Stomach Cramps

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR

* You also have a fever or bloody stool.

* Your cramps continue for a week or more.

What Your Symptom Is Telling You

Stomach cramps are the evil henchmen of your gut. They never mastermind their own crime. But they can be found doing some of the dirty work of the usual stomach bad guys—thugs like diarrhea, constipation, a viral infection, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, lactose intolerance, even food poisoning. Of course, all these digestive disorders have other symptoms. But like a siren on a police cruiser, it's the cramps that get your attention.

"Stomach cramps are usually a painful squeezing sensation that comes and goes over a span of minutes. They crescendo up and then decrease," says Bruce Luxson, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of gastroenterology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri. The squeezing sensation does not always originate in your stomach, by the way. Sometimes the trouble is further down.

Take, for example, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—a troubling and unexplained digestive problem that can cause pain, cramps, diarrhea and constipation. What you perceive as stomach cramps are actually spasms of the intestines. "In less severe cases of IBS, you get cramps when you have the urge to go to the bathroom, and they go away after you've defecated," says Andrew H. Soll, M.D., a professor of medicine and director of the affiliated training program for gastroenterology at the University of California at Los Angeles and chief of gastroenterology at Veterans Administration Hospital.

What you put in your mouth is another common cause of stomach cramps. Lactose intolerance—the inability to digest the sugar in dairy products—affects a third of Americans and can cause cramps. Downing spoiled potato salad at your company picnic—or any other inappropriately handled food—usually leads to a bacterial battle down below called food poisoning that features cramping, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea. And not enough fiber or water are the leading causes of both constipation and diarrhea, often linked to cramping, says Dr. Luxson.

Diverticulosis is a disease characterized by small pouches filled with stool or irritating bacteria that form on the muscle wall of your small bowel. It not only causes spasms and cramping, but hemorrhaging as well, says Dr. Soll. Another medical problem—viral infection—can also cause cramps.

Stress also apparently plays a role in stomach cramps for children as well as adults, says John Boyle, M.D., a gastroenterologist and chief of pediatric gastroenterology at Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital in Cleveland. "It doesn't cause the cramps, but it can bring them on," he says.

Symptom Relief

By eating the right foods and keeping stress under control, you can minimize the possibility of stomach cramps. Here's how.

Get wise to water. When constipation is causing stomach cramps, pour on the water. Drinking over a gallon of water a day (that's eight eight-ounce glasses) should help make you regular in no time, says Dr. Luxson. Go easy on coffee and cola drinks. Caffeine is a diuretic and can quickly deplete the body's water supply, he says.

Stay clear. When food poisoning or viral infections strike, stick with clear liquids—like water—until your distress subsides.

Limit your lactose. Gas, cramps and diarrhea will often accompany even a small glass of milk if you are lactose intolerant, says Dr. Luxson. To test whether you have this problem, eliminate all dairy products for three days and then add an eight ounce glass of skim milk to your diet. Gradually work more dairy products, like nonfat yogurt and cheeses, into your diet. If your cramping returns at any point, you may have found your culprit. If you do find out that you're lactose intolerant, you can buy Lactaid—a product containing the digestive enzyme lactase to be taken when you consume dairy products. Lactaid in available in tablet or liquid form.

Try some Miller's bran. A quarter cup of Miller's bran or any other fiber supplement added each morning to your oatmeal may be just what the doctor ordered to end your stomach cramps. Boosting fiber can help not only to end constipation and diarrhea but also to control diverticulosis and irritable bowel syndrome, says Dr. Soll. Eating too much fiber without giving your body time to adjust, however, may actually cause more gas and diarrhea. If you get relief from the cramps, but start to suffer from gas, try adding another form of fiber, like pre-made fiber bars, to your diet, he says. (For more information on banishing constipation, see page 105.)

Relax. Because some doctors believe that many causes of cramping are linked to stress, it's important to get your stress level under control. Whether you walk three times a week for 30 minutes at a time or learn biofeedback, you should see some relief from your cramps, says Dr. Boyle. Biofeedback is a technique that teaches you to relax by using a monitor to give you "feedback" on your level of muscular tension. Ask your doctor to refer you to someone who can provide training.

See also Stomach Pain