Stomach pain after working out?

How soon before exercising are you eating? What are you eating? Does the pain go away once you eat? What exactly does it feel like?

Do you have any other gastrointestinal problems?

Dont really have any other gastro problems. As for eating, I typically eat about 15mins or so after I workout and generally 2-3 hours before. I drink a lot of water before working out. It feels similar to being punched in the stomach, kinda like something is clenched up. I figure it might be something I am doing in terms of breathing that is causing me to unknowingly tighten those muscles for a long amount of time but am not sure.

Edited by joscon 2004-05-05 1:35 PM

Does eating solve or lessen it? Sometimes I get so empty I feel like I'm imploding slightly. That sounds kinda like what you're describing.

is it stomach or abs? sometimes pains in the abs can be related to sore lower back muscles

Feels like its in the stomach. Eating doesnt really help or hurt it....although I feel better cause I am hungry

It hurts to put pressure on my stomach when it hurts which I dont think is a good thing, but I think that it might just be tightness. Again, not sure. Was just curious if someone else had seen it. It started the end of last week really which coincides with my going longer distances than I had before.

I'd get that checked out by a doctor, especially since it's tender to the touch.

Its more tender about being pushed on, does that count? I hate doctors

It's possible that it's your abs contending with the longer distances, but I still second Whit's suggestion: get thee to a doctor! It could be something much worse, and your health is much more important than running distances. Hopefully, it's just your abs working to keep you balanced properly while you're running.

hate them or not it's off to the doctor with you

Just a thought: Could you possibly be swallowing air when you're swimming?

i get stomach ache after swallowing loads of chlorine filled water! but the running pain is still there right?

Actually, I think I am swallowing a ton of air in both facets now that you mention it, I dont really ever get a good breathe in/out going, its more of a gasp, hold, out motion. Would that account for it?

I still don't see how swallowing air would cause pain that would make your stomach sensitive to the touch.

If you are gasping like you describe, slow down! Perhaps you should run and then once you get to the point where you can't breathe well, walk until you get it back under control. Alternatively, pick up a heart rate monitor and make sure your heart rate stays within the proper range. Give that a shot on a long run and see if the pain occurs.

I have spent quite awhile looking online for information about having stomach pain after working out. I haven't found anything. I mean, you can get cramps/side stitches while you're running and sometimes exercise can exacerbate GERD (acid reflux), but I'm assuming you know what cramps (side stitches) and heartburn/acid reflux feel like. Since this isn't really related to eating or not eating, it's not likely to be an ulcer. Furthermore, if you were swallowing air, it would feel like gas cramps and come out as burping or flatulence, neither of which you've mentioned.

One thing I did notice was that every website advised people to go to the doctor if their stomach is actually painful to the touch because it could mean some sort of organ infection. That's why I really think you should go to a doctor.

If the pain is more in your chest wall rather than your stomach, however, it may be costochondritis. See here: http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/stc123748.asp?navbar=hw858... and here for info on chest wall pain: http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/sig52103.asp?navbar=hw8585...

It really depends on where the pain is. If it's actually in your stomach and not your chest wall, you should get to the doctor!

Thanks Whit. I called my RN and she said to monitor it a little and see if it gets better or worse. I swam today and it doesnt feel bad at all but I run tomorrow so I will see what I feel like. I have actually slowed down quite a bit (from 9min/mile to 10:30 min miles) and its helped in terms of feeling winded but I still get into a weird breathing pattern, mostly through my mouth, which made me wonder about the air swallowing mentioned.

What/how do you keep from swallowing air? I have had quite a bit of gas after working out and that actually sounds more like what might be going on to me to be honest. My stomach doesnt like having pressure applied but its not a piercing awful pain, more of an ache, like you got punched in the gut. I have done some online looking too and couldnt really find anything. I dont really have chest pain, its more in the belly button area, which made the RN think, if anything, that it would be appendix related.

So, how do you stop from swallowing air? Take bigger breathes in and out?

Edited by Whit 2004-05-06 2:00 PM

I don't really swallow air and don't know if I could if I tried. I've been trying to keep my cadence up around 90 right foot strikes per minute. This forces you to move your legs faster but shorten your stride and cut out a lot of bouncing. Then, I breathe in on a left strike, out on the next left strike, and so on. Breathing in and out on my left foot strike has helped reduce the amount side stitches I get. I read that most people tend to breathe on their right foot strikes and that switching to the left foot strike will help. Since I've been doing that, I've been in much better control of my breathing. I also try to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth. My high school cross country coach said that because the nostrils are a smaller opening, breathing in through your nose will increase the velocity by which the air reaches your lungs. Sometimes I can do this, sometimes I have to use my mouth. At the very least, nose breathing prevents bug swallowing. Anyway, I don't really have to take big breaths since I'm breathing regularly and quickly (but not fast enough to hyperventilate). When I first started running, I was having a lot of breathing problems, but focusing on breathing and form really helped.

Maybe if you work on very rhythmic breathing you'll be able to prevent swallowing air. Focus on breathing in through your nose and blowing the air out of your mouth. Pretend like you're blowing bubbles when exhaling (as if your face was in water) if that's what it takes to focus on breathing out rather than swallowing. Also, keep your form together and avoid floppy arms, wrists and feet. I find that when I start flopping around a bit, I lose my disciplined breathing and the rest of my form heads downhill.

As far as gas pain goes, maybe GasX works on swallowed air too. There have been a few times where I had such bad gas attacks that I could have sworn some internal organs were exploding. A few GasX helps get the gas down and out. I find that laying on my stomach eases the pain until the medicine works its wonder.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes the next time you run.

BTW, I'm glad you called an RN. It's good to have an educated opinion on the matter.

Edited by Whit 2004-05-06 2:02 PM