A Stitch in Your Side

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

07 Jul 2009 12:43 PM

The body is an amazing mechanism... when everything's working correctly. But when one little bit gets out of step, you can end up in some serious discomfort. Case in point: a stitch in your side.

What causes a stitch? This sharp pain is usually caused by a muscle spasm in your diaphragm -- the muscle between your chest and your abdomen. When blood flow to the diaphragm is interrupted, the muscle can cramp. So, for example, when you're running, the movement of your legs can cause pressure in the belly. The deep breathing you're doing has the lungs expanding more than normal, and the diaphragm gets caught between the two. If that little muscle isn't getting the oxygen it needs from your blood, the stitch lets you know loud and clear.

What can you do when the pain kicks in? Here are a few tips:

• First and foremost -- stop whatever it is that you're doing. In order to calm that muscle spasm, you need to ease the pressure. If you're running, at least slow to a walk.
• Keep breathing. Slow, steady, deep breathing can help ease the ache. Holding your breath isn't going to help -- though it is often the first reaction to fear or pain!
• Apply gentle pressure to the area. Use three fingers to press down where the pain is sharpest. You can simply apply pressure or try a gentle massage -- that might be enough to stop the pain.

If you want to avoid the stitch entirely, try belly breathing. Take a moment and watch yourself breathe -- when you inhale and exhale, do your chest and shoulders move? Or is your belly going in and out, too? If your stomach moves when you breathe, then you're belly breathing! Belly breathing can help prevent the build up of pressure from above that contributes to side stitches.

After all that, if you're still experiencing stitch-like pain, it may not be your diaphragm! While most side stitches are caused by muscle spasms in the diaphragm, some walkers and runners get a similar pain from gas. Hit the bathroom before you exercise, and the problem may get flushed away.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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