Your stomach ache can be due to many different causes: overeating, too heavy food, or even diseases and conditions at the digestive level. To solve the question of why my stomach hurts when, we must take into account certain aspects of our diet and observe if it happens to us constantly, often or rarely.
In the following FastlyHealarticle, we will talk about pain in the pit of the stomach after eating, the causes that usually cause it, the ways to avoid it, and some remedies to relieve it.
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Stomach pain from eating too fast
Pain in the pit of the stomach is not alien to anyone. We have all suffered indigestion at some point, and we have felt this pain in the chest. This is not a disease but a symptom of another condition or a specific digestive problem. Taking into account the different causes that can cause it, it is essential to be attentive to the moments and forms in which it appears since, in this way, we can identify the exact cause and initiate timely treatment.
The leading cause of stomach and chest pain when eating is due to eating too quickly. So that our stomach can assimilate food correctly, it must be able to do it little by little, so if we swallow too fast, the food is not chewed correctly and, consequently, our stomach has to work too hard.
Likewise, if we eat too fast, along with food, air enters our stomach, another factor that can cause pain.
Stomach pain from indigestion
A poor diet is another possible cause of pain in the pit of the stomach when eating, primarily when it does not occur regularly. If we eat heavy foods that are difficult to digest, the stomach has to work much harder to metabolize them, which causes pain and other associated symptoms such as heartburn or gas.
Some of the foods that cause pain in the pit of the stomach and that should be avoided are:
- Fatty food.
- Precooked foods.
- Red meat
- Built-in.
- Spicy foods
- Alcohol.
- Sweet.
- Fizzy drinks
On the contrary, it is always advisable to opt for other types of products that are lighter and easier to digest, which help your stomach metabolize them without entailing these painful consequences. These foods are:
- White meats.
- Fish.
- Vegetables.
- Fruit.
Likewise, the way you cook and the way you cook will also influence your digestion. It is preferable to opt for the iron, steam, or oven rather than frying.
Food poisoning
But not only does the nature of the product you eat influence your digestion, but its state is also essential to digest it usually. This, which may seem obvious, is one of the main reasons for indigestion, and many times we are not aware of it because it does not always have to change the taste of food.
Eating a portion of food in a terrible condition, known medically as food poisoning, is one of the main reasons for medical emergencies concerning stomach health and is usually due to the ingestion of contaminated products that do not meet the best conditions for human consumption.
In addition to pain in the pit of the stomach, which is one of the first symptoms to appear, it also usually appears:
- Sickness.
- Vomiting
- Stitches in the belly with sharp pain.
- Diarrhea.
Some of the products that cause more food poisoning and with which we must be more careful are:
- Eggs.
- Raw meats
- Raw fish.
- Shellfish
- Soft cheeses.
- Unwashed fruits and vegetables.
- Milk.
Why does my stomach hurt: I am pregnant
But it is not always that our stomach hurts that it has to be related to what we eat or the way we do it, but it can also be due to imbalances and internal conditions of our body.
The pain in the mouth of the stomach in pregnancy is widespread, especially in recent months. As the baby grows, the uterus does too, displacing some of the internal organs, affecting the digestive system. One of the most typical manifestations of pregnancy is nausea and indigestion, burning, and pain in the stomach and chest.
The best way to prevent it is to change the diet, making the work of our stomach easier, for example, choosing low-fat products and eating in small amounts but more distributed throughout the day.
Medicines that give stomach pain
Another aspect that we must be alert to and that could cause our pain when eating is our medication. Many drugs count stomach pain as one of their main side effects. Ibuprofen is undoubtedly the most popular, but so are certain antibiotics, iron supplements, stool softeners, or even aspirin.
Stomach pain from nerves
Although it is related to factors that we have already explained previously, it is essential to know that anxiety, stress, or nerves can cause pain in the pit of the stomach when eating. The fact is that when we are in an anxious state, it is expected that we swallow faster, without chewing and that we have a tendency to lean toward high-fat products. All this produces a cocktail that ends with indigestion and pain in the stomach and chest.
Also, tummy ache is one of the most common symptoms of anxiety. It is said that the stomach is our second brain, and it is said that most psychological and stress problems are manifested in this organ. Where do you think the expression to have nerves in the stomach comes from?
Irritable bowel
Logically, chest pain when eating can also be due to digestive conditions, which we will discuss below. In these cases, consultation with a doctor becomes more than necessary since most require treatment.
The first of these conditions is irritable bowel, a disease in which both the colon and the intestine become inflamed, something that can cause symptoms such as:
- Times of constipation.
- Times of diarrhea.
- Vomiting
- Sickness.
- Sharp stomach pains.
This is a chronic disease that is closely linked to stress and anxiety levels, so it is recommended to carry out tricks to cure anxiety so that we can alleviate the symptoms of irritable bowel.
Stomach ulcer
We are often not aware of all the processes in our bodies. In the case of the stomach, every time we eat, gastric juices come into operation, highly acidic liquids that dissolve food so that our body can process it. Under normal conditions, our stomach is covered by mucosa that protects it from these juices. However, if this fails, they can produce a wound in the stomach known as a stomach ulcer.
Pain in the chest and stomach is one of the main symptoms of an ulcer. Others that may appear are:
- Dizziness
- Soft spot.
- Heartburn.
Gastroesophageal reflux
Like pain in the pit of the stomach, GERD is not a disease but a symptom of other underlying problems. The fact is that this pain in the chest after eating can be caused by reflux.
When you eat, food passes through the esophagus into the stomach. At the entrance to this organ, we find the esophageal sphincter, a muscular band that opens to let food through and closes so it cannot come out again.
However, some physical conditions and eating habits -such as the ones we mentioned above- can prevent the proper closure of this sphincter, causing stomach acids to rise in the esophagus, producing symptoms such as chest pain.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why does my stomach hurt when I eat, we recommend that you enter our Digestive System category.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.