The stomach is a “j” shaped sac located between the esophagus and the small intestine. It consists of certain parts called the body, the cardia, the fundus, and the pylorus. Its main function is to start and accelerate the process of digestion of food, in addition to releasing all food in a controlled and regulated way to the small intestine to continue the process. The stomach, like any of the parts of our body, is very prone to alterations or to present a series of manifestations or symptoms that may well translate into pain. The pain can appear spontaneously or for certain reasons and one of these can be a very long period without eating, a point that we will address in this FastlyHealarticle, answering the question of why when I don’t eat my stomach.
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Why when my stomach hurts when I don’t eat
Stomach pain is one of the most common complaints. Stomach upset can come from different reasons and it is important to take them into account. One of the most recurrent factors of this type of stomach pain is due to the lack of food intake , especially if about 10 hours have passed since the last meal, generating a feeling of fatigue.
If you spend many hours without consuming food, your brain will send a series of signals that indicate that our body is starving. One of the first is the one that occurs in the abdominal area, a kind of torsion is generated which begins as a stomach pain or discomfort and this is because in this area there is a stretch in what many of us know as the mouth of the stomach.This in turn produces something called gastric peristaltic movements , which are contractions and relaxations by the digestive tract. The main function of these movements is to transport the digested food.
These movements are more frequent if you go many hours without eating and when your stomach is empty, the movements will cause an upset stomach or pain.
Other causes of stomach pain
Stomach pain can be generated by not eating or, conversely, after eating certain foods, but it can also arise as a result of other conditions. An example of these conditions could be gallstones , which are stones that form in the gallbladder and cause pain in the upper right area of the abdomen, this is due to inflammation and obstruction of the duct present in the intestine, which can be reflected towards the stomach.
People who drink a lot of alcohol and who do not eat properly are at risk of developing pancreatitis . Inflammation of the pancreas causes stomach pain, especially in the upper or middle part and can even be stabbing.
If you eat certain fatty foods during the day or eat too much, it can lead to gastroesophageal reflux . This in turn generates stomach pain that persists throughout the day and often removes the desire to continue eating because of discomfort.
Another reason that can cause stomach pain, especially if you have not eaten is the intake of certain medications that have side effects. For example, NSAIDs cause stomach discomfort because they cause irritation to the stomach lining, and can even generate other complications when consumed in excess, such as ulcers. This type of pain is more frequent when the administration is carried out before eating any food. This is also a symptom of other conditions, such as gastritis.
Also, believe it or not, the thyroid can lead to stomach upset. Remember that the thyroid regulates many functions within the body and the digestive tract would not be the exception. In hyperthyroidism , there may be diarrhea and stomach cramps, and in hypothyroidism it leads to constipation, gas, and stomach pain.
My stomach hurts: what do I do?
Now that you know the answer to the question of “why does my stomach hurt when I don’t eat “, we recommend that to avoid symptoms you maintain a balanced diet with the right foods at the right times. To find out which diet is the most balanced, you can turn to a nutritionist, who will be in charge of determining which is the best diet for you and if for any reason you are lacking in nutrients, they will inform you of which is the right diet for you, since Many times this pain can be generated by a lack of nutrients.
Likewise, it is recommended to avoid foods that contain a lot of fat , especially if you have not eaten for a while because it can become very heavy and cause stomach discomfort.
If you feel that the pain from not eating has lasted for a long period of time and that even though you eat correctly, you continue to present it, you should go to a professional in the area such as a gastroenterologist to rule out other possible options and determine the correct diagnosis and the protocol to follow.
The correct food intake should be with a break of at least 5 hours for each food, avoid those with high fat content, eat healthy food and exercise during the day to avoid the appearance of these annoying ailments.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why when I don’t eat my stomach hurts , 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.