Stomach Spasms

Stomach spasms as the name suggests, are spasms in the stomach. These are quite painful and make the person very uncomfortable. Usually a temporary situation, stomach spasms are caused due to a number of reasons. Some of the causes of such muscle spasms are temporary and mild while several others are severe. This article will throw some light on the causes, symptoms and the treatments for stomach spasms.

Causes

As mentioned earlier, there are several stomach ache causes. The most common and not serious causes are eating too much food, eating very oily and spicy food, drinking too much of coffee, agitation, viral fever and excessive alcohol. The more serious causes are gastrointestinal diseases, stomach ulcers, tapeworms, acid reflux disease and food poisoning. Stomach spasms after eating are usually the result of the above mentioned diseases and food allergies. Spasms in left side of stomach are usually caused due to stomach flu.

Other than these earlier mentioned problems, there are other causes for stomach cramps too. Lactose intolerance, inability to digest certain foods, indigestion, etc. are these additional causes which lead to cramps in the stomach. Irritable bowel syndrome is another cause of stomach cramps. There is a medical problem that is called diverticulosis, where there are small pouches that form in the intestines and they are filled with stools or with bacteria. This also causes the stomach to cramp up.

In women, one of the causes of muscle spasms in stomach could be menstruation. Some of these causes could be very severe while some may not be as severe, however, both need to be treated in time so that there are no further complications. Hence, if any person suffers from spasms in the stomach, then it is necessary to seek medical assistance in order to find out the cause and severity of the problem.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Spasms in the stomach leads to abdominal pain. The pain may or may not be followed by vomiting, diarrhea, severe cramping of the stomach, fever and chills. Depending on the cause and the severity, the person may have bloody stools. In some cases, the person may suffer from constipation. Only in the most severe cases can there be hemorrhaging. If a person shows any of these symptoms, it is necessary to go to the doctor and get all the tests done to determine the cause of the problem and to avoid further stomach problems. Only after recording the symptoms and based on the tests, will the doctor be able to diagnose the problem and can begin with the treatments.

Treatment

Now that the stomach ache causes have been identified, how to cure stomach ache is the obvious question. Before the person starts off with any of the treatments, the first thing to do will be to drink plenty of water so that the stomach can flush out the toxic wastes from the body. Even if the person is suffering from constipation, drinking lots of water will help in cleaning the stomach. If the cause of the stomach cramps is stress, then relaxing is the best way to get cured. Eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber will help to reduce the spasms as fibers will help in cleaning the digestive tract. Foods like oats will also help in cleaning the digestive system. The person has to avoid eating oily and spicy foods and should also eliminate coffee and sodas from the diet for a few days. Including ginger in meals and drinking herbal teas are some of the other stomach ache remedies. The person should also take a small walk which should be brisk as brisk walks helps in proper digestion of food and also helps in removing the waste from the body effectively. These were the home remedies. Depending on the severity of the problem, the doctor will prescribe medications which need to be taken regularly.

It is necessary to go to the doctor for correct diagnoses and timely treatment. Ample of rest and fluids will help the person to get energized and cured in time. Regular exercises and a balanced diet will ensure that you do not suffer from stomach spasms, constipation and other such health related issues. Take care!!