Stomach Ache After Eating

Stomach ache has been associated with lots of diseases and disorders. Although most of the time the causes are benign, often it may be an indication of a serious underlying problem. Pain in stomach after eating, particularly, has several serious implications.

Hence, it is imperative that you get a diagnosis for your ache if it persists for long. Besides, there is a wide array of reasons why an individual may experience abdominal pain after eating.

Most of us have a habit of flushing down our meals with diet coke or beer. This is a leading cause for several stomach problems as well as for bloating. Any fluid, be it water or even fresh-fruit juice, taken in abundance can interfere with the stomach's normal functioning.

The digestive juices and acids that are secreted by the stomach in order to break down complex food molecules are diluted due to these fluids. As a result, the 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 and/or vomiting.

Several parasites make human stomach their abode. Some of them can induce chronic digestive disorders. Thus, besides stomach ache, if you get diarrhea after eating, you can be sure of a parasitic infestation. Feeling tired after eating is not unusual if you have parasites in stomach. Deworming once a month is the only option of curing oneself of parasites.

Candidiasis or yeast infection is yet another common cause. The overgrowth 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 the digestive system upside down. Apart from stomach pain, candida can cause a plethora of other discomforts.

Exercising immediately after meals is one of the leading causes of pain in the stomach. 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 give rise to a serious health problem.

This is similar to coronary artery disease. After the meals, there is an increased need for blood supply in the 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, and the severity of the pain is so much that the person is actually scared of eating food.

This is the most worrisome cause of stomach ache. 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 a gastroenterologist to confirm it as the cause of your pain.

They are 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. Gallstone formation causes excruciating pain in the stomach, which lasts for several hours.

This is termed as 'gallstones attack', and may surface once a month or may not show up at all for several months. In either case, you should see a doctor whenever you experience pain in stomach.

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

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

Disclaimer: This is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.