Anxious Feeling in Stomach for No Reason
Healthful Vitality | 10/13/2021 | By NP Contributor | Anxious Feeling in Stomach for No Reason
If there is a strange sensation in the stomach for no apparent reason, high acidity, bloating, stomach pain, and even nausea. It could, quite possibly, be due to emotional stress rather than due to any infection or disease.
Till the 19th century, infections or some severe stomach disorders used to dominate. Thus, if one had a stomach issue, one would immediately think about infection, food poisoning, and similar factors. However, in the last few decades, things have changed considerably. Most people have difficulty explaining gastrointestinal symptoms caused by anxiety and stress.
It is well-known that excessive worry and fear are immediately felt as anxious feeling in stomach. In most cases, it would be a short-lived problem. Nonetheless, in many cases, it may keep repeating and become a chronic disorder.
Unmanaged anxious feeling
Unmanaged anxious feeling in the stomach may ultimately cause an increase in stomach acid production, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and even cause gastric ulcers.
In some cases, an anxious stomach may even cause more significant gastrointestinal disturbances. Thus, it may cause diarrhea, constipation, stomach ache. It may even lead to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The anxious stomach is rarely an isolated condition. If it is not managed, it may cause more severe generalized anxiety disorder, and it also increases the risk of depression. Additionally, it may also increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Managing anxious stomach
1. Breathing deeply
Immediate measures of calming down an anxious stomach could be breathing exercises like breathing deeply, backward counting or even taking a short break. In many cases, a nap would help well. However, these methods must be combined with other ways of managing anxiety.
2. Exercise
Exercise is the most recommended way of keeping control of anxiety. It also improves stomach motility, reduces gastric spasms, and thus may help provide relief. Exercise may even help prevent future attacks of anxious feelings.
3. Healthy diet
A healthy diet may also help prevent anxious feeling in stomach. Using certain herbs like ginger may have unique benefits. Generally, probiotic-rich, non-sugary, fermented milk products like yogurt are excellent for reducing stress and calming the stomach.
4. Drinks
Among the drinks, alcohol and coffee are not going to help. However, some may like the soothing effect of green tea on the stomach.
5. Meditation and aromatherapy
Indulging in meditation and aromatherapy are some of the great ways to reduce anxiety and its effects on the stomach.
6. Regular sleep
In many cases, anxiety causes sleep disorders, which only worsens anxious stomach. It means that getting regular and adequate sleep may be a key to a healthy stomach.
7. Healthy snacks
During attacks of anxious feeling in stomach, it is good to have some healthy snacks, however, keep the portion size small. Drinking moderately cold water may help in some instances.
8. Avoid wearing tight clothes
Those prone to anxious stomach must avoid wearing tight clothes as tight clothes restrict the movement of the abdomen and thus make things worse.
To conclude, there are numerous ways of managing an anxious stomach. However, one may need to learn what works for them best through some trial and error. In addition, due to individual differences, some methods may work better for a person than others.
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