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Causes of stomach cramps and ways to treat them: The stomach muscle experiences involuntary contractions similar to leg or foot cramps, resulting in a feeling of pain of variable intensity and discomfort. This often occurs after eating meals, especially at night, or exercising after eating.
Stomach cramp
- The occurrence of contractions in the muscles of the stomach, intestines, or abdomen is called stomach cramping. Symptoms range in severity from simple contraction to severe cramps, depending on the location where the cramping occurs.
- Stomach cramping is not dangerous, and is often a symptom of water disease. Once this disease is treated, the symptom goes away, but if the cramping persists, you must go to the doctor.
- Symptoms that should be consulted immediately when they occur are failure to respond to treatment, blood in the stool, difficulty breathing, or fever.
Causes of stomach cramps
Multiple causes lead to stomach cramps, so the correct cause must be known to treat it. These causes include:
إقرأ أيضا:معلومات عن روتين سي لعلاج ضعف الشعيرات الدموية انظر حولك- Muscle tension: Increased effort on the abdominal muscles and strenuous exercise cause some cramps, and these cramps may be accompanied by pain that increases by pressure on the abdomen or increased movement.
- Dehydration: The loss of fluids in diarrhea and vomiting leads to the loss of free radicals, and muscle cramps occur, including the stomach. These cramps are due to a deficiency of magnesium, potassium, and calcium salts below the rate that the muscles need to function efficiently. When the level of these salts is lacking or disturbed, the muscle contracts abnormally, leading to spasm. Dehydration is accompanied by some other symptoms, such as dizziness, headache, extreme thirst, and a change in the color of urine to a dark color.
- Gas: The abdomen tries to expel the gases accumulated inside it through cramps outside the body, and some symptoms accompanying gas appear, such as feeling severe pain, abdominal bloating, fullness, and an intense need to burp.
- Inflammatory bowel diseases: These are chronic inflammatory diseases that affect the digestive system, such as Crohn’s disease or colon ulceration. The colon is affected by ulcerative colitis, causing spasms, while any part of the digestive tract may be affected by Crohn’s disease, and each of them is accompanied by some symptoms, including constipation or diarrhea. Weight loss, feeling stressed and tired, and muscle spasm in the intestines.
The most common causes of stomach cramps
- Irritable bowel syndrome: It is a chronic disease that affects the large intestine. When exposed to certain stimuli, the colon becomes irritated, accompanied by some symptoms such as alternating diarrhea and constipation, bloating, abdominal pain, and gas. However, it does not cause a change in the tissues in the intestine as happens in intestinal diseases. Inflammatory.
- Gastritis, enteritis, or gastroenteritis together: It occurs as a result of an infection such as rotavirus, stomach bacteria, or norovirus, and accompanying symptoms occur with gastritis such as bloating, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain, and if the infection is gastritis alone, diarrhea occurs.
- Constipation: As a result of increased pressure inside the intestine, spasms and cramps occur, accompanied by some symptoms: difficulty defecating, decreased number of defecation times, dryness and hardness of the stool, and abdominal bloating.
- Paresia or paralysis of the stomach and intestines: The muscles in the stomach tract make a wave-like movement to move food inside the digestive tract, but when this movement slows or stops, intestinal paresis occurs, and this paralysis has many causes, such as infection, a recent wound, lack of movement, or infection. And taking any type of drugs, and people with diabetes are the most vulnerable to suffering from paresis or paralysis of the stomach and intestines.
- Colitis due to infection occurs: an infection that causes cramping in the intestines, dehydration, and diarrhea, due to consuming water or food contaminated with bacteria such as clostridium bacteria, Escherichia coli, or salmonella.
- Stress: Stress stimulates stomach cramps, especially in nervous people, who eat quickly and do not take enough time to chew food well.
- Acidic foods: Excessive consumption of acidic, fatty and spicy foods leads to stomach cramps.
- Hormones: Stomach cramps often occur in pregnant women, and the reason is due to the progesterone hormone that is produced, and causes relaxation of the muscles in the digestive system.
- Food poisoning: It may occur due to eating contaminated food.
Symptoms of intestinal cramps
Some symptoms accompany stomach cramps, including:
إقرأ أيضا:مضاعفات المياه على الرئة – مقال انظر حولك- Abdominal pain: All of the abdominal intestines are affected by cramps.
- Bloating: This causes bloating, a feeling of fullness, and a desire to expel trapped gases with difficulty expelling them.
- Indigestion: It is observed by the presence of constipation or diarrhea and a change in the color of the stool.
Ways to prevent stomach cramps
- To avoid stomach cramps, stomach burns, and colic, a person must choose the foods that he eats well, as he must avoid foods that contain an excessive amount of fried fats.
- Also foods that contain a lot of sauce, and citrus fruits such as raw onions, tomatoes and apples.
- Avoid drinking a lot of soft drinks, which may irritate the stomach, completely stay away from tobacco and kohl, and chew food well.
- It is important to avoid sleeping after eating, and it does not take less than an hour and a half for a person to be able to sleep after eating. It is preferable to walk after eating.
Ways to prevent intestinal spasms
Some methods can work to prevent intestinal spasms, including:
إقرأ أيضا:ما هي نصائح لمرضى الذئبة الحمراء ؟ انظر حولك- Healthy foods: Eating clean, healthy foods avoids pollution or toxins, and avoiding fatty foods also prevents stomach cramps.
- The most important foods to eat are vegetables and fruits, as they are rich in minerals and vitamins that the body needs, as well as foods that contain fiber, as they soften the stool and reduce constipation.
- Stay away from stress: This can be done through exercises to help relax, as stress is one of the most important causes of intestinal spasms.
- Stay away from foods that cause allergies: You should not eat any food that causes an allergy to a person when he eats it.
- Drink plenty of fluids: The human body needs from two and a half liters of water to three and a half liters a day. You must drink at least eight cups a day, and add natural herbs. Water helps facilitate the digestion process and the functions of the digestive system and relieve abdominal pain. Natural herbs have a role in treating Constipation.
- Exercising: Sports play a role in relieving stress, moving all body organs and maintaining their flexibility, gradually reducing cramps, and facilitating the functions of the digestive system.
- Not holding in gas and not delaying defecation: Holding in gas and delaying defecation leads to some problems, the most important of which is intestinal spasm.
- Regular meal times: Keeping food times fixed daily makes it easier for the stomach to carry out its functions, and prevents disorders such as spasms. If the spasms in his stomach and intestines become severe, the person must go to the doctor quickly to diagnose and find out his problem and treat it before complications occur and worsen.
Home remedies for stomach cramps
- Yogurt: Yogurt expels bacterial toxins that cause irritable bowel syndrome due to the lactic acid it contains. It also contains bacteria that help protect the intestines.
- Parsley: It reduces the production of gases and helps prevent indigestion. It is a diuretic and prevents fluid retention, preventing flatulence. It is a herb commonly used in dishes such as soup, salad, or pasta.
- Flax seeds: They help treat constipation and diarrhea because they contain dietary fiber that the body needs to expel waste.
- Flax seeds are a rich source of Omega-3 and fatty acids, which are mainly needed to support the digestive system and the immune system. It is recommended to eat it once a day by placing a spoonful of it in a cup of water.
- Cumin seeds: They help reduce the symptoms of stomach acids and indigestion, reduce gas, and are a natural antimicrobial because of the active ingredients they contain.
- It is recommended to eat one to two spoonfuls in each meal of the day to get rid of stomach disorders.
Treating stomach cramps with herbs
1- Ginger
- Ginger helps relieve spasms and pain in the stomach and intestines, as it helps and regulates the digestion process, because it is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and works to neutralize acidity in the stomach.
the components
- Ginger.
- waters.
How to prepare
- Ginger drink can be prepared by cutting the root into thin slices.
- Add water to it and leave it to boil at a high temperature.
- Leave it for five minutes on low heat, after which it is ready to drink. Honey can be added to it for a better taste.
2- Fennel
- Fennel seeds have multiple properties, which make them a very effective aid in fighting stomach cramps that result from indigestion. Its seeds also work to produce urine, remove gases from the body, and relieve pain.
the components
- Fennel.
- waters.
- honey.
How to prepare
- To prepare the fennel infusion, add a teaspoon of ground fennel seeds to a cup of hot water and leave for a few minutes until it is ready to drink.
- Honey can be added to it for a better taste, and it can also be eaten by chewing a teaspoon of its seeds after meals.
3- Chamomile
- Chamomile relieves stomach pain resulting from cramps, as it is an effective soothing agent for the muscles of the digestive tract, and treats stomach cramps resulting from indigestion.
the components
- Chamomile.
- waters.
- honey.
How to prepare
- A chamomile infusion can be prepared by adding a teaspoon of dry chamomile to a cup of boiling hot water.
- Cover the mixture for fifteen minutes until it is ready to drink. Honey may be added to it to improve the taste.
4- Mint
Mint has anti-spasmodic properties, so it works to treat stomach cramps, improve the digestion process, and relieves pain resulting from abdominal gas.
the components
- Mint.
- waters.
How to prepare
- Faster results can be achieved when chewing green mint leaves from time to time.
- You can also add dried mint to a cup of boiling water and leave it for ten minutes until it is ready to drink.
5- Asafoetida
It is also called Kalach gum or Angdan gum. One of its properties is that it expels gases and relieves indigestion, so it is a treatment for stomach and intestinal cramps.
the components
How to prepare
- Prepare a asafoetida drink by adding a little of it to a cup of lukewarm water and mixing well until it is ready to drink.
- It is preferable to take it two to three times daily.
- A piece of cloth can be soaked in the asafoetida solution.
- Then place it on the stomach wall for ten minutes to get the same result as drinking it.
6- Lemon
- It is a powerful antioxidant because it contains vitamin C, which improves the digestive process. If used with baking soda, it helps neutralize acidity in the stomach and fight infections.
the components
- Lemon.
- baking soda.
- salt.
- waters.
How to prepare
- Lemon fizz can be prepared by squeezing one lemon and adding a teaspoon of baking soda and a teaspoon of salt.
- Add this mixture to a cup of lukewarm water so it is ready to drink.
7- Fermented apple cider vinegar
- Fermented apple cider vinegar helps expel gases, neutralize stomach acidity, and treat indigestion, in addition to killing bacteria because it is an antibiotic, and can be consumed naturally.
Treating stomach cramps with medications
- To treat smooth muscle contraction in the tubular organs in the digestive system, a type of abdominal antispasmodic is used, which prevents contractions of the intestines, stomach, and bladder.
- Antispasmodics include dicyclomine and hyoscyamine, which have an anticholinergic effect, but both have side effects in general and may worsen the condition of a patient with gastroesophageal reflux disease.
- Mebeverine is an antispasmodic and is very effective in combating smooth muscle contractions in the digestive system and colon.
- What distinguishes it is that it does not have side effects like other antibiotics that contain acetylcholine.
- Papaverine is used to treat intestinal and visceral cramps. It is a substance derived from opium and is an alkaloid. It is distinguished by its ability to inhibit the phosphodiesterase enzyme, so studies are being conducted on it for use as a drug for psychosis.
At the end of our journey with the causes of stomach cramps and methods of treating them, stomach and intestinal cramps are a very common disease, and troubling for many people, but overcoming them is not difficult. We have explained in this article what are the causes of their occurrence and how to treat and control them.