- 1. Excess gases
- 2. Poor digestion
- 3. Ovulation pain
- 4. Pregnancy
- 5. Constipation
- When to go to the doctor
Abdominal discomfort can be caused by an inadequate diet, which causes the accumulation of gases in the intestine and can even cause constipation.
When abdominal discomfort is caused by acute pain, which does not go away, and the belly is swollen in total, or located in a small region, it can be accumulated gases. Other possibilities include poor digestion, constipation, as well as pain during ovulation or may even be a symptom of pregnancy.
The following are some possible causes of abdominal discomfort:
1. Excess gases
In the case of gases, the discomfort arises after a meal, especially if there was a mixture of high fiber foods with fatty foods.
What to do: walk, drink lots of water and choose to eat cooked vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains, which are great tips for those suffering from abdominal discomfort caused by gases. If after defecating and eliminating some gases the abdominal discomfort does not disappear completely, it is best to see a doctor, as this discomfort may be the symptom of another disease or more serious gastrointestinal disorder.
2. Poor digestion
If the discomfort affects the upper abdomen, it is possible that it is poor digestion, which causes a feeling of fullness, or a bloated stomach, in addition to belching, heartburn and the feeling that you have just eaten, when the last meal was more than 2 hours. See other symptoms that help identify a case of poor digestion.
What to do: in addition to a change in diet, you can make use of medications, such as fruit salt and milk of magnesia, or ingestion of teas, such as bilberry and fennel. The persistence of poor digestion for long periods should be investigated by a gastroenterologist and thus assess whether there is any other disease of the gastrointestinal tract associated with discomfort.
3. Ovulation pain
Some women may experience pain or discomfort in the pelvic area during ovulation. Thus, in one month she may experience pain on the left side, and the following month she may experience pain on the right side, depending on the ovary she is ovulating. Although this is not always related to a disease, the presence of a large volume ovarian cyst can be the cause of the greatest discomfort.
What to do: placing a hot water compress on the painful area can relieve discomfort in a short time. If you have colic, take a colic remedy, which can be an anti-spasmodic or anti-inflammatory, and be a more effective way to feel better.
4. Pregnancy
Feeling a certain discomfort in the uterine region can happen early in pregnancy in some women who are more sensitive.
What to do: To confirm the pregnancy, you must do a pregnancy test that you buy at the pharmacy or blood test. You should be suspicious if you are of childbearing age and have had unprotected sex during the childbearing period and there is a delay in menstruation. Know how to calculate when your fertile period is.
5. Constipation
Going without a bowel movement for more than 3 days can cause discomfort in the abdominal area, but this symptom may appear earlier in people who are in the habit of having a bowel movement daily or more than 1 time a day.
What to do: The ideal is to drink more water and ingest a greater amount of fiber to increase the fecal cake. Foods like papaya, figs, prunes, orange with bagasse and unsweetened plain yogurt are natural laxatives. In addition, you can add sunflower seeds to salads or a cup of yogurt to loosen the intestines naturally. When that is not enough, you can take a laxative like lacto-purga or dulcolax, for example.
When to go to the doctor
A medical consultation is recommended, going to the health center or hospital, if you present:
- Abdominal pain that gets worse every day; If the pain is always present even at night; If you have vomit, urine or bloody stools; If the discomfort has been present for more than 1 month, without apparent cause.
In this case, the doctor will be able to observe the appearance and palpation of the abdomen and order tests such as colonoscopy, if you suspect gastrointestinal changes, if you suspect changes in the stomach, you can order an upper digestive endoscopy or if there is a suspicion of changes in the functioning of any organ, you can order a ultrasound, for example.
