Cold Stomach - Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Introduction

A health condition, when the stomach feels cold is called a cold stomach. It can be due to various reasons. The word is specifically used in Chinese medicine to describe the condition of a cold or tingling sensation in the stomach. It is an entirely different entity from the stomach flu or gastroenteritis.

What Is a Cold Stomach?

A cold stomach can occur due to various reasons. In Chinese medicine, it is treated as a pathological condition different from stomach flu or gastroenteritis. It can be a special medical condition or a cause of some other condition. Stomach ache, nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and other related symptoms can be associated with this condition.

How Does the Stomach Turn Cold?

The stomach can turn cold due to several factors. The body might have been more sensitive to its surroundings or happenings in the body itself. Sometimes it can indicate an underlying condition.

There can be nerves called thermoreceptors throughout the body. These are nerve cells that can identify temperature changes. These signals are sent to the nervous system, which helps the body to regulate the temperature. There are thermoreceptors below the skin that help to regulate the body temperature, like sweating in heat to cool down the body, and shivering in the cold, to heat the body. The actions of deeper thermoreceptors will be more subtle. They are usually located in the brain, the spinal cord, and the abdomen.

What Are the Causes of a Cold Stomach?

There can be external factors and internal factors that can cause a Cold Stomach. External factors can include diet, lifestyle, and the weather outside, while internal factors can be some underlying factors like gastrointestinal issues.

1. Unhealthy Diet: Consumption of raw or cold food, frequently drinking carbonated cold drinks, junk food, etc can all lead to a cold stomach. According to Chinese medicine, frequent raw and cold food consumption can cause stomach and spleen problems. This is based on a concept called ‘Yang Qi.’ This Chinese traditional medicine states all the biological processes involved in the body are related to factors called Yang and Qi. Chinese traditional medicine considers the human body an organic entity, with many organs functioning together in a mutually dependent relationship. There are two opposing forces called the Yin and Yang. An equilibrium of these forces determines the status of an object. The body's functional activities are called Yang, while the material basis (like the blood and other body fluids) is called Yin. According to this theory, the interaction of the Yin and Yang produces Qi. Qi is the nutritional substances flowing in the body and the functional status of the organs and tissues. Frequent consumption of cold and raw food can disturb the balance of Yang and Qi, leading to a cold stomach. Similarly, having cold and hot food together can also disturb the Yang Qi balance, leading to a cold stomach.

2. Unhealthy Lifestyle: A fast-paced sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy food, lack of exercise, stress, etc., can upset a healthy life and cause stomach and spleen diseases. When the functions of the spleen are disturbed, it can cause the stomach to be malnourished, leading to a cold stomach.

3. Weather: According to Chinese traditional medicine, six factors affect the human body, namely, wind, cold, summer heat, dampness, dryness, and fire. When the weather is hot and time is spent more in air-conditioned rooms, the cold evils affect the body. If the stomach and spleen are weak, and the abdomen is exposed to the cold directly, it can cause a cold stomach.

4. Gastroenteritis: The stomach lining or small intestine inflammation is termed gastroenteritis. Viruses and bacteria commonly cause these, though many other factors can cause it. When a virus causes it, it is called a stomach flu. Viral gastroenteritis has no cure, but bacterial gastroenteritis can be treated with antibiotics. Supportive therapy, like taking sufficient fluid replacement and rest, will help to recover from gastroenteritis.

5. Infections: Infections can cause abdominal pains and chills. Medical attention must be given if symptoms like fever, vomiting, difficulty breathing, etc., and abdominal pain are present.

6. Kidney Stones: Chills can be associated with kidney stones, especially if infected.

7. Gastroparesis: This is a condition when the functioning of the stomach gets slower than usual. This can be due to diabetes mellitus, surgeries, or other chronic illnesses. In gastroparesis, nerve signals can be impaired, which can also include thermoreceptors.

8. Pancreatitis: It is the inflammation of the pancreas. It can be acute or chronic, infectious or non-infectious. When t is acute, there can be a cold feeling and pain in the upper mid-left abdomen. It can be severe and requires medical attention.

What Are the Symptoms of a Cold Stomach?

The signs and symptoms associated with a cold stomach can include;

1. Stomach Ache With a Cold Sensation: This is the most common feeling of a cold stomach. This occurs when the weather is usually cold or when cold drinks are consumed. This will usually go away as the temperature gets warm or something warm is consumed.

2. Chills: People with a cold stomach may have chills and prefer a warm drink or something warm to consume.

3. Nausea and vomiting.

4. Tastelessness.

5. Diarrhea.

What Are the Conditions Where Cold Stomach Is Seen Along With Pain?

Conditions, where the pain is seen along with a cold stomach, are;

• Appendicitis.

• Infectious mononucleosis.

• Meningitis.

• Urinary tract infections.

• Food poisoning due to Salmonella infections.

• Prostatitis.

• Inflammatory bowel disease.

• Cholecystitis.

• Hernia.

How Is Cold Stomach Treated?

Most cold stomachs resolve when the weather turns warm or something warm is consumed. If it persists, medical attention is required to analyze the underlying cause. In case of bacterial infections, antibiotics can help to resolve the condition. More serious conditions like gastroparesis and appendicitis would require hospitalization and surgery.

Conclusion

A cold stomach is a condition where there is a cold feeling or a tingling feeling with or without pain. It can be caused by many factors and usually resolves when the weather is warmer or something warm is consumed. Patients with cold stomachs often show gastrointestinal symptoms like stomachache, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, etc. There can be external and internal causes for a cold stomach.