prepare a decoction, you need to take 1 tbsp. l herbal, pour it 1 tbsp. boiling water and leave to infuse for 2-3 hours. Then strain the drug and take it several times a day before meals.
You can make teas using medicinal herbs. Mint, motherwort, valerian root, dill, thyme helps to cope with the pains very well. Some of them have a pronounced sedative effect. If there is no allergy, then honey can be added to the prepared broth instead of sugar.
You can also use honey with the addition of aloe juice and take 1 tbsp. l 3 times a day. Eliminate cramps will help such means as:
- fresh potato juice;
- tea with lemon balm;
- tincture of motherwort or flaxseed.
With severe toxicosis, apples and bananas help well. With the course of the inflammatory process, you can take milk with the addition of honey.
It is very important to undergo timely examinations, as this will allow you to detect possible diseases and disorders in the initial stages.
Possible complications
If the stomach hurts during pregnancy in the early stages, you should immediately consult a doctor, as this can be a symptom of dangerous diseases that, if improperly treated, provoke the development of complications. In the first month, the risk of miscarriage is insignificant, much more dangerous if pain is observed before 11 weeks in the central part of the abdomen and is accompanied by bleeding. In such cases, you must immediately consult a doctor.
If soreness is observed during the period of 6-11 weeks of pregnancy, and this condition is accompanied by watery-bloody discharge, then this may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. The degree of danger of a miscarriage decreases slightly in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. The danger of a late miscarriage can be for a period of 13-24 weeks, if bloody discharge is additionally observed.
A great danger during the bearing of a child is food poisoning. In this case, the pain occurs approximately 30-45 minutes after the consumption of poor-quality food. In the early stages of pregnancy, this can lead to dehydration and increases the risk of thrombosis. The most dangerous is mushroom poisoning, since toxic substances penetrate the placenta and affect the development of the fetus.
Prophylaxis
To avoid the occurrence of pain in the stomach during pregnancy, it is necessary to carry out such preventive measures:
- to refuse from bad habits;
- eat right;
- avoid stress and physical stress;
- minimize drug intake;
- more often to be in the fresh air.
It is very important to visit the gynecologist in a timely manner and, at the slightest change in well-being, consult a doctor for qualified help.