look news india
News India Live, Digital Desk: It often happens that we feel heaviness or pain in the head and we immediately take a pain pill. But have you ever noticed that along with headache, you are also facing problems like stomach gas, burning sensation or indigestion? If yes, then it is not a coincidence. Your stomach has a very deep and direct connection with your brain, which is called the ‘Gut-Brain Axis’.
Simply put, our stomach and our brain are constantly talking to each other. The signal of any disturbance in the stomach immediately reaches the brain and the tension in the brain directly affects our stomach. Let us understand how stomach acidity or gas causes headache.
‘Superhighway’ of stomach and brain
There is a nerve called ‘Vagus Nerve’ between our stomach and brain, which works like a superhighway. This vein carries signals from the stomach to the brain and signals from the brain to the stomach. When too much acid or gas is produced in our stomach, a kind of inflammation occurs in the stomach. The vagus nerve immediately transmits the signal of this ‘disturbance’ to the brain. The brain takes this signal as a threat and a headache begins in response.
Disturbance of ‘feel good’ hormones
You will be surprised to know that almost 90% of our body’s ‘Serotonin’, which is also called ‘feel good’ or ‘happy’ hormone, is produced in our stomach. This hormone helps in keeping our mood happy and controlling pain. When our digestive system is bad or there is acidity in the stomach, the production of this hormone gets disturbed. Headaches, especially migraine pain, can also occur due to disturbances in the serotonin levels in the body.
Stress is the common enemy of both
Stress is something that attacks both the stomach and the brain simultaneously. When we are under tension, our brain gives signals to produce more acid in the stomach, which causes acidity. And this stress also shrinks the nerves in our head, which causes headache. So many times the cause of headache is stomach, and the cause of stomach problem is mental stress.
What to do?
Next time you have a headache, stop for a minute and think before popping a pill:
- Have you eaten anything too fried or spicy?
- Are you feeling heaviness or burning sensation in your stomach?
- Are you stressed about something?
If the answer to these questions is ‘yes’, then maybe the cure for your headache lies in a glass of cold milk, a spoonful of fennel seeds or just a little relaxation. Keep your stomach happy, your mind will also remain calm.
