Also important is learning to manage the anxiety, as ultimately, this is the underlying cause and main contributing factor to many people's gas and bloating. SUMMARY: Anxiety has a direct effect on the gut, and an indirect effect on breathing, muscles, digestion, and other causes of gas.
Some other symptoms of anxiety include bloating, unwanted gas, "stomach butterflies" and cramps. Chronic stress and anxiety also cause heartburn and inflammation of the gut, which results in your body targeting the bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.
That's because anxiety and worry can upset the delicate balance of digestion. In some people, stress slows down digestion, causing bloating, pain and constipation, while in others it speeds it up, causing diarrhoea and frequent trips to the loo.
Bloating is actually a very common symptom of anxiety, especially for those with anxiety attacks. What's interesting is that many different issues can cause bloating including, but not limited to: Hyperventilation The main reason that anxiety leads to bloating is the result of hyperventilation.
Upset Stomach
Stress and anxiety can make you feel like you have knots in your belly. Some people feel nauseated and even vomit. If this happens all the time, you can develop digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or sores in your stomach lining called ulcers.
The most common cause of stomach pain and bloating is excess intestinal gas. If you get a bloated stomach after eating, it may be a digestive issue. It might be as simple as eating too much too fast, or you could have a food intolerance or other condition that causes gas and digestive contents to build up.
The daily stresses can impact our digestive function through various pathways and it's the bloating or churning feeling in the stomach that can be the first warning sign of our stress levels. This happens mainly through the gut-brain axis.
Symptoms of Gut Stress
Because gut stress affects your whole body, stay on the lookout for these symptoms: Upset stomach after eating. Diarrhea or constipation. Cramping and/or bloating.
When you have it, you may feel: Cramping, churning, tightness, or knots in the stomach. “Butterflies” in the stomach feeling. Shivering, shaking, or twitching of muscles.
Many over-the-counter medications can help you deal with vomiting or one or more of the side effects of a nervous stomach, like nausea, diarrhea, or acidity, including Alka-Seltzer, Emetrol, Mylanta, Pepto-Bismal, Similac, or Tums. To know which medication is most appropriate for your symptom, talk to your doctor.
Absolutely. Stress and anxiety are common causes of stomach pain and other GI symptoms.
Nonetheless, persistent anxiety, over time, can contribute to the development of some very unpleasant symptoms. Some of these symptoms can cause physical pain and discomfort, including increased gas and belching. Although not well-known, belching is a somewhat common symptom of anxiety.
Sometimes abdominal pain is physical and mental.
This relationship can be cyclical, Sperling says: Stress or anxiety can prompt gut inflammation and intestinal spasms, leading to more GI symptoms, which can just translate to more stress or anxiety.
As your body recovers from the active stress response, this feeling should subside and your stomach should return to its normal self. Keep in mind that it can take up to 20 minutes or more for the body to recover from a major stress response. But this is normal and shouldn't be a cause for concern.
Excessive flatulence can be caused by swallowing more air than usual or eating food that's difficult to digest. It can also be related to an underlying health problem affecting the digestive system, such as recurring indigestion or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Upper abdominal bloating may be related to slow movement of the intestine called gastroparesis, swallowing air while eating, an infection, or overeating. Lower abdominal bloating can be from constipation, IBS, gas caused by food intolerance, or fluid retention.
Natural remedies: Ginger, which people can sip as a tea, chew on as a root, or take as a supplement, may help alleviate mild gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea . Drinking peppermint tea or smelling peppermint oil may also reduce nervous stomach symptoms.
A troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut. Therefore, a person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression. That's because the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) system are intimately connected.
Can stress cause gas? "Sometimes stress can make [gas and bloating] a major issue," Dr. Raj says. "What's happening there is the stress is affecting how you digest your food and then your food is producing more gas—more air in the system—which leads to that distended feeling."
Stress caused by anxiety may also affect contractions occurring in the esophagus, which propel food toward the stomach. If these contractions become irregular, it can lead to reflux. Finally, high stress and anxiety levels may increase the production of stomach acid.
What causes stomach or abdominal tightness? Common causes include gas, overeating, indigestion, IBS, and pregnancy. Fluid retention can lead to bloating in people with PMS or ascites, which occurs with liver disease and other chronic health issues.