MONDAY, March 18, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Feeling queasy? Stomach out of sorts?
Before you make that appointment with the gastroenterologist, consider whether anxiety may be your real problem.
The reason: A group of Norwegian researchers found that more often than not, feelings of nausea and queasiness are due to anxiety and depression rather than any serious medical problem involving the stomach.
"There are certainly strong connections between the brain and the gut, and it's a well-known fact that when we get nervous, the stomach reacts and we end up feeling nauseous," says gastroenterologist Dr. Steven Field, clinical assistant professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine.
"At the same time, I would not automatically discount a stomach problem, even if you find you are nervous. It's certainly possible that anxiety and a gastrointestinal problem can co-exist," adds Field.
The Norwegian study, published in the current issue of the journal General Hospital Psychiatry, is touted as the largest of its kind. The goal, according to study author Dr. Tone Tangen Haug, was to focus attention on the fact that nausea and other stomach ailments are often warning signs for emotional problems.
Because most people who suffer from nausea seek help from their primary-care doctors, Haug believes the real cause of the problem -- anxiety or depression -- is often overlooked.
As a result, he says, many people are subjected to long-term use of "potentially harmful medications," as well as "unnecessary medical investigation."
Often, no reason for the nausea can be found, even after many expensive tests and treatments are rendered, Haug adds.
Field calls the study important. However, he adds, "I'm not certain that the link between nausea and anxiety is really being overlooked all that often. I think it's a diagnosis that most American doctors do consider, particularly when a patient complains of nausea without the presence of any other alarming symptoms."
Curiously, Field says, receptors for serotonin, a brain chemical closely linked to both anxiety and depression, are also found in the gut. So, it's not far-fetched to link that queasy feeling in your stomach to what's going on in your brain.
"Although the serotonin receptors in the gut are slightly different from those in the brain, it's possible they may also be affected by or reacting to depression and anxiety," Field says.
The Norwegian study looked at some 62,000 people who were asked to complete surveys dealing with a wide array of health and lifestyle issues. They included whether the respondents had suffered from one of several gastrointestinal complaints during the previous year -- including nausea, heartburn and diarrhea -- and if they'd suffered any emotional traumas or other life-altering events during the same time.
Overall, 48 percent indicated they'd had one or more of the gastrointestinal problems mentioned, and some 13 percent said they'd experienced nausea, Haug says.
The researchers then applied a standard psychiatric scale of analysis to the completed surveys, to assess each person in the study.
Forty-one percent of those whose major complaint was nausea were also found to suffer from an anxiety disorder, and 24 percent of those who complained of nausea were found to have clinical signs of depression.
Indeed, the researchers say nausea was among the most prominent risk factors for emotional problems. Those who reported feeling nauseous were three times more likely to have an anxiety disorder, and nearly one-and-half times more likely to be suffering from depression, compared to those who had no nausea or other gastrointestinal complaints.
Field says the findings aren't surprising, although he cautions people not to ignore any gastrointestinal symptoms.
"It's a good idea to tell your doctor about any gastrointestinal symptoms you experience, including nausea or diarrhea. But, it's equally important to pay attention if, after an examination, your doctor suggests your stomach problems may be rooted in anxiety," he says.
What To Do
For more information on nausea and other symptoms, visit The American College of Gastroenterology.
To learn more about anxiety disorders, try The Anxiety Disorders Association of America.
For more information on the symptoms of depression, see The National Institute of Mental Health.
