What is Functional Abdominal Pain?

In the world of digestive health, there is nothing more interesting or more frustrating than functional digestive disorders. What exactly are those?

Functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders are disorders of the gut-brain interaction – essentially the way the brain controls some digestive functions, the sensitivity of the nerves involved in digestion and movements of the gastrointestinal tract are altered or impaired. What makes these conditions different is that there are no structural issues that can be seen with imaging such as x-ray or with blood tests. They are usually identified by the symptoms occurring using specific criteria.

Under this umbrella term, there are different disorders that can occur in the select areas of the digestive system, such as the esophagus, within the intestines and even the gallbladder.

The most common functional GI disorder I see in practice is functional abdominal pain. This might be related to functional dyspepsia, functional abdominal bloating/distention or even IBS. This is pain or discomfort that can be in the upper belly, feelings of bloating or fullness, or discomfort or pain associated with bowel movements and changes in bowel habits.

When people experience symptoms that make eating challenging, they often turn to an elimination diet to remove “trigger” foods and reduce discomfort. Some people may even have food sensitivity testing done to find specific foods that might be the problem.

Unfortunately, elimination diets can be restrictive and low in nutrients, and there is currently no evidence-based technique to diagnose or identify food sensitivities – IgG, MRT and the like are all very similar.

It’s important to work with a Registered Dietitian to go through an extensive history on foods you consume, and to identify dietary strategies that may support a healthy gut without cutting foods out unnecessarily.

The causes for functional abdominal pain are unknown and may have multiple different sources:

H. pylori is a bacteria that may cause stomach ulcers and is related to upper belly pain, but research shows that the amount of people it affects is fairly small relative to the amount of people affected by pain and discomfort.

It’s possible that functional abdominal pain can be related to exposure of food-borne illness with following sensitivity of the digestive organs. Think of this: you get food poisoning from one bad hamburger and you might have a tough time stomaching a good version of the same burger later on.

And stress plays a dramatic role in how well our gut functions. When we’re nervous for an upcoming interview or worried about the health condition of a family member, it can be quite common to notice early fullness when eating, changes in bowel habits, or general feelings of un-wellness. Keeping stress levels low with regular self-care, using support systems and general day-to-day mindfulness is a great way to care for our bellies and our brains.

How is functional abdominal pain treated? Working with a Registered Dietitian certainly assists with identifying potential triggers or strategies to try to manage symptoms – diet may not always show relief when it comes to digestive pain, but ensuring you get the nutrition you need every day is paramount.

There are medications that may reduce the amount of acid that the stomach produces, helps the stomach empty faster if a slow moving system is the issue, and even anti-depressants may provide digestive relief.

Funnily enough, hypnotherapy and counseling can help with functional abdominal pain. There are even apps available specific to supporting health with IBS, such as nerva.

With a multitude of different strategies available, finding relief and symptom reduction is possible for all types of people! Talk to your health care provider or a Registered Dietitian if you have questions about functional abdominal pain.