stomach (2024)

FAQs

What kind of stomach pain is alarming? ›

Contact your provider if you have: Abdominal discomfort that lasts 1 week or longer. Abdominal pain that does not improve in 24 to 48 hours, or becomes more severe and frequent and occurs with nausea and vomiting. Bloating that persists for more than 2 days.

And eating small amounts of food won't “shrink your stomach” either. The only way you can physically and permanently reduce your stomach's size is to have surgery. You can lose overall body fat over time by eating healthy food choices, but that won't change your stomach size.

2. Myth or Fact: If you cut down on your food intake, you'll eventually shrink your stomach so you won't be as hungry. Answer: Myth. Once you are an adult, your stomach pretty much remains the same size -- unless you have surgery to intentionally make it smaller.

Pulling in the abdominal muscles, or “stomach gripping,” can lead to uncomfortable symptoms, such as acid reflux, low back pain, and headaches.

Red flags include unrelenting pain, especially with a rigid abdomen, or pain radiating to your back. Yellowing of the skin, dark urine, and pale stools could indicate liver or gallbladder problems. Seek medical help for persistent pain or difficulty breathing, as these could point to a potential heart or lung issue.

The main symptom of acute pancreatitis is a severe, dull pain around the top of your stomach that develops suddenly. This aching pain often gets steadily worse and can travel along your back or below your left shoulder blade. Eating or drinking may also make you feel worse very quickly, especially fatty foods.

The rule includes eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning and then doing 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise.

While there isn't a single magic food to eliminate belly fat, certain foods, such as whole grains, green tea, and eggs, offer unique benefits in promoting belly-fat burning when incorporated into a reduced-calorie eating plan. These foods contribute in different ways to decrease waist circumference.

Does apple cider vinegar help you lose weight? ›

Apple cider vinegar isn't likely to be effective for weight loss. Proponents of apple cider vinegar claim that it has numerous health benefits and that drinking a small amount or taking a supplement before meals helps curb appetite and burn fat. However, there's little scientific support for these claims.

Water can be a helpful part of a weight loss journey. It's 100% calorie-free, may help you burn more calories, and may even suppress your appetite if consumed before meals. The benefits are even greater when you replace sugary beverages with water. It can be a simple way to reduce sugar and calorie intake.

It can increase the appearance of a belly pooch.

Sucking in your stomach does not properly engage your deep abdominal muscles — it only makes you grip your upper abs tightly. As a result, you may find that your upper abdomen looks firmly defined, but your lower abdomen has a pooch.

The condition known as hour-glass stomach is one where there is a constriction between the cardiac and pyloric orifices. It may be either congenital or acquired. The former is said to be extremely rare, while the latter is much more common than we believe.

Abdominal tapping or paracentesis is a procedure to remove peritoneal fluid that has collected in the abdomen. This buildup of fluid is called ascites and may be caused by infection, inflammation, injury, or other health conditions like cancer and cirrhosis.

If you experience the following severe symptoms, Dr. Shah recommends going to an emergency room instead of urgent care: Severe stomach pain that makes it difficult to function, move, eat, or drink. Sudden onset of stomach pain.

Your pain is intense and it came on suddenly

While pain feels different for everyone, sudden and severe pain should never be ignored. If the pain is in your abdomen, it could indicate bowel obstruction, kidney stones, a gallbladder attack, or even a heart attack.

There are four types of abdominal pain: upper, lower, right-sided and left-sided. Each type has specific symptoms and causes, and all are briefly discussed below (for detailed discussion).

Call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain, sharp stomach pain, if your stomach pain does not improve in 24 to 48 hours or if you also have: Chest pain (get prompt medical attention) Bloating or swelling that lasts more than a few days. An injury or recent accident.