The stomach is an organ that not only performs the function of digesting food, it also helps us “digest” different life situations and survive problems. For a person, food is a means of filling the body with energy, when someone refuses the help of others and is not able to draw energy from other sources, the unmet need is compensated by a large amount of food consumed, which results in gastritis or ulcers. These diseases are only a part of the possible dangers that can be encountered due to internal experiences. Find out in the article about the psychosomatics of stomach diseases.
Even if a person’s mental health is normal, each individual has certain character traits, habits and lifestyle. The latter can tell a specialist which diseases are most likely to trouble a particular patient.
What else is dangerous about severe stress?
It is worth knowing that it is considered one of the triggering factors for the development of Irritable Bowel Syndrome2.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common intestinal diseases3, the main manifestations of which5 are:
- pain and cramping in the abdomen
- bowel dysfunction (diarrhea and/or constipation);
- bloating, flatulence.
IBS refers to functional disorders of the intestine. What does it mean? In a healthy state, the intestines (or, more precisely, their walls) contract and ensure the passage of food. With IBS, the rhythm of contractions of the intestinal walls is disrupted, that is, its motor function is impaired.
How does stress affect digestion?
We live in times of global stress. Of course, it cannot but affect the functioning of our body and can have a negative impact, including on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. More often it is discomfort or pain in the abdomen, abnormal stool, and bloating.
If the body remains under nervous tension for a long time, and sometimes even in nervous exhaustion, or becomes very overtired, this can lead to a whole complex of disturbances in the functioning of the digestive, nervous and cardiovascular systems. Symptoms of indigestion due to stress include:
- constant or periodic pain in the stomach and along the intestines, “in the abdomen,” as patients often explain it;
- feeling of quick or early satiety;
- heartburn;
- bitterness in the mouth;
- nausea;
- unpleasant taste in the mouth;
- abdominal cramps;
- diarrhea (diarrhea or pasty stools) or constipation.
All these symptoms can lead to the appearance of inflammatory changes in the gastric mucosa (ulcers and wounds - erosions) or a whole complex of functional disorders.
If the intestinal microflora is disturbed - dysbacteriosis, the production of the hormone serotonin may decrease, and this, in turn, affects the regulation of motility and secretion of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, serotonin is called the “happiness hormone,” so it can also affect your mood, which leads to an imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract and a tangle of problems is formed.
The connection between the central nervous system and the intestines forms a vicious circle. The brain sends signals to the digestive tract that you are under stress. In the intestine, the absorption of nutrients decreases, the rate of enzymatic reactions decreases, which in turn leads to contraction of the gastrointestinal tract muscles and inflammation, increased sensitivity of the perceiving nerve endings - receptors to the slightest, even normal changes. And vice versa. A signal comes from the intestines to the brain that certain disorders exist. Sometimes this signal is overly intense, distorting the true picture of events. Therefore, the connection between these two systems is very close. It’s not for nothing that they say that “the brain and the intestines have a lot in common, because they both have something to digest.” During times of stress, the most important task of the body is to maintain vital functions, which, by the way, do not include digestion. The process of blood flow and the activity of the blood supply to the digestive system decreases, all processes occurring in the gastrointestinal tract slow down. Chronic stress affecting the human body can lead to such diseases (or serve as a trigger or provoking factor) such as:
- functional gastric dyspepsia;
- gastritis (erosive form) or acute ulcer of the stomach or duodenum;
- irritable bowel syndrome;
- functional disorder of the gallbladder and sphincter of Oddi;
- Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
How to identify gastrointestinal diseases?
First, you need to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist. The doctor will refer you for the necessary examination and prescribe tests, based on the results of which the necessary treatment will be recommended. The foundation for maintaining healthy digestion is following a diet and exercise regimen. You need to remember that the body needs physical activity, but do not forget that it is not recommended to deplete it with excessive physical effort, as this can also negatively affect your digestion. Psychologists and psychotherapists will help you get out of a stressful state.
Most likely, you will be prescribed a reasonable course of sedatives, or psychotherapeutic practices that will help you and your nervous system relax so that the treatment is more productive. Yoga classes, walks in nature, meditation, art therapy and, most importantly, adherence to a sleep and rest schedule have a relaxing effect. You will be surprised how much easier your life will become if you start following a sleep-wake schedule! The main thing in your treatment is your participation in the restoration of the body. To prevent gastrointestinal disorders, it is worth remembering simple rules: - do not snack on the go; - observe sleep, rest and nutrition regimes; - exclude fast food, carbonated water and other junk foods from your diet.
Let's find the good in life and strive for it!
Signs of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Impaired motility (motor activity of the intestines):
Constipation occurs when motor skills are slow. The intestinal walls become less active and cannot provide the necessary movement of intestinal contents. Constipation is often accompanied by increased gas formation. Due to retention of contents in the intestines, fermentation processes intensify, gases accumulate - flatulence occurs.
Diarrhea occurs when intestinal motility increases. The intestinal walls begin to contract intensely, causing the intestinal contents to move along too quickly.
Spasm of intestinal smooth muscles leads to a feeling of abdominal pain and can also provoke the development of constipation.
Digestive disorders (nutrient absorption).
This or that disruption of the intestines affects the absorption of nutrients that we get from food. With constipation, bowel cleansing is delayed. This leads to the fact that harmful substances formed during digestion remain in the intestines longer than necessary and begin to be absorbed into the blood, causing intoxication. With diarrhea, on the contrary, the food in the intestines does not have time to be fully digested, and liquid and nutrients substances do not have time to enter the body.
Symptoms of gastric neurosis
The picture of this disease is quite varied. The patient is constantly tormented by heaviness in the abdomen, severe heartburn, nausea, which intensifies directly with anxiety, and also does not go away with the transition to a more gentle diet. Pain appears in the epigastric region. They can be sharp as well as dull. Pain may occur when you feel extreme hunger or during breaks between meals. Pain can also appear under the influence of a mental disorder and stress, that is, of a psychosomatic nature.
The patient often has difficulty swallowing. It seems that there is some kind of obstruction in the throat, a lump in the esophagus. Belching occurs, which can even develop into vomiting if the condition is sufficiently advanced. This leads directly to a deterioration in overall well-being and sleep.
Due to swallowing a sufficiently large amount of air, a person may even be tormented by loud burps that last for hours. Flatulence also occurs, which causes a lot of suffering. In addition, many patients with this disease complain of a lump in the throat.
This disease is characterized by a complete lack of relationship between the nature of the pain and the quality of any food intake. For example, sharp pain can occur even after eating low-fat and dietary foods. Or, on the contrary, such sensations may disappear immediately after eating fatty and high-calorie foods.
How to soothe irritable bowel?
In order to restore intestinal function, it is necessary to stabilize the psycho-emotional state and learn to manage stress5.
Simple habits will help you maintain emotional balance, avoid the negative effects of stress and restore strength faster6:
- The right balance between work and rest
- Regular meals in small portions several times a day
- Proper breathing and aromatherapy
- Sports activities, walking outdoors
- Periodic change of environment
- Creative hobbies
In case of chronic stress and the impossibility of following the above recommendations, sedatives and consultations with a psychologist or psychotherapist may be required. Often, various psychotherapeutic interventions are used as treatment methods for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. When used skillfully, these methods help reduce anxiety and improve mood, which has a positive effect on health.
Emotional recovery can take a long time, and the unpleasant symptoms of IBS can continue to disrupt the usual rhythm of life. This is why treating the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is equally important.
Duspatalin® 135 mg is indicated specifically for the treatment of pain, cramping and intestinal discomfort associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome4.
Treatment of gastric neurosis: the most effective and proven methods
So, treatment of gastric neurosis is a rather long process, the course of which must be monitored by a doctor. It is necessary to start it as early as possible, because in a very advanced form this pathology leads to much more serious complications and even other diseases - problems with the esophagus and stomach.
The very first advice that can be given to a patient is to visit a competent psychotherapist. He will give all the necessary advice on avoiding emotional stress and worries, and will also prescribe certain physical activities.
Diet therapy plays a certain role. It should be selected depending on the general acidity of the patient’s stomach. The peculiarity of diet therapy is that the transition from dietary food to a regular diet occurs smoothly and also covers a long period of time. You will need to abstain from hot, spicy and salty foods during treatment. It is also necessary to completely exclude from the diet foods that are prone to fairly rapid fermentation.
The patient will benefit from baths with the addition of mint, essential oils, and any medicinal herbs. It is necessary to take herbal infusions that have a strong sedative effect. Such as infusions of oregano, motherwort and valerian. Such plants perfectly normalize the state of mind and help overcome neurosis.
Duspatalin® 135 mg has a dual effect against the symptoms of IBS4:
- relieves spasms and pain in the abdomen, the drug begins to develop its effect within 15 minutes6;
- normalizes intestinal function, eliminating diarrhea, constipation, bloating and flatulence7.
The drug Duspatalin® 135 mg acts directly at the site of the problem - the intestines4, unlike systemic drugs, does not disrupt the functions of other organs and systems4.
Here you can familiarize yourself in detail with the drug Duspatalin® 135 mg and instructions for medical use.
Co-author of articles, editor - Shimbaretsky Georgy Alekseevich.
How to get rid of it?
Do I need to follow a diet?
There is no special diet that would help get rid of abdominal pain caused by nervousness.
However, most people suffering from neurosis know which foods are worse for them to digest (cause slight indigestion, increased gas formation, etc.). These are the products you need to give up. Their list is usually individual for each person.
You can try switching to a diet indicated for irritable bowel syndrome.
You need to be careful when refusing to eat certain foods.
Since suspicious people often have a list that quickly expands. And they convince themselves that they cannot eat many dishes, even dietary ones.
