Dealing with stomach upsets

By Nelly Obadha

A stomach upset can cause a lot of discomfort and pain to a point that you may be incapacitated and unable to perform your daily tasks.

Most of the time, stomach upsets occur because of consumption of stale food, which leads to food poisoning. Eating food that is not properly cooked or eating excessively could also cause stomach upsets. It could also be as a result of underlying problems such as ulcers or irritable bowel syndrome.

Symptoms

• Pain around the abdomen that can range from mild to severe.
• Irregular bowel movement.
• Constipation.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Bloating.
• Flatulence.

 Cures and remedies

When the stomach upset is severe, it is advisable to see a doctor who can run tests to determine the root cause of the problem.

In some cases such as food poisoning or any other kind of poisoning, you have to go through stomach pumping to remove and clear your stomach of the harmful food. Food poisoning shouldn’t be taken lightly as it can cause death.

Home cures and remedies

Home cures and remedies are effective when you know the root cause of the problem. It could be a meal you suspect was stale. Some of these home remedies reduce the symptoms and control further harm, especially in cases of diarrhea and vomiting. They include:

Take lots of water

Water flashes out the harmful foods and clears the stomach and hence stops the stomachache.

Taking a lot of water and other fluids also rehydrates the body in case of severe diarrhea and vomiting.

Change of diet

An abrupt change of diet, especially when your body is used to one kind of diet, affect your stomach. In such a situation, it may be necessary to stop the diet. If you have to introduce a new diet, do it gradually to allow the stomach to slowly adjust.

In case of a persistent stomach problem, changing your diet could also be a solution.

A mild stomach upset often goes away even without a treatment, but a severe one will need medical attention.