Digestive symptoms: abdominal pain, diarrhea, cramps, nausea

Abdominal bloating and distension 

Everyone experiences abdominal pain from time to time. Other terms used to describe abdominal pain are stomach-ache, tummy ache, gut ache and bellyache. Abdominal pain can be mild or severe. It may be constant or come and go. Abdominal pain can be short-lived, also called acute. It also may occur over weeks, months or years, also known as chronic. 

Everyone occasionally has diarrhea — loose, watery and more-frequent bowel movements. You might also have abdominal cramps and produce a greater volume of stool. The duration of diarrhea symptoms can provide a clue to the underlying cause. 

Acute diarrhea lasts from 2 days to 2 weeks. Persistent diarrhea lasts 2 to 4 weeks. Acute and persistent diarrhea are typically caused by a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection of some sort. 

Chronic diarrhea lasts longer than does acute or persistent diarrhea, generally more than four weeks. Chronic diarrhea can indicate a serious disorder, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, or a less serious condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome. 

Sources:  
The Mayo Clinic 
Post-Covid recommendations for primary care physicians – Switzerland  
Practical management of post-Covid19 disease, Dr Ioannis Kokkinakis, Dr Mathieu Saubade, Dr Konstantinos Tzartzas, Dr Serge De Vallière, Dr Catherine Duquenne, Pr Gilles Allali, Dr Frédéric Regamey and Pr Bernard Favrat - Rev Med Suisse 2023 

    • Digestive issues  

    • Mild nausea 

    • Decreased appetite 

    • Severe constipation 

    • Food intolerance 

    • Physical reactions to certain foods 

    • Abdominal pain 

    • Constipation 

    • Diarrhea 

    • Vomiting 

    • Bloating 

    • Heartburn 

    • Trouble swallowing

  • Simple actions to begin, that you can do right now  

    • Optimal hydration 

    •  Healthy Mediterranean diet 

    • Limitation of sugar and processed foods 

    • Avoid using lots of over-the-counter drugs to treat your symptoms 

    • Daily adapted physical activity 

    Additional actions to go further

    • Daily probiotic intake during at least 6 months 

    •  Speak to your medical professional first to develop a treatment plan 

    • Test the consumption of lactose free foods 

    • Test the consumption of low FODMAP foods

    • Medical assessment 

    •  Identify exogenous factors such as stress, dietary habits, medications, etc., which have a favourable / unfavourable influence on the symptoms. Therapy includes stool regulation with bulking agents, dietary counselling or a diet change. Depending on the symptoms, drug therapy can be evaluated following a gastroenterologist consultation. 

    Tests:

    • Specialized gastroenterological assessment  

    • Intolerance test (lactose, etc.) 

    • Blood analysis (Anti-tTG antibodies) 

    • Stool analysis, if relevant 

    • Abdominal ultrasound 

    • Abdominal CT scanner, if relevant 

    • Endoscopy if appropriate

    • Follow-up with a nutritionist

    • Osteopathy (visceral manual therapy) 

    • Chiropractic medicine

Find out what has worked for others experiencing your symptoms.

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