Posts Tagged ‘indigestion’

Causes of Indigestion Pain

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

Indigestion pain affects many people around the world today and is usually caused by simple causes that can be treated through dietary changes or some over the counter medication.  In some cases, however, there are more serious issues involved that may need the help of a physician to cure or at least soothe the problem.Only a few of cases are there where the indigestion pain is accompanied with chest pain and pain in other areas, these are often symptoms of more serious issues like cancer or gallstones, however it is always right to go to the doctor for a check up if that persist after the counter treatments.

Typical Indigestion Pain Causes

Once cause of indigestion pain is heartburn which is often caused by overeating or by eating a large amount of acidic foods.  It can also be caused by a condition called acid reflux, which is where there is a defective valve in the esophagus that allows the stomach acid to come back up in the throat.  This type of indigestion pain can usually be helped by changing eating habits and by utilizing over the counter antacid medications.

Another cause of indigestion pain is gastritis, which is a condition that also causes pain to the stomach or upper abdomen, but instead of acid coming up the esophagus, gastritis is a condition where the lining of the stomach gets inflamed which is what causes the pain.There are many different reasons for gastritis, many of which can also be solved by changing eating or drinking habits, such as reducing intake of alcohol, or reducing the amount of pain relievers that are taken in a day which irritate the lining of the stomach. 

Indigestion pain can also be caused by a more serious condition called a peptic ulcer, which is a sore in the lining of the stomach, esophagus or the small intestine.  This indigestion pain can vary from the upper chest area down to the lower belly, depending on where the ulcer resides.  This type of ulcer, like gastritis, can be caused by using too many pain relievers which irritate the bowels or can be caused by a certain bacteria.

The most serious reason of indigestion pain are cancer or gallstones.  In both cases, much more serious measures must be taken for the individual instead of changing medication or diet.  With gallstones, there can be serious side effects besides the pain such as nausea and vomiting.  Stomach cancer might also be the issue with the indigestion pain and must be treated as soon as possible, as it is normally a tumor that is developing that causes the pain.  Many times there is blood in the stool when cancer is present.

Indigestion Is Something That Everyone Has Experienced In Their Lives

Friday, April 10th, 2009

Indigestion is a very common problem that everyone, old or young, will have experienced at some point of time or another in their lives. It doesn’t matter how strong is your constitution just because many a times you will not be able to keep yourself away from overeating and that in turn will result in indigestion.

Excess Acid

Eating foods whose expiry dates have elapsed is a possible reason for developing indigestion. Mostly, the reason for suffering from indigestion is that you may have overeaten or there is excess acid in the stomach. Though it is necessary for the stomach to have sufficient acid in order to digest food, when the level rises above normal, the excess acid can lead to development of symptoms.

Typical symptoms of indigestion included feeling pain in the upper parts of the abdomen, loss of appetite, heartburn as well as feeling of sickness and having too much gas within the stomach that leads to flatulence and to belching. Such symptoms however only cause very slight discomforts and before long, in most cases, the symptoms will disappear on their own and can also be controlled through use of over-the-counter medicines. However, when symptoms last over a prolonged period of time there is need to take sterner action.

Indigestion

In case of severe symptoms it is necessary to seek advice from a doctor and commonly symptoms such as uncommon weight loss as well as indigestion occurring for the first time in people in their middle to late forties and severe pain will necessitate getting professional help. These types of symptoms could be indicative of a serious problems that should be checked by a physician.

One proven cure for controlling indigestion is diet modulation, though taking a medical opinion is also a good idea. Of course, most indigestion problems are generally harmless and the symptoms develop because a person has been negligent about their eating habits. In such cases, using non-prescription medications can prove to be the right solution. Pregnant mothers-to-be are also often affected by indigestion though they need not worry because following childbirth the problem generally disappears on its own.

Acid indigestion is another common health problem and one that is quite similar to general indigestion though the latter occurs because of overeating while the former occurs because of presence of unwanted amounts of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

The discomfort felt as a result of indigestion can vary with the more serious symptoms being hard to get rid off through ordinary means. A doctor will need to diagnose the condition and recommend suitable treatment including changing the diet as well as performing exercises to help you relax.

Get Rid of Your Stomachache

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Who has not had an unpleasant experience with overeating? These stomach aches, and other digestion problems, are something we all want to avoid. But, if we cannot prevent it, we will welcome anything that offers fast relief!

Some forms of stomach aches, as well as constipation, can be eased by carbonated water. Unfortunately, this is something that I had to learn the hard way (the usual way I learn all my lessons).

My main symptom of stomach problems is feeling bloated or fullness in the upper abdominal region after overeating; overeating is something I do a lot. I normally just suffered; then I went to work for a man who would always take water and baking soda whenever he had these symptoms. One day, feeling really miserable, I tried his remedy; soon, I felt noticeably better.

Consequently, I wanted to learn why this works so well. This was long before antacid medications were sold over the counter (OTC) and long before people became accustomed to run to the doctor with every ache, pain or stomach ailment. Basically, adding baking soda with water produces carbon dioxide gas with bubbles; somehow the bubbles and the ingredients form a solution that aids the movement of the digestive tract, relieving some of the symptoms from overeating – that bloated feeling goes away.

This adding baking soda and water actually forms carbonated water which has been used for years to treat digestive complaints, yet no research exists if it is effective or how it works. I found some information about studies showing that both the bubbles of carbon dioxide and the presence of high minerals can stimulate the digestive process. This, basically, is what I was making with water and baking soda. I discovered no information on whether it is the bubbles or the mineral-rich carbonated water that is the more effective component.

I found some suggestions for preventing these problems before they develop, such as: reduce eating a lot of fat; avoiding foods that cause your stomach problems; eating smaller meals; and if you smoke, stopping as soon as possible. Everyone should drink a healthy amount of fluids to maintain movement of the Gastrointestinal tract and prevent constipation.

I read about some devices to make homemade carbonated water, which you can use for drinking. By adding a number of flavors, this seems to be a great option for drinks instead of regular soda pop, especially if you want to avoid the calories. By making this homemade drink with water rich in minerals, you have made available a very healthy and low calorie drink, called sparkling water, which is good for your whole family. A large assortment of calorie free flavors to flavor sparkling water to great taste is sold at allfreight.com.

What I know from personal experience is this: when you have overeaten but must work for the rest of the day, and feel absolutely miserable, carbonated water does help.