Every person knows about abdominal pains firsthand. Even if only once in a lifetime, everyone had to face such a symptom. The discomfort that occurs is monotonous and barely noticeable or very strong. And they can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from minor reasons to serious pathologies.
Why does the stomach really hurt? Understanding the reasons for this uncomfortable situation will allow you to provide first aid as soon as possible and again return a person to normal life. In this case, a very important point is to conduct the correct diagnosis with the exact time of the onset of pain, its nature and the presence of additional symptoms. And only after identifying such signs, it will be possible to proceed with direct treatment.
Stomach pain
Discomfort in the area of โโthis organ in medicine is called gastralgia. These are pains of an acute or cramping nature, caused by gastric pathologies, severe stress or existing ailments in other internal organs.
Pain different in its localization and intensity often indicates problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Such pathologies almost always have a chronic character, slowly progress and at the same time with their development they are steadily becoming the cause of increased symptoms.
Nature of pain
Uncomfortable sensations most often appear in a person in the left hypochondrium. Sometimes such pain is given to the lower back, lower abdomen, as well as to the left side of the chest. In addition, the uncomfortable sensations can have a completely different character, that is, be intense, pulling, cramping and sharp.
Depending on the cause of the pain, it may be accompanied by other symptoms. Most often, this is nausea, vomiting, belching of gastric juice, heartburn, a metallic taste in the mouth, stool disorders in the form of constipation or diarrhea, fever and weakness, bloating and a decrease in blood pressure.
Pain classification
Strong unpleasant sensations arising in the zone of the stomach are divided into three groups. They are:
- Early. This group of uncomfortable sensations is characterized by their occurrence immediately after eating. Similar pains are manifested by attacks and are dull. A person can feel relief only after a food lump passes through the stomach and the first stage of digestion of foods ends.
- Late. The second group of stomach pains are those that begin some time after a meal. It can be from about 1 to 3 hours. They arise with a barely noticeable feeling of discomfort and increase to severe spasms. As a rule, such pains come to a person after cleansing the intestines from feces.
- Hungry. The third group of pain includes those that occur at times when a person wants to eat. Their duration does not exceed 30 minutes. Also, hungry pains can begin 4 hours after a meal. They are in most cases very unpleasant. What should I do if my stomach hurts a lot with uncomfortable sensations of the third group? At times, a cup of sweet tea will help smooth out discomfort.
Causes of pain
If the stomach is very sore, what should a person do in this case? First of all, it is recommended to make an appointment with a doctor. Only he, based on the intensity of existing seizures, can accurately determine the presence of a particular pathology. For example, with chronic gastritis, aching pain and heaviness in the stomach are observed. This happens after a person takes food. If the discomfort is unbearable and at the same time burning, then a similar symptom will clearly indicate an increase in acidity, as well as an increase in the activity of hydrochloric acid, which irritates the mucous membranes.
The pain syndrome, which is acute and persistent, usually accompanies colitis, cholecystitis and pancreatitis. If the stomach hurts very badly with attacks, then a chronic ulcer most likely manifests itself. Infectious pathologies can also be the cause of such discomfort.
Gastritis
If the stomach is very sore and discomfort in a person arises immediately after eating, then almost certainly we can talk about the presence of chronic or acute gastritis. It is noted that this pathology is one of the most common causes of such discomfort. Gastritis occurs due to smoking and eating fatty, salty or spicy foods, poor diet and frequent stresses, physical exertion, alcohol consumption, as well as in connection with the use of certain types of pharmaceuticals.
Besides the fact that the stomach hurts very much, a person begins to complain of nausea and increasing heaviness in the stomach, fatigue and an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth, increased sweating and irritability.
What is gastritis? This is the inflammation that engulfs the gastric mucosa. This disease significantly worsens health due to the fact that it contributes to the occurrence of irreversible consequences. The onset of gastritis can be seen in the mild discomfort that a person feels in his stomach after eating. However, over time, the disease develops. This leads to a more frequent manifestation of its symptoms. A person already begins to feel soreness and an unpleasant aftertaste in his mouth after eating fatty, spicy, sour and salty foods. In addition, he complains of heartburn and nausea, gas and heaviness in the stomach.
If the stomach hurts very soon after eating, what should I do? In the presence of such discomfort, you should seek the help of a doctor. Self-medication is dangerous. The consequences in this case can be the most unpredictable. Only a gastroenterologist can offer the most effective therapy.
If the stomach hurts, what should I do? With attacks of gastritis, the patient needs to ensure peace. It is also recommended that he induce vomiting, and then put something on his stomach that will give heat (but not a hot heating pad). As a therapeutic treatment, a person is advised not to eat food for the next two days, limiting himself to drinking tea with lemon. After such fasting, liquid food should be gradually introduced. The patientโs menu includes broth, mashed soup and grated porridge.
If the stomach is very sore, what to drink to alleviate the condition of medications? Symptoms can be eliminated with antispasmodics or analgesics. But nevertheless it is recommended to approach drugs with great care. Their intake for gastritis can aggravate the digestive system.
Over a long period, the patient will need to adhere to a certain diet, which includes products recommended by a gastroenterologist. In addition, the course of therapy prescribed by the doctor should be taken.
Ulcer
What can be the reason that the stomach hurts very much, but this does not happen immediately after eating, but after 30 minutes? A similar symptom indicates the presence of an ulcer. It is accompanied by pains that develop intensity after a meal gradually.
With an exacerbation of the pathology, very severe pain occurs. At the same time, a person's blood pressure decreases and his skin turns pale. Bruises appear under the eyes. In addition to pressing pains, constant constipation develops. There is a non-decreasing tension of the gastric muscles, and the digestive system does not cope with its work. Attacks of vomiting and unpleasant belching, weight loss and heartburn are also noted. A stomach ulcer is classified as a seasonal disease, as it usually worsens in early spring and late fall.
If the stomach is very sore, then the patient must take a lying position and remain at rest. Eating in such cases is contraindicated. Allowed only to drink water. Unlike pain in gastritis, it is not necessary to put heat on the stomach. With an ulcer, such actions will provoke an increase in pain in the stomach.
What medicines exist to alleviate this condition? If the stomach (stomach) is very sore due to an ulcer, then you need pain medications prescribed by your doctor. Antioxidants can also help.
In the event that during an attack of acute pain there are no necessary medicines at hand, it is recommended to make a glass of warm starch solution, taking it in a volume of 1 tbsp. l Take soda in such situations should not be. This product emits carbon dioxide, which can cause even greater irritation of the mucosa. Emergencies require an ambulance call. You can not delay with very severe pain, because an ulcer can cause gastric bleeding.
Poisoning
The manifestation of symptoms when toxins, poisons or chemicals get into the body can be both insignificant and very sharp. If the stomach is very sore and nauseous, then these phenomena can indicate poisoning. Signs of intoxication are also an increase in temperature, a feeling of fatigue, vomiting, frequent diarrhea, and dizziness. Symptoms of poisoning can occur quite quickly, already 30 minutes after ingestion of toxic substances. But sometimes complaints come after 1-2 days.
If a person has diarrhea and a very sore stomach, which clearly indicates poisoning, then it is first recommended to induce vomiting. To do this, drink 1-1.5 liters of fluid and gently press on the root of the tongue with your finger. A similar procedure allows you to rinse your stomach. In addition, it is important for the victim to restore the water balance in the body. That is why he is recommended to drink plenty of water.
Antispasmodics are recommended to eliminate stomach pain. They quickly eliminate the feeling of discomfort in the abdomen. Effective drugs in this case will be No-shpa, Papaverine or Platifillin. Restore the proper digestion of food will allow drugs such as Festal, Creon, Mezim Forte.
Sorbents will allow to remove toxins from the body. These drugs are very effective and also quite safe for health. Among them are Smecta and Enterosgel, Fosfalugel and Polysorb.
A diet will completely rid the stomach of pain. After poisoning for two weeks, you will need to eat in small portions five times a day and chew food thoroughly. Be sure to drink plenty of water. But in the event that the pain in the stomach continues and is accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting and poor health, you will need to see a doctor.
Medication
To get rid of various pathologies, doctors prescribe medications to their patients. Therefore, some people start their day not with breakfast, but with the use of a whole handful of pills.
And there is nothing surprising in the fact that soon such patients will experience pain in the stomach of such patients. The reason for this may be:
- increased acidity;
- chronic ailments of the gastrointestinal tract;
- improper medication;
- chewing of tablets and capsules in the shell, which causes inflammation of the mucosa.
If the stomach is very sore after antibiotics, as well as other medications, then this can be caused by their side effect. Discomfort in the abdomen sometimes occurs due to intolerance to the patient of the individual components that are part of the tablets.
In addition to pain in the stomach, a person begins to complain about:
- dysbiosis;
- severe nausea, as well as vomiting;
- loss of appetite;
- increased gas formation.
What to do in such cases? The drug should be discontinued. After this, it is important to consult your doctor who will prescribe a new treatment regimen.
Pregnancy period
Sometimes the stomach of a woman who is preparing to become a mother hurts. It is worth noting that in this case, the occurrence of uncomfortable sensations is not always associated with gastrointestinal diseases. Mild stomach pains occurring in the 2nd and 3rd trimester are considered normal. Their appearance is provoked by a growing uterus, which compresses those organs that are nearby. This leads to the appearance of spasms and irritation of nerve receptors in them.
In order to prevent severe pain, a woman will need to eat more often (5-7 times during the day). At the same time, you should reduce the use of products that contribute to the occurrence of intestinal gases, as well as completely abandon fatty and heavy foods.
The reason that the stomach hurts very badly during pregnancy can be:
- constipation
- binge eating;
- hormonal changes;
- toxicosis.
To eliminate pain in the stomach, it is recommended to take antispasmodic and analgesic drugs. If they did not bring any effect, then it is better for a woman to consult a doctor.
Prolonged abdominal pain may be the result of acute stress and allergic reactions, physical fatigue and the use of certain types of pharmaceuticals. If a woman was diagnosed with gastritis even before pregnancy, then during the gestation of the child, an exacerbation of the disease is likely. This is due to toxicosis, as well as a decrease in immunity, which is typical for 80% of expectant mothers.
If pain in the stomach during pregnancy is associated with an exacerbation of gastritis, then taking medications traditionally used for this pathology is prohibited. The doctor can advise a woman on a preventive diet, correction of the psycho-emotional state, and also prescribe sparing drug therapy.
Infections
Sometimes a person does not know what to do - the stomach hurts very badly with attacks. The cause of this condition, as a rule, are various infections. The most common of these is rotavirus. It is best known as "intestinal flu." This disease causes severe discomfort. Moreover, everyone can suffer from such an infection - both children and adults. In addition to abdominal pain, rotavirus infection symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, as well as fever.
Pathogenic viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia and inflammatory processes in the throat can also provoke discomfort in the stomach.
Ailments of other organs
The cause of severe pain that occurs in the stomach can be:
- dysfunction of the small and large intestine;
- pancreatitis
- appendicitis;
- pathology of the heart and blood vessels.
Diagnostics
Identification of the causes of severe pain in the stomach begins with a doctor's questioning of the patient. In addition, the doctor always conducts palpation of the abdomen, and also listens to the work of the lungs and heart rate. After that, the doctor will certainly give direction to laboratory tests of biomaterial. As a rule, urine and feces are subject to research. A biochemical and general blood test is also performed. The composition of gastric juice is considered.
Accurate diagnosis will require instrumental diagnosis. To do this, the doctor will send the patient to an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. Somewhat less often, the direction to the radiograph with a contrast agent, MRI or CT is given. As a rule, the diagnosis becomes clear after the basic studies described above.
In rare cases, more serious measures are required. For example, a doctor may send his patient for laparoscopy. This procedure involves the introduction of a microcamera into the stomach through a small incision in it. Such actions allow you to assess the condition of the hollow organs visually.