Everyone experiences occasional gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Symptoms such as bloating, constipation, and heartburn might happen after a heavy meal and should not be cause for concern.
This is a burning feeling in your chest and throat. It’s caused by excess stomach acid moving up into your esophagus (the tube that connects your stomach to your throat).
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Bloating occurs when gas is trapped in your stomach or intestines. This excess gas might be the result of swallowed air or something that happens during digestion. It can be very uncomfortable and may feel as if your digestive system is being stretched out.
To help prevent bloating, you can avoid carbonated beverages like soda and beer and vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli.
This can feel like an ache, a cramp, or sharp stabs. The pain can be mild to severe and can occur in your stomach or intestinal area.
When you have diarrhea, your stool is very watery. You may feel cramping and urgency too. To avoid dehydration, drink fluids that contain both salt and sugar. Avoid milk and dairy products for 24 to 48 hours.
When you’re experiencing constipation, your stool is infrequent and hard to pass. Your stool may look like small, dry pellets. You might also have abdominal gas, cramping, and bloating.
To reduce constipation, you can try drinking lots of fluids, eating plenty of high fiber foods, and getting some exercise.
Nausea is the unpleasant feeling that you need to throw up, and vomiting happens when the contents of your stomach are forcefully moved through and out of your mouth.
You can sip flat soda or sports drinks to help with these symptoms. You can also try eating clear soups, ice pops, and gelatin, as well as bland foods such as crackers, toast, rice, noodles, and potatoes.
How do I know if I have gastrointestinal issues?
Everyone gets a stomachache from time to time. But if you often have diarrhea, indigestion, gas, bloating, excessive belching, and constipation, you may be experiencing GI issues. In many cases, these GI symptoms can be resolved fairly easily. But for chronic issues, you should contact a doctor.
What is the main cause of gastrointestinal pain?
There are many causes of GI pain, and some are less serious than others. Digestion issues such as heartburn, gas, diarrhea, and constipation are all very common.
Conditions that can cause GI symptoms include food allergies, lactose intolerance, muscle strain,
How can I get rid of gastrointestinal problems?
You can prevent or minimize some problems by maintaining healthy lifestyle habits. To the best of your ability, exercise regularly and eat balanced meals and lots of fruit and vegetables. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and avoid foods that make your GI symptoms worse.
For heartburn, you can try taking antacids and avoiding high fat foods, greasy and fried foods, alcohol, citrus, caffeine, and carbonated beverages. Stress
Be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations on getting screened for colon cancer, such as having a colonoscopy at age 45. (If any of your family members have had colon cancer, your doctor may advise you to have this test before age 45.)
How would I know if my gastrointestinal symptoms are serious enough that I should see a doctor?
If you have terrible stomach pain or severe tenderness in your belly, let a doctor know right away. Other red flags that indicate you should seek medical care are fever, diarrhea, persistent constipation, bloody stool, persistent nausea or vomiting, vomiting blood, abdominal swelling, and jaundice (yellowing of your skin).
If your GI symptoms are so painful and constant that they’re disrupting your life, they could indicate an underlying health condition. Answer the following questions to help you decide whether it’s a good idea to talk with a doctor.