I would like to invite you to the contest that is running by @helengutier2 and if you would like to have a look, here is the link:
https://steemit.com/hive-168205/@helengutier2/malestar-estomacal-concurso
I am very lucky that I did not have much trouble with abdominal pain. Again, once we are adults we try to keep an eye on what we eat and also how we prepare our food.
I remember only once when I had very bad abdominal pain and it was when I was a child, probably 12 years old. I remember very well that a day before I was with my friends and we were playing outside and also we set up after playing some food outside too. I think the weather was too hot and we did not think about the temperature, that is why some I believe some of food become spoiled.
That evening I did not feel well and no appetite and a bit sick, but still went to bed and when woke up then I had some cramps in abdomen but also upset stomach.
Like in any families my mother told me to stay in bed and a gave a lot of fluids. Other home remedies are grapes, that are rich in water and sugar. Some salty sticks and coke, actually I loved that diet and it was tasty but also not too much for the stomach.
There are some simple symptoms that can help to differentiate between:
upset stomach, that usually happens after spoiled food and usually does not take a long time. After you empty stomach and bowel and with much hydration the symptoms should settle within couple of days
gastritis, this is an inflammation of stomach secondary to stomach acid, usually symptoms are heartburn, bloating and pain in upper abdomen. Often milk helps to settle such stomach pain as milk is alkaline and that neutralised stomach acid. Otherwise simple peppermint tea is also very good for that.
colitis is an inflammation of large bowel, usually presents with crampy abdominal pain and diarrhoea, in rare cases people can have temperature. With that people loose much water. Such colitis could be infective and inflammatory. Infective colitis also settles without much help, just plenty to drink, salty stuff and coke and avoid Imodium because the toxins should go out of your body. If it is inflammatory, then even though it will get better but not settle completely. Often such condition will cause diarrhoea with blood and that is time to ask medical help. That will need some investigations to identify if it is a case.
If the symptoms very bad, such persistent pain, diarrhoea and often there is a temperature them I would definitely go do hospital because, in that case it might require fluids and antibiotics. That was when I was 12 years old and I was in hospital that time for a week.
To avoid stomach problem, I pay attention to:
wash hands before meals
wash fruits and vegetables
I usually cook well meat, eggs
also pay attention to the expiry date of milk products
if to order take away we pay attention to those ones that we know well
Usually these measurements help.
I would like to invite following users @dequeen, @memamun, @sitaraindaryas for the contest.