You are yet to take even a single bite out of that mouth-watering pizza, however, your stomach is feeling full, but you haven’t eaten anything for the past few hours. You are basically feeling full without eating. This condition which you have is known as Early-satiety. This condition typically occurs with irregularities related to the stomach and liver. There are a variety of factors which lead to you feeling full without eating much and they are mentioned below:
- You might have Peptic Ulcers.
Peptic ulcers are painful sores or lesions which develop in the inner lining of the stomach. These ulcers cause extreme discomfort, pain, bloating, belching and vomiting. Their presence in the stomach causes the feeling of fullness without eating too much. A peptic ulcer often arrives after gastritis, which is a disorder in which the acids of the stomach irritates and causes damage to the inner linings of the stomach. A few symptoms of peptic ulcers are bloody stools, bloody vomit, abdominal pain and general fatigue.
- Gastroparesis might be causing the issue.
Gastroparesis also is known as delayed gastric emptying is a disorder in which your stomach does not empty in a normal manner instead takes much longer than required. The vagus nerve is responsible for contracting your stomach muscles to push out the food, however here the vagus nerve does not work properly due to reasons such as an injury or damage to it. The stomach thus does not empty and it creates fullness. Gastroparesis may occur due to injury to the vagus nerve, infections in the stomach, smooth muscle disorders, allergic reactions to other drugs etc.
- Damaged or Diseased Liver.
The Liver is a very important organ of the body, and all vital functions of the body are either influenced or assisted by the liver. The liver performs a host of functions such as filtering the blood coming from the digestive tract, bile production and excretion, storage of vitamins etc. However, Drug abuse and alcoholism cause damage to the liver and can cause diseases such as jaundice, reduced bile secretion and cholesterol which can create the feeling of a full stomach. A few symptoms of liver damage include dark urine, pale stools, fever etc.
- Indigestion.
Indigestion also called dyspepsia is defined as a persistent or recurring discomfort and pain in the upper abdomen. Indigestion is not a disease in itself; however, it is often a sign of an underlying problem, such as Acid reflux, stomach ulcers, gallbladder diseases etc. Symptoms of indigestion include bloating, belching, heartburn, abdominal pain, burning stomach etc. According to data from the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, indigestion can cause you to feel full without eating.
- Presence of Tumors in the Stomach and Abdomen.
In some cases, growths in the stomach which are referred to as stomach tumors can also cause obstruction to your food pipe or the outlet of the stomach blocking the flow of food, which might lead to a feeling of fullness. Abdominal tumors are seen in organs surrounding the stomach, and these tumors gradually increase in size and compress the stomach which reduces the stomach’s ability to return back to its original shape after eating.
- Hormonal Imbalance.
This cause is usually seen in females rather than males. Hormonal imbalances take place in a female during pregnancy or during the menstrual cycle. There are a rapid surge and fall in the levels of progesterone during such times. Increased progesterone levels lead to slow movement of food within the gastrointestinal tract, further leading to increased digestion times which may ultimately cause you to feel full without eating much.
- Celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a disease of the small intestine. It is an auto-immune disorder in which the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten, which is a protein found in barley, rye and wheat. The small intestine is not able to digest foods having gluten leading to indigestion. This, in turn, increases the risk of having reactions which may cause abdominal pain, fatigue, flatulence, weight loss, diarrhea and the feeling of fullness in the stomach. Celiac disease often causes extensive damage to the digestive system, leading to the decreased ability of the digestive system at absorbing nutrients.
Things one can do to avoid this condition are Ensuring to eat a balanced and healthy diet, chewing one’s food properly, eating slowly and eating small meals throughout the day. Some things to avoid include cigarettes, alcohol, spicy food, fizzy drinks etc.
If you exhibit any of the above symptoms even after a change of habits and lifestyle, then the best step would be to visit a certified doctor to identify the underlying cause of your problem.
