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Faridabad (Delhi NCR). Do you suddenly feel stomach cramps just before an important interview, a big exam or leaving on a long journey? Do you have to run to the toilet again and again or suddenly start feeling severe acidity and vomiting? If your answer is yes, then let us tell you that this does not happen only with you. Often people mistake this for just normal nervousness, but it is actually the result of a very special and sensitive connection that exists between your brain and your stomach. According to medical scientists, excessive stress, nervousness and anxiety have a direct and deep impact on our digestive system, which in medical language is called ‘Gut-Brain Axis’.
Expert’s words: What is the science behind ‘gut feeling’?
Dr. (Prof.) Rohit Gupta, a well-known neurologist and Chairman of the Department of Neurosciences, Accord Superspeciality Hospital, Faridabad, Delhi NCR, has shared detailed information on this interesting and important topic through one of his social media videos. According to Dr. Gupta, our brain and our stomach constantly communicate with each other through nerves and hormones. Whenever we have an inner feeling or “gut feeling”, it is part of this communication system. This is the reason why stomach cramps start arising due to nervousness, strange tickling (butterflies) inside the stomach or due to some great fear.
How does the body’s ‘fight or flight’ mode work under stress?
Neurologist Dr. Rohit Gupta explained that whenever a person is under extreme stress or exam/interview pressure, his brain immediately gets activated in ‘fight or flight’ mode. Once in this mode, the body’s entire focus becomes on dealing with the immediate crisis, due to which the digestion process suddenly becomes extremely slow. As soon as the digestive system is affected, the acid balance in the stomach suddenly gets disturbed, due to which problems like acidity, gas, severe cramps or loose motion (diarrhea) start. This is a completely natural physiological response caused by the direct connection of nerves.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Why does one suddenly feel severe pain in the stomach when nervous?
Answer: When the body goes into ‘fight-or-flight’ mode during extreme mental stress, blood flow to the digestive system is affected, which can lead to cramps and pain in the abdominal muscles.
Q2. Can sudden loose motions occur due to anxiety?
Answer: Yes, due to intense anxiety, the signals emanating from the brain suddenly increase intestinal motility, resulting in frequent toilet visits or the problem of diarrhea.
Q3. What exactly is this ‘Gut-Brain Axis’?
Answer: It is a direct communication network between our central nervous system (brain) and digestive system (gut), which communicate with each other 24 hours a day through nerves, neurotransmitters and hormones.
Q4. Why does the level of acidity in the stomach increase due to increase in mental stress?
Answer: Due to stress, the balance of protective layers and digestive juices in the stomach gets disturbed, due to which the effect of hydrochloric acid increases and severe burning sensation and acidity starts in the chest and stomach.