Stress causes the stomach and intestines to rebel

Stress causes the stomach and intestines to rebel

08/30/2013

There are situations that make some people so stressed that they get stomach problems. For many, this ends with the walk to the toilet. Whether an upcoming job interview, or the submission of an exam. The pressure usually begins with the mere announcement of an event and then hits the stomach and intestines.

Some people react with light nausea to such stress situations, others leave the whole thing cold. One thing is certain: Our brain is in constant contact with our digestive organs. There are a hundred million nerve cells in the gastrointestinal tract, as many as in the spinal cord. "What they should do - namely, control the movement, delivery of digestive juices and food intake - they do on their own," replies Prof. Joachim Erckenbrecht of the Gastro-Liga in Gießen. "But they can be affected by the autonomic nervous system, which is controlled by the brain."

As an intermediary between the brain and the body, the intermediate brain acts. From here, signals are transported to all regions of the body. Among other things, it is responsible for the distribution of all hormones. "For example, if someone who is afraid of dogs encounters a very large black dog, it will trigger in the brain," Oh, get away! Oh, stress! "" Says Prof. Peter Falkai of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology.

"That reports the diencephalon to the adrenals." They immediately release a large amount of the stress hormone cortisol. "And that then ensures that the breathing is accelerated, the heart beats faster, the muscles are supplied with blood." The body will be prepared with the motto "hit or run away".

Deduction of energy reserves
If there is a defensive action in the body, energy reserves are withdrawn from the gastrointestinal tract so that it can respond accordingly. "Our digestive processes cost a lot of energy, require a lot of oxygen and blood.

This is unproductive in stressful situations, "says Paul Enck, professor of psychosomatic medicine at the University Hospital in Tübingen, which removes blood from the digestive organs and acts as an oxygen transporter, thereby halting its actual activity of transporting food.

Abdominal pressure and nausea are rather mild complaints. In extreme cases, the body wants to get rid of food residues as quickly as possible - through vomiting or diarrhea. "The organic reactions are more or less unimportant about the strain - occupational stress, travel excitement or bereavement - the more unforeseen an event is, the stronger the body's response must be," says Eck. Why people react differently to stress has not been scientifically clarified.

Gratitude makes us more stress-resistant
"The different sensitivity to stress is partly innate, but partly also acquired," says Falkai. There are connections between the affection, which one drove in the childhood and those of the later stress resistance. In addition, the own handling of the complaints plays a role in their intensity. "Physical stress reactions increase when those affected perceive them as a disaster." Even psychosomatics Enck sees possible causes in the individual story. "So it may well be that in someone who today strongly reacts with stomach and intestine, the digestive tract was sensitized in early childhood by heaped or also heavy infections.Exactly the same experiences can have led however also to the fact that the digestive tract against charms was hardened and reacts very weakly today. "

From time to time, an uneasy gut feeling can be tolerated and perhaps even welcome as a warning signal. Running a constant toilet, but too much influence of the psyche on digestion. It would be ideal to avoid recognizable stress factors. However, exams, meetings or travel are often unavoidable.

Act on the physical reactions
But there are different ways to influence the level of physical reactions. "You can go to the restroom before leaving the house and you can refrain from eating or trying to change your eating habits," Enck suggests.

The stomach and intestines are slightly burdened by small meals with low fat and fiber. "These ingredients are digested very slowly, so they are more likely to cause problems when the body wants to get rid of them quickly." Severe nausea and pain could be the concomitant symptoms.

For sensitive people, however, severe mental stress will always affect digestion. Anyone who is constantly energized, the acute situation gives the rest. The stress level, of course, also has an impact on the physical response.

"Many people are the best therapists: they know what's good for them, and they can take that to heart to reduce their overall stress levels," says Falkai. "If I know it takes me a long time to read documents carefully, I can schedule time accordingly." In times of stress, a cup of tea could come after the house or a bath tub do well.

Body reactions are also trainable to a limited extent and so there is a possibility to positively influence the stress resistance. "Maybe you can achieve a certain habituation effect through recurring stimulus situations," says Erckenbrecht. This means that those who simulate exam situations not only practice, but also harden themselves. (Fr)