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Health

Pain from overeating

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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One of the most common causes of stomach pain is overeating. Unpleasant sensations do not develop immediately, but 1-2 hours after eating, that is, as soon as the body starts the process of digesting food. At this moment, attacks of nausea and vomiting appear, which are a signal that the body is trying to get rid of excess food.

If your stomach hurts from overeating, it may indicate that its walls are stretched. The enlarged organ presses on the muscles and neighboring organs. Because of this, the pressure increases and radiating pain occurs.

The appearance of discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract after eating excessive amounts of food most often indicates the following problems:

  • Pain in the stomach and intestines with attacks of severe heartburn is a severe disorder of the organ, that is, dyspepsia. In particularly severe cases, discomfort makes itself known regardless of food intake, that is, at any time of the day.
  • A huge amount of food leads to problems with digestion. Because of this, increased gas formation occurs. Severe flatulence provokes painful sensations.
  • Stomach upset may occur with stool disturbance. Most often, food addiction leads to diarrhea.
  • Overeating fatty and oily foods requires the body to expend a lot of energy to break down fats. Increased secretion of gastric juice contributes to pain and increased heart rate.

On average, the human stomach holds about two plates of food. Once this volume is filled, the organ begins to expand and stretch, causing pain. To normalize the digestion process and eliminate discomfort, it is necessary to limit food consumption. Patients are recommended to have a fractional diet, which provides a saturation process, but does not cause discomfort. Small portions normalize weight and reduce the risk of developing gastrointestinal pathologies.

If pain after overeating still appears, then to alleviate the condition you can induce vomiting, take a medicine with enzymes that speed up the process of food breakdown. If the discomfort is severe, you should take a painkiller.

Pain in the lower left abdomen after overeating

If after eating you experience pain in the lower left abdomen, then most often this indicates problems with the digestive system and that the diet contains a large number of dishes that irritate the internal organs.

Discomfort that occurs after regular overeating requires medical attention, as it may indicate damage to the following organs of the digestive system:

  • Spleen.
  • Stomach.
  • Part of the intestine and pancreas.
  • Left side of the diaphragm.

Pathologies of the digestive system are accompanied by the following symptoms: heartburn, nausea and bloating, belching, vomiting, and bowel movements.

In rare cases, pain in the lower left abdomen after a bout of overeating is not related to the gastrointestinal tract. Discomfort indicates problems with the cardiovascular system, degenerative lesions of the spine (osteochondrosis). In women, these may be pathologies of the uterine appendages and other gynecological diseases.

To determine what exactly is causing the pain – nutritional errors or diseases of internal organs, you should seek medical help and undergo a comprehensive diagnosis.

Pain in the right side after overeating

If after an attack of uncontrolled food consumption there is severe pain in the right side, then the first thing to suspect is problems with the gastrointestinal tract and liver. It is also worth noting that the food itself may be the cause of discomfort or disease of the internal organs.

Pain in the right side after overeating occurs when consuming the following foods:

  • Salty, spicy, fatty, hot, fried.
  • Foods/drinks that are too cold or too hot.
  • Dairy intolerance.
  • Foods high in cholesterol or gluten.
  • Alcoholic beverages.
  • Poor quality or improperly prepared products.

The main diseases that cause discomfort on the right side, which worsens after lunch:

  • Food intoxication – develops due to expired or improperly prepared products. Accompanied by bouts of nausea and vomiting, diarrhea. Requires treatment, and in especially severe cases, medical care.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome – pain with stool disturbance, flatulence, rumbling and bloating. The discomfort gradually subsides, but the next meal triggers the painful sensations again.
  • Appendicitis - initially, discomfort appears under the spoon, but gradually moves lower, intensifying during active movements or resting on the right side.
  • Dysbacteriosis – fermentation and putrefaction processes in the intestines cause changes in the digestive system, which leads to severe pain on the right side.
  • Colitis is an inflammatory process in the large intestine. The pain is stabbing and twisting.
  • Acidity disorder – with low acidity and a lack of gastric juice, food cannot be digested for a long time, causing cramping pain.
  • Heartburn – most often occurs due to the use of products that irritate the stomach. May be accompanied by difficult bowel movements, belching.
  • Pylorospasm – manifests itself as spasms of the pylorus and pylorus. Discomfort occurs in the first minutes after eating and stops after 1-2 hours. Spasms may be accompanied by vomiting.

In addition to the above pathologies, pain on the right is typical for pancreatitis, gastritis, cholecystitis, and ulcerative lesions. To alleviate the condition, first of all, it is necessary to establish a diet and be sure to consult a gastroenterologist.

Back pain after overeating

Regular back pain after a bout of overeating may be a sign of digestive diseases. If the pain is reflected, then these are disorders of the musculoskeletal system or internal organs.

Let's look at the main causes of discomfort:

  • Ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and heartburn occur with vomiting and diarrhea, and increased gas formation is also possible.
  • Poor posture - if you eat in a hunched, that is, stooped position, then the appearance of pain is completely justified, since the gastrointestinal tract organs are pinched.
  • Heart attack – back pain can be a signal of a heart attack. They are accompanied by additional pathological signals from the body: pain in the chest, neck, shoulder and left arm, increased sweating and bouts of nausea.
  • Kidney infection – throbbing symptoms in the back are accompanied by abdominal pain and painful urination. This problem requires serious treatment as it can lead to serious problems.
  • Gallbladder diseases – there is a pressing pain in the back in the area of the right shoulder blade or between the shoulder blades, as well as dryness and bitterness in the mouth.

In addition to the above-mentioned reasons, pain occurs with arthritis, osteochondrosis and muscle tension, pinched nerves of the spine, as well as with oncological lesions of the kidneys and other internal organs.

If back pain is the only symptom after overeating, then it is enough to take a drug to speed up the digestion process and an anti-inflammatory drug. If after a couple of days the pathology makes itself known again, then you should seek medical help. A doctor's consultation is necessary if additional painful symptoms appear. In any case, such symptoms cannot be ignored, since without appropriate treatment there is a risk of serious complications.

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After overeating, the body hurts

A rather unusual symptom that occurs with uncontrolled food consumption is pain throughout the body. This symptom is associated with an increase in the volume of the stomach, the deposition of fat and salts in the tissues and on the walls of blood vessels. The painful condition may be associated with the following factors:

  • Decreased production of pancreatic hormones.
  • Formation of cholesterol plaques.
  • Excess weight: increased stress on joints, blood vessels and the musculoskeletal system.
  • Intoxication of the body with the remains of undigested food.
  • Formation of stones from salts in the gallbladder and kidneys.
  • Increased levels of fats and carbohydrates in the blood.
  • Binge eating before bedtime.

In order to get rid of pain in the whole body, it is necessary to normalize nutrition. If the problem is related to psychological factors, then you will need the help of a psychologist. If pain after an attack of gluttony appeared for the first time, then the stomach needs to be helped using the following methods:

  1. Brew green tea or prepare a glass of warm water, but no more than 150 ml. You can add a spoonful of lemon juice or a little ginger root to the drink, which will speed up the digestion process.
  2. To stimulate the production of gastric juice and eliminate intestinal spasms, dissolve a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of purified water and drink in small sips.
  3. Take enzymes that facilitate digestion and speed up the process of breaking down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Such drugs cannot be used on a permanent basis, as the body will stop producing enzymes on its own. Also, painful attacks can be prevented by taking a pill during a feast.
  4. You can stimulate the production of enzymes and increased salivation by chewing gum for 5-7 minutes. This makes it easier to digest the food entering the stomach.

It is strictly forbidden to drink a lot of liquid or alcohol, as there is a risk of injury to the gastric mucosa, nausea and vomiting. You also cannot lie down to rest, as lack of activity will provoke fermentation and putrefaction processes in the stomach, which will lead to intoxication.

After the first painful symptoms have gone, you need to lie down and massage your stomach around the navel clockwise for 5 minutes. Such stroking improves digestion and stimulates intestinal peristalsis. Another option for minimizing pain throughout the body is breathing exercises, which perfectly stimulate metabolic processes in the body.

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My heart hurts from overeating

Surely everyone at least once, but faced such a problem when after a heavy feast and overeating the heart begins to hurt. Heaviness and pressing sensations in the sternum can indicate complications of a cardiac, pulmonary, vascular, psychological or gastrointestinal nature.

Constant gluttony causes digestive disorders, which leads to chest pain. Discomfort occurs when overindulging in food that provokes increased gas formation and a feeling of heaviness. Most often, these are flour products, sweets and spicy dishes.

There is also such a concept as gastrocardiac syndrome. It is a reflex reaction of the stomach and esophagus to various irritants. The cardiac part of the stomach is targeted, the symptoms of damage to which are very similar to a heart attack or ischemia.

The main symptoms of gastrocardial syndrome:

  • Feeling of heaviness in the chest after eating.
  • Increasing pain in the heart area, which resembles angina pectoris.
  • Feeling of anxiety.
  • Slow heartbeat.
  • Increased heart rate after stopping.
  • Blood pressure surges.
  • Increased sweating.
  • Headaches and dizziness.
  • Increased weakness.

The appearance of the above symptoms is a reason to seek medical help. Patients are prescribed a set of diagnostic tests. The diagnosis is confirmed if heart pain occurs immediately after eating or drinking a large amount of liquid. Another sign confirming the pathology is that the painful symptoms go away on their own without taking medications.

Complex therapy is recommended for treatment, which begins with normalizing food intake. Patients are prescribed mild sedatives and antispasmodics. It is also mandatory to visit a nutritionist to create a therapeutic diet. If the painful condition is associated with psychological factors, then a course of psychotherapy is indicated.

Overeating gives you a headache

One of the common causes of headaches is poor nutrition and overeating. The following dietary factors can provoke discomfort:

  • Low blood sugar.
  • Breakdown during a diet.
  • Frequent bouts of binge eating with prolonged constipation.
  • Intoxication of the body with poor quality products.

The headache may be pulsating and bilateral, and may intensify with physical exertion. Some patients note that eating too much food provokes sharp shooting pains in the forehead and temples.

Migraine after eating occurs under the influence of the following factors:

  • Excess of retinol - increased doses of vitamin A, which are contained in butter, liver, egg yolks, tomatoes, dill cause not only migraine attacks, but also abdominal cramps with nausea. The condition is normalized after limiting products with retinol.
  • Sausages contain a huge amount of nitrites and preservatives. These ingredients contribute to sudden vasodilation, which leads to headaches.
  • Soy-rich foods contain monosodium glutamate. This ingredient is found in cheap meat products and sausages. In addition to migraines, there is a feeling of constriction in the chest.
  • Eating ice cream or drinking cold drinks causes temperature stress. The pain starts suddenly and quickly increases in intensity.
  • Alcohol intoxication – alcoholic drinks damage the walls of blood vessels and capillaries. Discomfort appears 30 minutes after drinking or the next day.
  • Regular consumption of caffeinated drinks causes real addiction. If you do not replenish your coffee supplies in time, withdrawal syndrome occurs, which occurs with headaches, nausea, irritability and anxiety.
  • Abuse of products with vitamin C – overeating citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, grapefruits).

In addition to the above factors, migraine occurs with the abuse of red wine, nuts, chocolate, canned goods and dietary supplements. Another headache trigger is products with amine (tyramine, phenylethylamine). This substance is found in smoked pork, celery, soy, avocado, vinegar, cheese, mayonnaise and mustard sauce, plums. Particular caution should be exercised when consuming products with genetically modified components.

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