11 Surprising Causes of GI Irritation

Gastrointestinal problems affect roughly 11% of Americans, but what causes such issues? Here are 11 potential causes of GI irritation.

Stomach and abdominal pains are a nuisance at best and debilitating at worst, and can turn a perfectly beautiful day into a struggle. Unfortunately, diagnosing the source of the problem isn’t always easy; many, many illnesses and irritants can cause gastrointestinal (GI) issues. Some of these causes are obvious, while others may not be quite so apparent.

Despite the fact that the GI irritation causes listed here are less common than, say, eating spicy food, knowing about them can improve your ability to spot a problem if and when it occurs. As always, if you believe you’re experiencing any of the issues on this list, speak with your local pharmacist or physician to seek a diagnosis and explore potential solutions.

1. Drug Interactions

Drug interactions are by far the most complex and confusing GI irritation cause. Not every patient will experience drug interactions, and it isn’t always easy to determine the drug that’s causing the issue if the patient is prescribed multiple medications.

Because drug interactions are so nuanced, it’s important that you always tell your pharmacist about every drug you take when getting a new prescription.

As for suspected drug interactions and your GI tract, certain drugs may be more likely to cause GI irritation than others, especially if you’re taking more than one at a time. Watch for common triggers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Aleve, and steroids like Prednisone — both can cause GI symptoms, though fewer people recognize Prednisone as a trigger. Likewise, certain beta blockers may cause irritation, too, yet patients don’t often make the connection.

2. Gastritis

Gastritis refers to almost any symptom resulting from GI irritation. This includes swelling of the stomach walls, ulcers, and intestinal inflammation.

Gastritis itself can occur for a long list of reasons (including many of the reasons on this list). However, many patients don’t realize that it can be self-perpetuating. You develop gastritis due to medication, and then the swelling itself causes further irritation and pain.

Sometimes, even stopping the trigger for gastritis itself isn’t enough; acid reducers or anti-irritants may become necessary to halt the condition for good.

3. Erosive Gastritis

It’s impossible to know for sure if you have erosive gastritis without an endoscopy, but there are telltale signs. If you’re experiencing sharp pains and burning sensations in or around your stomach, and you’ve experienced ulcers, it’s very likely that you’re experiencing erosive gastritis.

This form of gastritis withers away the stomach lining, and as you may expect, that causes pain and other unpleasant sensations. Ulcers form in various areas of the stomach, heartburn may occur, and enough irritation may even cause internal bleeding.

Fortunately, bleeding due to erosive gastritis is rarely severe or life-threatening, barring unusual circumstances or complex drug interactions. Nevertheless, it can become severe and may even result in anemia or stomach perforation. If you’ve been diagnosed with erosive gastritis, it’s a good idea to seek medical care if you experience pain, dizziness, or weakness for any extended period of time.

4. Medications

Chronic use of NSAIDs, like Aleve and Advil, gradually wear away at the stomach walls with chronic use. The effects don’t typically manifest with short-term use of these chemicals for the average patient, but may become obvious faster in sensitive patients. Any patient who has experienced issues like gastritis, ulcers, heartburn, or acid reflux in the past should take these medications with extreme care due to the heightened risk for GI irritation.

Stronger pain medications, on the other hand, can cause these issues in much shorter periods of time depending on the dosage. This includes:

• Prescription NSAIDs like Arthrotec and Indomethacin
• Daily dose Aspirin for heart attack prevention
• Narcotic medications like Codeine, Hydrocodone, Tramadol, and morphine

Narcotics are especially problematic because they slow stomach emptying and reduce bowel transit time. This can leave foods sitting in the stomach or upper bowel where they may cause irritation and reflux. If the dose is high enough, some patients may even experience paralytic ileus.

5. Stress

Stress itself is a GI irritant because it directly impacts how your stomach processes food and how much acid you produce. If you’re suffering from extreme anxiety or going through a life-altering process, emotional symptoms could very well manifest as GI irritation. It’s very easy to throw the delicate chemical balance in the gut off, especially if both adrenaline and endocrine systems are hyperactive or imbalanced due to stressors.

As an added note, health conditions like thyroid and endocrine disorders that produce anxiety as a side effect (including Cushing’s Disease) may have the same impact on your stomach. If you suffer from endocrine issues, and begin to experience stomach pain, see your doctor for an evaluation.

6. Bacteria

This form of gastritis is commonly caused by the H.pylori bacteria. This bacteria lives in your stomach and secretes toxins that damage the stomach lining slowly over time. H. pylori is the number one cause for ulcers, and infects nearly half of the world’s population at any given time.

While there’s no vaccination to treat H. pylori, it is more than possible to treat it when it occurs. Treatments take a multimodal approach by counteracting the effects of the toxin itself through acid normalization, and then eliminate the bacteria with oral antibiotics.

It is important to note that in many cases, patients don’t experience symptoms from H. pylori except in the most severe of infections. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t experiencing irritation; damage just occurs slowly over time.

7. Pernicious Anemia

Pernicious anemia is one of many forms of vitamins B12 deficiency. In the body, B12 aids in the formation of red blood cells. Without it, your body won’t keep up with cellular destruction that goes along with life itself, and one of the side effects of this process is a weak stomach lining. Patients with pernicious anemia are much more likely to experience stomach pain, ulcers, GI irritation, and irritable bowel syndrome.

8. Menetrier’s Disease

Menetrier’s Disease is thought to result from an infection of some kind, potentially relating to HCMV or H. Pylori. It causes the ridges along the stomach walls to enlarge and fold up, resulting in excessive mucus production that causes proteins to leak from the bloodstream into the stomach. This shortage of proteins is accompanied by a decrease in acid levels due to the lowered amount of production cells. There are various treatments for this condition, but no known cures.

9. Crohn’s Disease

Researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes Crohn’s Disease (CD), but there are strong hints to genetics and other environmental factors. It causes the bowels to inflame and scar which results in fatigue, pain, and malnutrition. The severity of these symptom ranges from mild to potentially life-threatening, and in some cases, CD may even cause malnutrition or indicate a need for surgery.

There’s no cure for Crohn’s disease, but there are many treatments available, including compounded Crohn’s medication to lessen the effects. It’s very often possible for patients with CD to enter full remission and live healthy lives. Even when full remission isn’t possible, careful monitoring and management remains on the table.

10. Celiac Disease

A small number of patients experiencing GI irritation may actually have a disorder called Celiac Disease. This condition refers to an allergy to gluten, a chemical found in wheat and most grains. Having a gluten-free diet for these people isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack finger-like projections in the small intestine. As a result, they fail to properly absorb nutrition. The immune system’s attack also results in GI irritation, pain, swelling, and even damage throughout the bowel.

Treating Celiac Disease isn’t easy. Current research shows that the best way to counteract this disease is to remove gluten from your diet permanently.

11. Other GI Irritation Causes

It’s more tempting to look for the more serious causes of GI irritation than the simple ones. Acidic and spicy foods are perhaps the most apparent victim when it comes to stomach issues, especially for people who struggle with an overproduction of acid.

Gas buildup is one source patients often overlook when trying to eliminate stomach pain. Eating almost any starchy food will cause your bowel to produce gas through digestion, and that means cramping, flatulence, and stomach pain.

Cut down on your pasta, potatoes, and corn intake if you’re experiencing stomach pain or excessive flatulence. Stick with a low-FODMAP diet and see if it reduces symptoms. Most fruits are a source of gas buildup, as are certain vegetables like onions, asparagus, and artichokes.

Conclusion

There are so many sources of GI irritation that it’s virtually impossible to self-diagnose your stomach troubles. Many simple ailments can be dealt with through lifestyle changes, including improved diet, increased water intake, or prescription antacids.

Herbal remedies like grapefruit seed and licorice root extracts may also help, but should only be taken under the watchful eye of a medical professional. If you need more information about GI irritation, speak with your pharmacist today.