It had been a while since I had such bad cramping. While I  used to usually experience pain of about 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst ever, I think this week’s was 9, if not 10. And it just started out of the blue.

But when do you need to see a doctor for something like this?

My daughter was very concerned. She’s 20 and has experienced severe abdominal pain from appendicitis to gall bladder, so she was worried that I had something equally serious. Me, being me, knew that it wasn’t doctor-worthy, but it did hurt a lot.

The MayoClinic.com suggests that you should see a doctor if:

you have abdominal pain so severe that you can’t move without causing more pain or you can’t sit still or find a comfortable position. Also seek immediate medical help if pain is accompanied by other worrisome signs and symptoms, such as bloody diarrhea or chest pain.

and FamilyDoctor.org has this great schematic to help you decide if you’re not sure: Abdominal Pain: short-term

Of course, you’re the best judge for yourself. It’s never wrong to get checked and find out you have nothing serious and that is better than not going if you do. But stomach pains, like headaches, are a fact of life for some of us.

I am feeling much better – still the odd stabbing pain here and there, but it’s bearable.

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Image: Stock.xchng

Post from: Blisstree

Ouch, my stomach hurts

Living with a condition that can be made worse by the food you eat can make it difficult or frustrating to find foods you like to eat that are also good for you.

Food is often a social thing – we gather around dinner tables with friends, go out to eat at restaurants, and we celebrate life with food and drink. So food isn’t just a nutritious part of life, it’s often a way of life.

So how can people with food-triggered pain manage just like everyone else? It does depend on what the issue is. For example, if you have celiac disease, this is a disorder that can’t be cheated on. You can’t have gluten -not even the tiniest bit. Even if it doesn’t hurt you in the short-term, it can really hurt you in the long term.

Migraines

Other illnesses aren’t so cut and dry. Migraines, for example. While some people have migraines that aren’t food-related, others do. And what might be a food trigger for one migraineur is not necessarily a trigger for another migraineur. Here are some common ones:

- Foods with tyramine, a substance that is found in food that ages, like cheese

- Alcohol, specifically darker ones, like red wine

- Food additives in foods like processed meats, hot dogs, MSG in Chinese food

- Some fruit, like figs, raisins, over ripe avocados and bananas

- Freshly based yeast breads, sourdough breads

IBS

If you have problems with your bowels, such as irritable bowel disease, you may have other issues with food.

Some foods may cause cramping and diarrhea, while others may cause horrible gas pain.

What often happens when someone is diagnosed with IBS or they think they have it, the restrict their diet severely. They eat something, have a bad reaction and then strike that from their diet. But, it’s not as easy as that because there may be other influences other than just the foods. Dieticians recommend that people use and elimination diet to find what foods are the culprits. That means to eliminate the foods most known to trigger IBS symptoms and then introduce them back into the diet one by one. That way, you will notice which foods are your triggers.

Here are some of the most common ones:

- Dairy products

- Fats, butter, oil, sauces, salad dressings

- Caffeine

- Chocolate

- Food additives, particularly MSG that is found in many Chinese foods

- Artificial sweeteners

Contrary to popular belief – people IBS generally need a good healthy dose of fiber in their diet.

Do you have a food-related chronic illness/chronic pain? What is it and how do you deal with it?

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Post from: Blisstree

When food causes pain