Abdominal discomfort can be caused by improper eating, which causes gas to accumulate in the intestine and may even lead to constipation.
When abdominal discomfort is caused by a sharp pain that does not pass, and the belly becomes swollen altogether, or located in a small region, they may be accumulated gases. Other possibilities include poor digestion, constipation, as well as pain during ovulation or even may be a symptom of pregnancy.
The following are some possible causes of abdominal discomfort:
1. Gases
In the case of gas the discomfort arises after a meal, especially if there was mixture of foods rich in fibers, with fatty foods.
- What to do: Walking, drinking lots of water and choosing to eat with boiled vegetables, fruit grains and whole grains are great tips for anyone who suffers from abdominal discomfort caused by gas. If after disgorging and eliminating some gases, abdominal discomfort does not disappear completely, it is best to seek a doctor, as this discomfort can be the symptom of another disease or more severe gastrointestinal disorder.
2. Poor digestion
If the discomfort affects the upper abdomen, it is possible to be poor digestion, which causes full belly sensation, or stomach stuffed, in addition to belching and feeling that you just ate when the last meal was more than 2 hours ago.
- What to do: To improve digestion you can eat 1 pear or 1 apple without peel and take small sips of cold water.
3. Ovulation Pain
Some women may have pain in the ovary that is ovulating. Thus, in one month she may have pain on the left side, and in the following month she may have pain on the right side. Although this is not always related to some disease, the presence of some cyst in the ovary may be the cause of the greatest discomfort.
- What to do: Putting a hot water compress on the sore area can relieve discomfort in no time. If there are cramps, taking a cramp remedy, which should be an anti-spasm, may 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 more sensitive women.
- What to do: To confirm pregnancy you should take a pregnancy test that you buy at the pharmacy, but you can be suspicious if you are of childbearing age and have had sex during the fertile time. Learn to calculate when your fertile time is.
5. Constipation
Being without a bowel movement for more than 3 days may cause some discomfort in the abdominal area but this symptom may first appear in people who have a habit of evacuating daily or more than once a day.
- What to do: The ideal is to drink more water and ingest a greater amount of fiber to increase the faecal cake. Foods like papaya, fig, dried black plum, orange with bagasse and natural yogurt without sugar are natural laxatives. In addition you can add sunflower seeds in the salads or in a glass of yogurt to loosen the intestine naturally. When this is not enough, one may take a laxative such as lacto-purga or dulcolax, for example.
When to go to the doctor
A medical consultation is recommended, going to the health post or hospital if you present:
- Abdominal pain that worsens every day;
- If the pain is always present even at night;
- If you have vomiting, urine or bloody stools;
- If discomfort is present for more than 1 month, no apparent cause.
In this case the doctor may observe the appearance of the abdomen and ask for tests such as colonoscopy, if you are suspicious of gastrointestinal changes, if you suspect that stomach changes may require a high digestive endoscopy or if there is a suspicion of a change in the functioning of an organ you may ask for an ultrasound, for example.