Stomach pain is a serious reason to seek medical attention

Tens of thousands of patients seek medical attention every day complaining of stomach pain. And the number of people who swallow yet another painkiller pill and hope that it will “go away on its own” is much greater.

The similarity of many complaints about stomach pain creates the illusion that you can get rid of this affliction in the same way as someone close to you or someone you know did. But the causes of pain can be very different...

Why does my stomach hurt?

The stomach hurts or there is pain in the stomach area because there is irritation of the pain receptors of the mucous membrane of this area of the digestive system - due to spasm or stretching of the smooth muscles of the stomach, inflammation of its tissues, and also due to a violation of the blood supply.

Pain signals from the stomach receptors are sent to the sensory nuclei of the thalamus - the area of our brain where all the information from the sense organs and receptors is "sorted out". Then the pain signals are sent to the cerebral cortex. There, a motivational-affective assessment of these signals occurs, and then... In general, as a result of complex biochemical metamorphoses, we encounter gastralgia - pain in the stomach.

Why does my stomach hurt?

There are many reasons for pain in the stomach or in the immediate vicinity. In gastroenterology, which deals with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the causes of stomach pain are divided into two groups.

The first group includes pain in the stomach area, which is directly related to pathologies of this organ (gastritis, peptic ulcer, polyps, viral and bacterial infections, food poisoning, stress, malignant neoplasms, intolerance to certain foods). The second group includes painful sensations in this localization, which are a consequence of disorders of the stomach, but not of other organs that are part of the digestive system of the body. These are the esophagus (esophagitis), pancreas (pancreatitis), duodenum (duodenitis). This also includes tonsillitis, pneumonia, diaphragmatic spasm and even cardiovascular diseases.

It should be borne in mind that severe stomach pain - with nausea, vomiting, sweating and general weakness (even to the point of fainting and shock) - occurs in cases of poisoning with chemicals, mercury and heavy metals.

The nature of stomach pain and its main causes

If you have stomach and head pain, plus stomach pain and bloating, back pain and fatigue, this may be due to the so-called irritable bowel syndrome. This is a functional pathology of the intestine, in which there are no organic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, but there is pain. Moreover, they are "masked" as pain in the stomach.

Constant stomach pain with malignant tumors. At the same time, the pain in the early stages of cancer is very insignificant, but even with small amounts of food eaten, a feeling of fullness in the stomach appears. And the presence of dyspepsia and loss of appetite against this background should seriously alarm a person.

A severe stomach ache and diarrhea are signs of food poisoning that can appear within half an hour after eating a poor-quality product, or they can make themselves known much later. In addition to painful spasms in the stomach and diarrhea, dietary errors are accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, and weakness.

Often, the stomach hurts a lot with infectious diseases, such as viral gastroenteritis. With this disease, the pain has a spasmodic character, and diarrhea may be observed.

Why does my stomach hurt and there is a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen?

This type of pain often occurs in those who have problems in the form of insufficient gastric juice produced by the cells of the stomach. In this case, the stomach hurts slightly, the pain is not clearly localized and is not associated with food intake. The feeling of discomfort in the hypochondrium is accompanied not only by heaviness in the stomach, but also by loss of appetite and deterioration of general well-being. This occurs with thyroid pathologies, as well as a side effect of some medications, for example, the same insulin.

By the way, stomach pain after taking medications is a common problem for those who are inclined to take medications “without fear or reproach” at the slightest provocation. A classic example of strong drug irritation of the gastric mucosa is aspirin, cardiac glycosides and medications containing hormones.

Why does my stomach hurt after eating?

After eating, does your stomach hurt and there is pressure in the area, turning into severe pain? In addition, does your stomach hurt and you have diarrhea, and does your stomach hurt and bloating? Based on these symptoms, you can assume that you have acute gastritis, that is, an acute form of inflammation of the gastric mucosa. As experts note, such pain subsides after a few hours or within two to three days.

The stomach hurts after eating and with chronic gastritis. Gastritis can be hypoacid - with decreased secretory function of the stomach, and hyperacid - with increased. In the first case, the stomach simply cannot cope with the digestion of food, and the person complains that his stomach hurts and belches (rotten) and that his stomach hurts and he feels sick, and often has diarrhea. But the pain is diffuse, and the patient cannot accurately determine and indicate to the doctor the "pain point".

With hyperacid chronic gastritis, the stomach hurts badly right during or immediately after eating. The pain can last for 24 hours. Other symptoms of this disease include belching (but not rotten), nausea, vomiting, and constipation.

Why does my stomach hurt on the left?

If the stomach hurts on the left (10-20 minutes after eating, especially fatty, spicy or sour food), then it may be a peptic ulcer, which is characterized by spring and autumn exacerbations. With such a diagnosis, a typical symptom is stomach pain and heartburn, as well as sour belching and the same taste in the mouth. But nausea with a stomach ulcer is extremely rare. In addition, with this disease, a person can almost with absolute accuracy show the place where the pain is concentrated. And by this symptom, doctors immediately distinguish an ulcer from gastritis. Moreover, ulcer sufferers have stomach pain at night.

Why does my stomach hurt on an empty stomach?

When a patient complains that his stomach hurts when he is hungry, the gastroenterologist must specify the time of the pain. If the so-called "hunger pains" appear at night and immediately go away as soon as the person eats or drinks something, then this is the same gastric ulcer.

But when the stomach often hurts on an empty stomach in the first half of the day, and the stomach hurts in the evening (about three hours after eating), and, as a rule, the stomach and right side hurt (above the navel, closer to the edge of the ribs) - we can talk about the presence of inflammation of the duodenum (duodenitis) or even a duodenal ulcer. Pay attention to the nature of the pain: with a duodenal ulcer, they can be burning, drilling, dull or aching, at night the stomach hurts with a recoil in the back, after sleep the intensity of pain decreases. In addition, a person can feel heaviness in the stomach (as with overeating). Experts note that a violation of the process of acid production in the stomach plays an important role in the occurrence of this pathology.

Why does the stomach hurt due to nerves and heart disease?

Stomach pain caused by stress and neurotic conditions is accompanied by symptoms such as a feeling of heaviness and distension in the hypochondrium, belching, vomiting and intestinal disorders. In this case, the stomach hurts on a nervous basis regardless of food intake, and the pain can become burning and quite strong with a sharp increase in emotional and mental stress.

It's all about the increased production of hydrochloric acid by the stomach in stressful situations and the high degree of innervation (i.e. supply of tissues with nerves) of this organ. As a result, this can lead to erosions and ulcers of the gastric mucosa and trigger the mechanism of development of such gastrointestinal diseases as gastritis and ulcers.

Pain in the epigastric region is also possible during a heart attack. In clinical practice, this is called the gastralgic form of myocardial infarction. As doctors say, when admitted to a medical institution in such situations, an incorrect diagnosis may be made: not a heart attack, but food intoxication or exacerbation of gastritis.

Why does my stomach hurt before my period and during pregnancy?

Spasmodic pains in the stomach area of neurotic etiology are directly related to premenstrual syndrome (PMS). So if a woman has stomach pain before menstruation or stomach pain during menstruation, the main reason for this is various disorders of her neuropsychic state, as well as cyclical vegetative-vascular and endocrine "shifts".

Why does the stomach hurt during pregnancy? Because during the period of restructuring of the entire body, an exacerbation of all chronic diseases of a woman, especially inflammatory ones, is possible.

However, stomach pain during pregnancy is often experienced by healthy women who have not had gastrointestinal problems before. Key factors for stomach pain during pregnancy include: toxicosis, pressure on the stomach from the growing uterus and muscle tension in the hypochondrium, overeating, and untimely bowel movements. In most cases, stomach pain occurs after childbirth for similar reasons.

Stomach hurts after lifting weights

If your stomach hurts after lifting something heavy, you need to see a doctor. The fact is that such symptoms can be characteristic of many diseases. If in addition to your stomach, your abdomen also hurts, then a hernia may be starting to form.

Similar symptoms may also arise against the background of inflamed appendicitis and even problems with the pelvic organs. Therefore, you should not postpone a visit to the doctor. It is necessary to pay attention to other signs. So, if you feel nausea and nagging pain in the side, then most likely these are problems with the abdominal organs.

Gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis and other diseases can manifest themselves in this way. When lifting weights, a person negatively affects the affected area and thereby causes an unpleasant manifestation of symptoms. In this case, you should not delay with diagnosis and treatment. Heaviness in the stomach is an unpleasant process that can signal the presence of problems with the digestive system.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

Where does your stomach hurt?

The stomach hurts where it is located, that is, in the epigastric region of the abdominal cavity - in the left hypochondrium. The permanent place of this "bag" for accumulation, mixing and partial digestion of food in anatomy is described with the help of imaginary horizontal and vertical lines drawn through the navel. The stomach occupies a place just between these lines and the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities) and is shifted slightly to the left. The stomach has an "entrance" - directly from the esophagus, and an "exit" - straight into the duodenum, which is the beginning of the small intestine. So when a person complains that his stomach hurts under the ribs, he clearly determines the location of this organ.

True, as doctors note, patients often say that their stomach and abdomen hurt. Indeed, if the stomach hurts a lot and the pain spreads to the navel area and the entire abdomen, and nausea, vomiting and diarrhea join the pain, then most likely this is the result of eating poor-quality food, that is, food intoxication. Or a consequence of a viral or bacterial infection. And when the stomach and lower abdomen hurt, the stomach and intestines hurt, the presence of adhesions in the intestines is often diagnosed, in which its contents can again end up in the stomach.

Often, the stomach hurts for a long time and there is a feeling of tension in the lower abdomen with inflammation of the appendix of the cecum (appendicitis). The stomach hurts and radiates to the back with a perforated gastric ulcer, especially with its perforation into the pancreas. Doctors call the pain with a perforated ulcer "dagger-like", and it can lead to pain shock. In this case, the slightest delay in going to the hospital can end in the most tragic way.

How does your stomach hurt?

Stomach pain can be constant and intermittent, weak, moderate and strong (to the point of unbearable). It can be pulling and aching, sharp and burning, stabbing and squeezing. Doctors take into account how the stomach hurts when determining the causes of pain and making a diagnosis.

Pain localized in the epigastric region is divided into visceral and somatic according to the mechanism of occurrence. Visceral pain appears from irritation of nerve endings in the organ wall and can be stabbing, dull, and give off (irradiate) to other parts of the abdominal cavity.

If the pain is acute, the stomach hurts when inhaling, and also becomes more intense when moving, for example, the stomach hurts when walking, then this occurs from irritation of the endings of the spinal nerves of the peritoneum - the membrane covering the inner walls of the abdominal cavity. And irritation of the peritoneum is the result of some pathological process. And such pain is usually called somatic. Usually it is constant and sharp and has a clear localization.

[ 4 ]

What to do if your stomach hurts?

If your stomach hurts and you vomit with diarrhea, your stomach hurts and you feel weak due to indigestion or food errors (when you know for sure that the whole problem is in poor-quality food), you should take activated charcoal (1-2 g three times a day for adults, 0.05 g per kilogram of body weight for children). It should not be taken during exacerbation of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, as well as non-specific ulcerative colitis.

It is recommended to take Enterosgel in the form of an aqueous suspension: adults and children over 14 years old - a tablespoon 3 times a day, children 5-14 years old - a dessert spoon, and under 5 years old - a teaspoon three times a day. Contraindications - intestinal atony.

When your stomach hurts, you need to let it "unload", that is, fast a little. And under no circumstances should you consume dairy products.

If a child has a stomach ache, parents should know that the causes of stomach pain in childhood are not much different from the causes of gastralgia in adults. When a child has stomach pain for a day, and especially when the stomach hurts for a week, it is necessary to send the child to the doctor for examination and clarification of the causes.

Which doctor will help if your stomach hurts? If your stomach starts to hurt, you should seek qualified help from a gastroenterologist or surgeon. These doctors will find out the cause of the pain syndrome in this localization and tell the patient what to do if the stomach hurts.

Among the recommendations of doctors is the advice to quit smoking, abuse alcohol (primarily wine), not to eat fatty, fried and spicy food, fast food and semi-finished products, and not to get carried away with painkillers. All these factors can cause gastralgia more often than other reasons.

What to drink if your stomach hurts?

If your stomach hurts, doctors most often recommend taking No-shpa or Almagel. No-shpa is an antispasmodic drug, 0.04 g tablets are taken 2-3 times a day. But this medicine is contraindicated in hypertrophy of the prostate gland and increased intraocular pressure (glaucoma). In some, No-shpa can cause side effects in the form of dizziness, palpitations, sweating or dermatitis.

Almagel reduces the content of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice and has a local anesthetic effect. Adults take the drug 1-2 teaspoons half an hour before meals and before bedtime. The analgesic effect begins 5 minutes after taking a single dose and lasts for an hour. In case of severe pain, a single dose can be increased to three teaspoons, but the maximum daily dose does not exceed 16 teaspoons. The dose for children under 10 years is a third of the adult dose, and for children 10-15 years old - half. Amalgel is contraindicated in severe kidney pathologies, individual hypersensitivity, as well as for nursing women and children under 1 month. During pregnancy, this drug should not be taken for more than three days. And possible side effects of Amalgel: taste disturbances, vomiting, nausea, spastic abdominal pain, constipation.

The drug Spazmil-M has a pronounced analgesic activity and reduces the tone of the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. It is taken orally after meals with a small amount of liquid. The dosage for adults and children over 15 years old is one tablet 2-3 times a day. But when taking it (like all drugs related to analgin), side effects may be observed: dry mouth, itching, skin rash, constipation, decreased blood pressure, tachycardia, dizziness, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, exacerbation of gastritis and stomach ulcers.

To relieve stomach pain, gastroenterologists recommend taking the antiulcer drug Ranitidine, which is prescribed to adults one tablet (0.15 g) twice a day (morning and evening) or two tablets before bedtime. In the latter case, the effect occurs in 25 minutes and lasts at least 12 hours. Ranitidine is tolerated quite well, side effects are rare (in the form of headache, dizziness, fatigue and skin rash). Among its contraindications are disorders of the excretory function of the kidneys, pregnancy, breastfeeding and children under 14 years of age.

What can you eat if your stomach hurts?

If you have stomach pain, you will have to give up spicy, fried and fatty foods, smoked foods, canned foods, sauces and mayonnaise, strong meat broths, alcoholic and carbonated drinks, as well as strong tea and coffee.

By the way, many coffee lovers have stomach pains. The caffeine contained in coffee increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. And catechol enzymes, getting into the stomach with a cup of aromatic coffee, are oxidized there to quinones, and they participate in the processes of biological oxidation of the cells of the gastric mucosa.

What can you eat if your stomach hurts: steamed beef and veal; boiled turkey and chicken (without skin); baked or steamed lean sea fish; vegetable puree or boiled vegetables (except white cabbage, sorrel, spinach, onion and garlic); mashed potatoes, pumpkin, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini; well-boiled porridge (except millet), baked sweet apples, berry kissels.

Nutritionists warn that you should not eat radishes and turnips, beans, peas, lentils, mushrooms, liver, kefir, sour cream, nuts, citrus fruits, chocolate, fresh bread and pastries.

In this case, you need to eat warm food and small portions up to six times during the day - for minimal stress on the stomach.

If you have stomach pain, especially if your stomach hurts constantly, any doctor will tell you that this is a serious symptom. And here, taking a painkiller pill will solve only one problem: it will ease or eliminate the pain for some time. But to be healthy, this is clearly not enough.

Airline pilots have a concept called the “point of no return,” when the aircraft’s takeoff speed no longer allows it to be cancelled… There is no need to let the disease reach this stage: see a doctor in time and stay healthy.