Unfortunately, most people do not take seriously discomfort and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, pushing this problem to the background. Instead of going to the doctor, they begin to self-medicate, flee to the nearest pharmacy and require "magic" drugs, which are endlessly discussed in advertising. Only having improved his health a little, a person again makes the same mistakes that lead to the same consequences.
The causes of pain in the stomach after eating are diverse, and in order to get rid of discomfort, it is necessary to determine the factors that cause it.
What does discomfort mean?
First of all, frequent discomfort reduces the quality of life, worsens the condition of the skin and contributes to hair loss. And the worst thing is that these may be the first signs of stomach cancer. Any problems with the gastrointestinal tract adversely affect the state of the pancreas, liver and gall bladder. If heaviness is observed in the stomach after eating, the causes and treatment may be different.
Each section of the digestive system has a different level of acidity. If a malfunction occurs somewhere, then food that is not completely digested irritates the intestinal wall. Pain, nausea, vomiting and increased gas formation prevent a person from living a normal, full life. Such experiences affect the mental state, provoking the occurrence of stress and depression.
Causes of discomfort
In most cases, with the exception of chronic and acute diseases, after eating, heaviness in the stomach and belching result from a violation of the diet and a sedentary lifestyle.
One of the main causes of discomfort is failure to comply with the diet. Refusal of breakfast, feast, overeating at night and fast snacks necessarily lead to a malfunction of the digestive system, resulting in heartburn, belching, flatulence.
Everyone knows that eating 2-3 hours before bedtime is not recommended. But still, most people violate this correctly and eat plentifully at bedtime, ignoring the fact that our entire body sleeps at night, including the stomach. Often there is a state of heaviness in the stomach after eating, belching, which does not pass until the morning.
A heavy meal diet disrupts the digestive tract. The abundance of fats, proteins or carbohydrates and their improper combination lead to dyspepsia. If you do not start treatment on time and do not adjust the correct diet, then soon chronic diseases may occur.
Frequent stresses, conflicts and nervous breakdowns often affect digestion. A sedentary lifestyle and frequent stay in the same position slow down the motility of the gastrointestinal tract. This applies to drivers, office workers and other people who sit in the same place for hours.
A slightly different situation develops during pregnancy. After eating, heaviness in the stomach and belching can occur due to changes in hormonal levels. An increased level of hydrochloric acid causes heartburn and bloating, which most often happens in the last months of pregnancy.
Often the causes of discomfort are acute and chronic diseases. This can be gastritis with low or high acidity (superficial, hypertrophic, atrophic), a stomach or duodenal ulcer, reflux esophagitis, Helicobacter pylori, and many other diseases.
Peptic ulcer
Pain in the epigastric region is often a symptom of a stomach ulcer. It can be insignificant, and a person does not pay attention to it, or vice versa, it is very pronounced and intense.
The pain is related to eating. But it does not occur immediately, but about 2 hours after eating. Heaviness in the stomach and belching are also characteristic of stomach ulcers. Manifestations may be the following:
- Constant heartburn and belching.
- Heaviness in the stomach.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- A sharp decrease in body weight.
Bacterial infection. Helicobacteriosis
Helicobacter bacteria are pathogenic microscopic organisms that are common not only in the environment, but also in the human body. They cause abnormal processes in the gastric mucosa, increasing the level of hydrochloric acid and activating inflammatory processes.
Symptoms
As a rule, symptoms indicating the presence of a bacterial infection are expressed by pain after eating, heaviness in the stomach and belching appear even on an empty stomach. If a person takes a horizontal position, then aching pain in the epigastric region and belching of food may begin to bother him.
In the presence of the above symptoms, the patient must pass a test analysis for the presence of Helicobacter pylori. This can be a blood chemistry test, a breath test and endoscopy.
Reflux esophagitis. Symptoms and treatment
Almost always, reflux disease manifests itself in the form of heartburn, pain when swallowing and sour belching. Many people do not pay attention to this, believing that there is nothing wrong with these sensations.
Abundant salivation after eating and heaviness indicate the presence of gastrointestinal reflux. Such salivation is not gastric contents, but the saliva secreted by the glands. If after eating heaviness in the stomach and belching, air could enter the body with food. Also, after some time, heartburn may begin.
In fact, if heaviness and belching occurs after eating, gastroenterology knows how to determine the cause. In no case should such signals be ignored. Be sure to consult a doctor and undergo a diagnostic examination in order to exclude the presence of a malignant tumor. If it is not found, then treatment continues under inpatient conditions. In the worst case, you have to resort to surgical intervention.
Stomach pain with allergies and food intolerances
Some patients have congenital intolerance to certain products, most often such as milk sugar. When a patient consumes milk or dairy products, he may have a feeling of heaviness in his stomach, belching. Lactose intolerance manifests itself in childhood. A food allergy can also cause aching pain in the stomach.
How to avoid discomfort in the stomach?
If you do not have chronic diseases, then simply avoid those facts that provoke discomfort. If the causes of pain in the stomach after eating lie in acute and chronic diseases, hurry to the doctor without delay. After a thorough examination, he will identify the diagnosis and prescribe treatment for you.
- Normalize your eating regimen. Every morning you must begin with a full breakfast.
- Exercise in the morning at least 15 minutes before breakfast. This will help wake the body and improve motor skills.
- Try to be mobile. Walk to work if possible, this will only benefit your peristalsis.
- Conduct less experimentation with unfamiliar foods and consume an acceptable amount of foods purchased at catering establishments.
- Protect yourself from stress and conflict situations, because it also negatively affects digestion.
Treatment
Treatment of any disease should begin with a diagnosis so that the gastroenterologist can make the correct diagnosis. Indeed, simple discomfort, which seems temporary and insignificant to you, can turn out to be a whole pathology. Therefore, self-medication is highly discouraged.
Dieting is far from last. In the first three days, it is better to refuse food. Drink more water and do not give your body exorbitant physical activity. Three days after the exacerbation, begin to gradually introduce light foods into your diet. Eat five meals a day in small portions, this will reduce the load on the entire gastrointestinal tract and will contribute to your recovery.