Do you experience spicy food stomach pain next day? How last does it long? How long does spicy food stomach pain next day last? What are the associated symptoms?
Spicy food stomach pain next day can be caused by a number of possible medical causes. These medical causes can be attributed to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), gastritis, gastric ulcers, excitation of pain receptors in the gastric lining, acid reflux etc.
All of the symptoms, causes, remedies will be discussed in the article below.
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Causes of spicy food stomach pain next day
- Gastritis: Gastritis is the condition in which there is inflammation of the lining of the gastric mucosa. There are a number of causes for gastritis along with some risk factors. The causes include commonly H.pylori infection and drugs such as NSAIDs, and sometimes rarely acetaminophen, and other drugs. Some other etiologies for gastritis include: alcohol, chemotherapy, radiation, some systemic diseases like vasculitis, Crohn’s disease, physiological stress like trauma, burns, critical illnesses. Gastritis can be acute or chronic or atrophic and can be respectively defined as acute and self- limiting, long term with recurring symptoms, and loss of glands and fibrosis followed by inflammatory changes. Some other types like non- atrophic gastritis and erosive gastritis. Symptoms include: Dyspepsia, early satiety, bloating etc.
Diagnosis can be made by doing tests for H.pylori, endoscopy when indicated and other laboratory studies.
- Gastric ulcer: Gastric ulcer also called as peptic ulcer disease is characterized by the presence of one or more ulcerative lesions in the stomach or duodenum. This occurs when the acid in your stomach increases. This results in decreased amount of mucosa (layer that protects your stomach lining from this increased acid), resulting in your stomach being exposed to this amount of acid making it prone to ulcers.
Causes can be attributed to H.pylori infection, medications like NSAIDs, and excessive acid secretion and stress. There is a typical epigastric pain in gastric ulcer. There are a number of risk factors along with two important causes: H.pylori and medications which involve: Smoking, heavy alcohol, caffeine, diet, anxiety, stress, genetic factors, and there are some other non-common causes like some acid hypersecretory states, some medications other than NSAIDS like acetaminophen, mycophenolate, sirolimus, infections and radiations. The symptoms include: abdominal pain, belching, indigestion, reflux, nausea and early satiety.
Diagnosis can be done by history, test for detecting infections and other imaging can be used.
If gastric ulcers or PUD (peptic ulcer disease) is left untreated, it can cause a number of complications. Complications include internal bleeding (can either be mild, or severe enough for you to be hospitalized), perforation (or simply a hole) in your stomach causing content to move outwards (putting you at a risk of infection that can be fatal as well), obstruction, or gastric cancer (if H.pylori remains at increased amount).
- IBS (irritable syndrome syndrome): IBS is a syndrome and be characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, pain during defecation, satisfaction after a bowel movement, diarrhea or constipation or both. The cause is unknown but can be caused due to altered GI motility and permeability, and visceral hypersensitivity. It is diagnosed with ROME IV criteria and involves a criterion of pain in abdomen at least once a week in past three months along with two or more from the below mentioned points:
- Change in the frequency of stools
- Change in the consistency of stools
- Pain related to defecation
The symptoms include: Abdominal pain and the pain is relieved after defecation, diarrhea, constipation, nausea reflux and early satiety, and some extra intestinal symptoms like pain fatigue, dysmenorrhea, increased urine urgency and frequency.
It can be diagnosed by history and ruling out other organic causes. There is some differential diagnosis to consider like: Bacterial or viral gastroenteritis, hypo or hyperthyroidism, celiac, lactose intolerance and bacterial overgrowth syndrome.
- Capsaicin irritation: Capsaicin is an element found in chile pepper and may elicit the receptors of pain in the gastric mucosa and sends the pain sensation the brain. Capsaicin is now believed to protect the gastric lining by increasing the blood flow and mucous secretion.
Avoiding such foods containing capsaicin can be helpful in relieving the symptoms of the person.
Treatment is mainly conservative but in times of extreme pain antacid can be taken to neutralize the acid in the stomach.
- Acid reflux: Acid reflux is a condition in which there is a backflow of acid into esophagus and that irritates the gastric and esophageal mucosa. Acid reflux like conditions are exacerbated from spicy food and results in spicy food stomach pain next day. Acid reflux has a number of causes and risk factors. Causes include relaxed gastric esophageal sphincter transiently or inappropriately. Risk factors include: obesity, stress, unhealthy lifestyle and food habits. Symptoms include: retrosternal burning pain, regurgitation and can present with chest pain or dysphagia.
Treatment is started with an empiric trial of PPI and the response confirms the diagnosis. Lifestyle modifications forms the basis of treatment. Dietary recommendations: small portion meal, not eating 3 hours before going to bed, avoid trigger foods and activity, physical recommendations like weight loss for obese patients, and avoid triggering symptoms like medications etc.
Symptoms
These symptoms mentioned as below are seen in association with stomach pain:
- Heartburn – chest pain due to acid reflux
- Nausea
- Bloating/ fullness
- Belching excessively
- Burning sensation of the anus
- Feeling usually hot
- Perspiration excessively
- Runny nose
- Watery eyes
These symptoms may no be seen in all individuals but depends on tolerance of the individual for spicy food. It also depends on the quantity of the irritant present in the food. Thus, in combination if the person has low tolerance to spicy food and high irritants in the food can lead to more severe symptoms.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be made primarily on history and physical examination. History can be made by asking about the onset of pain, alleviating and aggravating factors, duration of pain. Physical examination depends on the cause like epigastric tenderness, abdominal distention. Sometimes in addition to all the above-mentioned history and physical examination criteria, lab studies and imaging may help. Imaging includes ultrasonography, sometimes CT scan and in cases of indication endoscopy and colonoscopy can be recommended.
Treatment
Treatment is diagnosis based. Treatment involves a variety of options ranging from simple lifestyle modifications to medications and sometimes surgery. Treatment is mainly done through lifestyle modifications like avoiding trigger foods like high in fats, oil and fried foods, avoid spicy foods, other food triggers like caffeine, alcohol etc. Eating before 2-3 hours of going to bed and not taking a supine position immediately after having a meal. Exercising, maintaining healthy lifestyle and diet can surely help in the process. Treatment also involves antacids, proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and sometimes some anti-depressants to relieve the stress and that serves a trigger for acid reflux and IBS. Taking these medications along with lifestyle modifications will definitely speed up the process of treatment and help patient get a sigh of relief.
Prevention
As said in the famous proverb ‘prevention is better than cure’. Preventing the symptoms and conditions from occurring. Prevention involves maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding the trigger foods like spicy food, soft drinks, alcohol, caffeine etc. Prevention also involves management of stress that happens to be a part of life but by proper management and sometimes therapies and in severe cases medications might be useful. Prevention mainly involves dietary lifestyle, physical activities and avoid substance abuse that trigger the conditions. Maintaining sleep hygiene and taking small meals are also of great help in many cases. Following all the precautions is easy than suffering from the discomfort and burden of medications.
When to see a doctor?
As mentioned above the causes are mostly benign and are not dangerous. The symptoms are attributed to causes like reflux, IBS, gastritis and can be easily managed by lifestyle and medication. But in certain cases where the associated symptoms along with spicy food stomach pain next day this can be a medical emergency. The symptoms include: persistent pain, diarrhea or stools with blood, weight loss, hypotension, unresponsive to medication and severe unbearable pain with nausea and vomiting. In such cases a nearby health care center should be visited to avoid any damage.
Take away
The condition of pain after spicy food can be eliminated by eliminating the triggers and maintaining lifestyle and dietary modifications. The causes are benign and can be managed easily. The conditions are easily treatable and manageable. Gastritis can be managed by stopping the medication and eradication of infections. IBS can be managed by controlling stress and diet.
But there are some other causes where you might need to visit a doctor. This includes IBS as well. You need proper diagnosis and sometimes treatment for it, along with lifestyle modifications (including managing stress and diet) as already mentioned. Likewise, ulcers can be managed by proper treatment and avoiding trigger foods.