Causes of Abdominal Pain After Drinking or Eating

Your abdomen is responsible for housing numerous vital organs, which include your liver, kidneys, intestines and stomach. While it is perfectly normal to experience occasional moments of abdominal discomfort, if abdominal pain occurs after you eat or drink you may have a serious underlying health issue. Although this article outlines the most common causes for abdominal pain that is worsened after eating or drinking, you should immediate seek medical attention if you are experiencing this issue to determine exactly what's causing your pain.

Peptic Ulcer:

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, peptic ulcers are defined as an open sore within your stomach lining; however, these sores may also be found in the esophagus and duodenum. A recent study found that at least 20 million individuals will encounter a peptic ulcer at least once within their life.

The cause of a peptic ulcer may be due to certain anti-inflammatory prescription medications or the invasion of the Helicobacter pylori bacteria into your digestive system.

The most common symptom of a peptic ulcer is extreme discomfort or pain within your stomach after eating; however, this discomfort is often accompanied by a burning sensation if you don't eat.

You can determine if this is the cause by taking an antacid or drinking a cup of milk. If either of these products relieve or reduce stomach pain, then a peptic ulcer is the likely culprit.

Chronic Cholecystitis:

Another common cause for abdominal pain after eating or drinking is chronic cholecystitis, which is also known as dysfunctional gallbladder or gallbladder disease. This condition is due to the accumulation of gallstones within your gallbladder.

While this may be the cause of your pain, the location of the pain may point to a different ailment. If you are experiencing localized pain in your upper right abdomen that radiates into your back, then you may have a condition known as biliary colic. This condition triggers abdominal pain within two to three hours after drinking or eating.

Bowel Obstruction:

A bowel obstruction may be caused by impacted fecal matter or by more serious health complications such as abnormal tissue growth, hernias and tumors.

Perhaps one of the most common symptoms of a bowel obstruction is extreme abdominal pain or abdominal cramping after eating a meal; however, other symptoms may include constipation, bad breath, distended abdomen and vomiting.

If you believe that you're suffering from a bowel obstruction, you should immediately visit your physician for testing as this is the only way to determine if this is the cause of your abdominal pain.

References Used:

https://www.gis.md/fact-sheets.html

Gastrointestinal Specialists: Abdominal Pain

http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_symptoms_of_gallstones_gallbladder_disease_000010_2.htm

University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peptic-ulcer-000125.htm

University of Maryland Medical Center: Peptic Ulcer

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000260.htm

MedlinePlus: Intestinal Obstruction