Stomach Ache After Eating

Stomach ache has been associated with lots of diseases and disorders. Although, most of the times the causes are benign, often, it may be an indication of a serious underlying problem. Stomach ache after eating, particularly, has several serious implications. Hence, it is imperative that you get diagnosis of your stomach ache, if it persists for long. Besides, there is an array of reasons why an individual may experience abdominal pain after eating.

Major Causes of Stomach Ache After Eating

Combining Liquids with Meals: Most of us have a habit of flushing down our meals with diet coke or beer. This, often is a leading cause for several stomach problems after eating as well as bloating after eating. Any fluid, be it water or even fresh fruit juice, taken in abundance can interfere with the stomach's functioning. The digestive juices and stomach acid that are secreted by the stomach, in order to break down complex food molecules, are diluted due to fluids. As a result, stomach has to take an extra effort to break down these molecules. This includes physically churning the food or ejecting it, which ultimately results in stomach cramps after eating.

Parasites: There are numerous parasites which make human stomach their abode. Some of them have the potential to induce chronic digestive disorders. Thus, besides stomach ache, if you experience diarrhea after eating, you can be sure of a parasitic invasion in your stomach. Feeling tired after eating, is also not unusual if you have parasites in your stomach. De-worming once a month is the only option of curing stomach ache after eating, due to parasites. More on fatigue after eating and nausea after eating.

Candida: Candidiasis or yeast infection is yet another cause of stomach ache after eating. The over growth of candida kills the 'good' bacteria in the stomach, which assist in digestion. Besides, it also interferes with the enzyme production and reduces the amount of stomach acid and bile. Candida infection can entirely turn the functioning of digestive system upside down. Apart from stomach ache after eating, candida can cause a plethora of other discomforts.

Exercising: However, stupid it might sound, but exercising immediately after meals is one of the leading causes of stomach ache after eating. Some fitness freaks just cannot get the better of their fitness mania and without a second thought go for rigorous exercises immediately after a heavy meal. Needless to say, this is an extremely wrong practice and can land you in a serious health problem.

Serious Causes of Stomach Ache After Eating

Blockage of Blood Vessels: This is pretty similar to coronary artery disease. After the meals, there is an increased need for blood supply in intestinal tract, which imposes pressure on the blood vessels. As a result, a few of them may get blocked, resulting in a condition called 'chronic mesenteric insufficiency'. A person often experiences an angina like pain in stomach after eating. The severity of the pain is so much so that the person is actually scared of eating food.

Gastric Cancer: This is the most worrisome cause of stomach ache after eating. Although, the occurrence of stomach cancer has reduced drastically in the US, cancer of esophagus is on the rise. However, you'll need to undergo an endoscopy by an gastroenterologist to affirm the cause of stomach pain after eating.

Gallstones: Gallstones are a pebble like substances which obstruct the flow of bile, in the bile duct. Bile is required by the stomach for the digestion of fatty foods. Gallstones formation often causes excruciating pain in the stomach, which lasts for several hours. This is termed as 'gallstones attack' and it may surface once in a month or may not show up for several months. In either case, you should see a doctor whenever you experience stomach ache after eating.

Acid Reflux: One of the symptoms of acid reflux disease is stomach ache after eating. However, you can check for other symptoms of acid reflux like heartburn, vomiting, nausea, difficulty in swallowing, etc., to affirm the possibility of acid reflux.

As mentioned before, stomach ache after eating may not always have benign consequences. Hence, you must seek medical help, if the pain is severe or the occurrence is more than normal.