From time to time we may feel stomach discomfort in the form of pins and needles that occur regularly and spontaneously, at different frequencies and levels of pain, that is, sometimes they feel more acute and intense and other times it is a more bearable pain.
They usually occur when we have abused the intake of food, when consuming junk food, fried or fatty foods, intestinal discomfort or gas accumulation. It is a way in which our gastrointestinal system warns us that something is not quite right inside us.
- You may be interested in: “Bloated belly: 10 possible causes and solutions”.
However, there may be other reasons why you may suffer from these stomach punctures or pangs.. If you want to know what reasons are behind these discomforts that you have surely felt more than once, then stay in this article where we will show you some possible causes.
Types of abdominal pains
Did you know that there are different types of abdominal discomfort or pain? Although we may feel them differently or with varying degrees of intensity, they are actually different types of abdominal pain, they are actually different types of abdominal pains, such as the ones you will learn about below.as the ones you will learn about below.
1. Generalized pain
This is the most common of all and is felt more concentrated in the middle of the abdomen and whose causes are due to gas, indigestion or a stomach virus.
2. Cramps
These are sudden, intense pains that appear intermittently, but do not reduce the magnitude of the pain with which the episodes appear. These are very common during the female menstrual period, although they also occur as gallstones or kidney stones.
3. Localized pain
As its name indicates, these are pains that can only be felt on one side of the abdomen and this is commonly an indication of discomfort in some organ.
4. Cramps
These types of pains are also the most common and of least medical concern, as they are a reaction to gas and muscle strains, which are usually accompanied by diarrhea. However, if these cramps are present for a prolonged period of time longer than 24 hours, it may be a major problem.
12 causes of stomach cramps
These are the most common causes of stomach crampsRemember that if the pain is too intense and begins to expand or lasts more than 24 hours, you should go to the doctor’s office so that they can examine you and start treatment if necessary.
1. Food poisoning
This is perhaps one of the most frequent causes of stomach discomfort, it appears when we eat some type of food or liquid that is in bad condition or that causes an allergic reaction, affecting the sensitivity of the digestive tract. This is due to the fact that food contains pathogens, germs or bacteria that can become toxic substances and therefore affect our stomach.
These infections are manifested as prickling, irritations, sharp pains, vomiting and even skin rashes or in more serious cases, fever.
2. Intestinal gas
Another common cause of stomach pangs, intestinal gas occurs quite regularly in people, due to overconsumption of food (usually junk food), carbonated beverages, a reaction to carbohydrates, poor digestion of lactose or just by consuming foods that are more prone to produce gas. Such as some legumes, vegetables, vegetables or spicy.
These gases originate both in the stomach and in the intestine, so the discomfort is felt both in the middle and lower abdomen, in addition to twinges are manifested irritations, bloating, belching, flatulence and chest pains.
3. Constipation
Many people suffer from constipation due to bad eating habits as well as biological conditions, but in fact, those who suffer from constipation know how painful, uncomfortable and distressing it feels, because there is constant discomfort in the lower abdomen, bloating and pain when evacuating. What causes constipation? A combination of accumulation of gas and feces in the intestine, which harden and make it difficult to expel, reaching the point where you can only go to the bathroom a couple of days a week.
This condition is usually reversed by changing some habits, such as adding more foods rich in fiber, increasing the amount of liquid intake, starting to do physical activities and having a bowel movement routine so that the body acquires it as a habit.
4. Irritable bowel syndrome
This is a quite serious medical condition since it alters the regular rhythm of life of the person, who experiences altered episodes of diarrhea and constipation, which do not necessarily appear at the same time, but manifest themselves gradually and sporadically. It presents with symptoms of extreme need to evacuate quickly, appearance of rectal mucus, bloating and abdominal distension.
This syndrome has no apparent cause, but is related to a high sensitivity of the intestine to some specific foods.
5. Menstrual cramps
This is another of the most common cases of stomach cramps and occurs in the female public when they are in their menstrual period. This is due to contractions or spasms of the uterus, which are felt in the lower part of the stomach.
These are normal and expected cramps that are usually relieved with antispasmodics, but if you have these types of cramps for more than 72 hours and with intense pain, it is necessary to see your gynecologist to rule out any problem.
6. Ectopic pregnancy
This is one of the least frequent causes of stomach cramps, but it is an important warning that you should pay attention to. Ectopic pregnancies are an unusual but not impossible type of gestation, occurring when the fertilized egg implants in a place outside the uterus, such as the fallopian tubes, usually the ovaries or the abdominal cavity.
These pregnancies are extremely painful and dangerous, because as the pregnancy develops, there are ruptures of tissues or of the egg itself and important hemorrhages, so they must be stopped immediately. Likewise, these pregnancies are not viable because they cannot develop properly.
7. Endometriosis
This is a female medical condition that can also be quite dangerous to your health, considered one of the regular gynecological disorders. It occurs when the endometrium (tissue that lines the inside of the uterus) grows irregularly outside the uterus. Bringing some significant consequences such as acute and constant pelvic pain, as well as infertility in some more severe cases.
8. Appendicitis
Appendicitis is one of those stomach pains to which you should pay close attention and take immediate action to avoid aggravation. So if you have a sharp pain in the right part of your abdomen that increases and intensifies when you raise your right leg, while your abdomen seems to swell, you feel nauseous and you start to have a fever, then we recommend that you go quickly to your doctor.
Appendicitis occurs because of inflammation of the appendix due to obstruction of the appendix by accumulation of feces, since it is a tiny organ located in the lower part of the large intestine. The problem is that with this accumulation the appendix expands and runs the risk of rupture, bringing dangerous consequences such as infection of the rest of the organs.
9. Urinary tract infection
Urinary tract infections are quite common, you have surely experienced them and you know that it is not at all pleasant, not only is it uncomfortable but it can bring negative consequences to the health of the sexual organs as well as the urinary tract. This is caused by the urinary ducts becoming contaminated with bacteria, resulting in acute to severe pain during urination, burning and pain in the stomach and lower back.
10. Pancreatitis
This disease is caused by inflammation of the pancreas, which is an organ located in the upper part of the stomach, so you may feel pain in the middle and upper abdomen. It is usually accompanied by vomiting, nausea, heartburn and pain that worsens after eating.
11. Diverticulitis
This disease refers to the appearance of small lumps in the internal region of the lining of the digestive tract, especially within the large intestine. It is very common to have such lumps and they usually do not cause any discomfort except in cases where they become inflamed or infected, which is where diverticulitis occurs.
12. Cholelithiasis
Also known as ‘gallbladder stones’ is a significant medical condition, it occurs when the bile located in the gallbladder arrives with an excess of contained fats that originate in the liver and therefore cannot be processed correctly, obstructing the functions of the gallbladder. Intense and stabbing pains in the stomach and vomiting occur.
The only way to solve this problem is with surgical intervention and antibiotic treatment to eliminate the infections and prevent them from spreading to the remaining organs.
Now you know that many causes of stomach twinges are common, but if these pains become very if these pains become too intense and frequent, it’s time to see your doctor..