The mucous barrier does not allow the caustic hydrochloric acid that makes up the gastric juice to harm the more sensitive layers of the organ. The balance of hydrochloric acid and mucus is maintained in constant balance throughout life. But environmental factors, eating habits, and an unhealthy craving for alcohol are slowly ruining this balance. We will find out the reasons for the large amount of mucus in the stomach, how harmful it is, and also how to treat the problem.
Functions of mucus in the stomach
From our very birth, mucus in the stomach is produced by special cells. The reason is that the substance is needed in this organ. Mucus, or mucin, is produced in bicarbonate. The resulting mucous-bicarbonate barrier protects the stomach tissue itself. This is the main function of the mucous membrane.
Mucus protects our body not only from gastric juice, but also from what we eat. Poor nutrition, diets, as well as overeating - everything is harmful. In addition, the gastric tract is not designed for coarse food and cigarette smoke. All these shocks gradually destroy the protective shell, and the body is forced to develop protective mechanisms.
What is mucin?
Mucins (the Latin word mucus - mucus) are the secrets of epithelial cells that are found in all hollow internal organs. Mucins are carbohydrate-protein compounds. The substance is capable of protecting the walls of an organ from the effects of many destructive enzymes, but not from alcohol or tobacco smoke. The substance covers the walls of the stomach with a thin layer - only 0.5-1.5 mm. Thinning, as well as thickening of the mucin layer, indicates a pathology in the digestive system.
Excess mucus in the stomach. Causes
The layer of mucin proteins increases when we neglect the rules of nutrition. The main reasons are as follows:
- frequent overeating, high-calorie and fatty foods in the diet;
- stress, depression;
- alcohol consumption;
- smoking;
- for some, long periods of fasting are a key factor;
- dry food snacks;
- fatty meals daily.
When gastric juice is actively secreted, food should be supplied in the required amount. If you force yourself to diet, hydrochloric acid in the stomach corrodes the protective membrane and leads to ulcers. If there are Helicobacter bacteria in the stomach, the destruction of protective mechanisms is exacerbated. However, some people tolerate hunger quite normally. It depends, possibly, on the physiological characteristics of the organism itself.
Effects
Any pathology in physiology has its consequences. If the volume of mucus increases, then:
- Acidity is markedly reduced. Food in the stomach is poorly digested and begins to rot, wander.
- Due to the fact that food simply rots and undigested sinks into the intestines, many nutrients are not absorbed.
- The body quickly depletes, a person loses weight for no reason.
- Bacteria develop in the stomach cavity, peptic ulcers begin to form, which cause pain.
It should be noted that the more mucus on the walls of the stomach, the less acidity, therefore, the worse the food is digested.
Signs of excess mucus
We found that there should not be much mucus in the stomach, its layer should not exceed the indicated intervals. It’s bad when there is a lot of mucus in the stomach - the causes and consequences are clear. Now consider how to detect these problems.
A person suffering from a pathology will manifest such symptoms:
- aching pains in the stomach and sometimes in the intestines;
- sharp weight loss due to the gradual atrophy of the glands that produce gastric juice;
- bloating and burping;
- constipation
- from the psyche - sudden mood swings, irritability.
To understand the causes of the above symptoms, it is necessary to be examined by a gastroenterologist.
Empty mucus
If a clear excess of mucin is visible during gastroscopy in the morning, after a long, prolonged abstinence from food, then there are already some disorders in the body. It is advisable to check other organs - the pancreas, gall bladder and duodenum. Inflammation of these organs also increases mucin production.
What explains the appearance of mucus in the stomach on an empty stomach? The reasons for this may lie in the habit of smoking on an empty stomach. Smoking severely damages the lining of the esophagus and stomach. The body somehow tries to cope with this and produces more mucins than necessary.
Mucus and bile in the stomach. Gastroesophageal Reflux
Why does bile and mucus accumulate in the stomach? The reason for this is usually gastroesophageal reflux. It happens that in the stomach cavity during gastroscopy, bile is detected. Her one-time reflux from the duodenum to the stomach is not a dangerous problem. Reflux, that is, bile reflux, is diagnosed when the pyloric sphincter of the pylorus is poorly closed and passes bile secreted by the liver into the stomach constantly.
If, in addition, the mucin layer is larger than 1.5 mm, it becomes more difficult for the stomach to digest food. Sores quickly form, since bile should not enter the pylorus - this substance is detrimental to the tissues of the organ.
Signs of casting bile into the stomach are as follows:
- heartburn;
- belching with a taste of strong bitterness;
- yellow plaque on the tongue, in the early morning this strongest unpleasant plaque and bile taste are felt.
- bad breath.
In advanced cases, nausea after eating and vomiting with bile are often worried.
Mucus in the digestive tract in a child
A viscous substance in the stomach, or mucin, negatively affects digestion, especially in childhood. Why does mucus accumulate in the baby’s stomach? The reason is the excessive use of buns, sweets, street food, as well as the habit of eating fried and fatty dishes at night. After all, at night, the production of gastric juice stops, all food eaten late in the evening wanders in the digestive tract, and is not digested. This applies to both children and adults.
However, for a child this condition of the stomach is very dangerous. It can quickly develop into other serious pathologies, and most importantly, it prevents the children's body from developing. Due to problems with the digestion of food, many substances are poorly absorbed in the intestines, and it is extremely important for a growing body to get as many vitamins and minerals as possible.
Timely Gastroscopy
Gastroscopy is prescribed to anyone who complains of stomach pain and difficulty digesting food. Before the procedure, you must refrain from eating for 8 hours. If a person smokes, it will be necessary to tolerate gastroscopy without cigarettes for about 3 hours.
Excess mucus is immediately visible on the screen of the device, and the doctor will tell you about the high risks of developing pathology. But when there is already atrophic gastritis, which is often detected against the background of excess mucus, it is very likely that the next stage will be tissue degeneration. The glandular cells of the epithelium are replaced by another, more dense and "hardy" tissue. And this is Barrett’s disease, which is recognized by doctors around the world as a harbinger of a cancer of the stomach.
Hypertrophic or atrophic gastritis is a very scary diagnosis. In this case, smoking should be stopped immediately and gradually accustom yourself to healthy food. It is important to find out the causes of mucus in the stomach and begin treatment.
Barrett's disease
Barrett's disease resulting from atrophic gastritis indicates a precancerous condition. And gastritis with low acidity is often triggered by excess mucus. In order to prevent such serious illnesses, you need to go to the doctor at the first sign: pain in the epigastric region or sudden constipation, belching with an acidic or bitter aftertaste. Therefore, you need to know that the mucus in the stomach (we listed the reasons for its formation) is not a harmless anomaly, but a dangerous harbinger of many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
How to remove mucus from the stomach?
To cleanse the stomach of mucus in folk medicine, there are a number of good recipes:
- drink cabbage juice in the morning;
- eat a couple of slices of raw beets every morning (150 g);
- to clear the stomach with the help of the gag reflex - you need to drink 0.5 l of water with salt.
It is also important to switch to proper nutrition. Foods such as coffee, fatty meats, and sweets help increase mucus production.
Medical treatment
The main thing in therapy is to discover in time that there is a lot of mucus in the stomach. Causes and treatment - all these issues need to be discussed with the doctor. For the treatment of such a pathology, preparations are needed that are analogous to stomach acid - hydrochloric acids, which destroy mucus naturally, as a result of which it will be excreted from the body.
If there are other concomitant diseases of the stomach (ulcers, for example), the gastroenterologist will additionally prescribe suitable medications. With low acidity it is better to drink herbal infusions, and with high acid - Omeprazole or other drugs of this group. All treatment is selected individually, and exclusively at the doctor’s appointment. A pharmacy worker is not entitled to recommend drugs at his discretion.
Diet
Treatment without changing the principles of nutrition is practically useless when it comes to problems with the stomach. It is important to plan meals so that no more than 4 hours pass between them. Foods such as hamburgers or french fries are completely useless, only bring harm and contribute to obesity. Therefore, with the first signs of gastritis, the habit of eating street food should be abandoned.
Still, back to the main thing. What should be removed from the diet?
- Milk porridge in the morning.
- Potato - no matter how cooked, any potato dishes contain a lot of starch and increase mucus.
- All flour dishes, especially pastries.
- Alcohol and coffee. Strongly irritate the mucous membrane and cause a protective reaction of the body.
- Fried, smoked, fatty dishes.
Useful products, that is, those that reduce the mucin layer, are:
- millet, barley and dietary buckwheat;
- vegetables - cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, beets, celery.
Vegetables contain fiber, so they are properly and quickly digested. Instead of animal fats, it is better to use vegetable raw oils in the diet — olive, linseed, and sunflower oils. It is useful to add nuts and seeds to your daily diet.
Excess mucus in the stomach can be eliminated naturally, without drugs, if you start eating raw vegetables in the morning, do one piece of fish in the afternoon, and use cooked vegetables from vegetables in the evenings.
conclusions
To summarize what has been said. It is dangerous when during the diagnosis a lot of mucus was found in the stomach. The reasons and treatment will be explained in detail by the gastroenterologist. To prevent the development of pathology, it is necessary to get rid of the habit of eating fast, eating dry food during the day, and overeating too oily food in the evening. In addition, smoking and alcohol are completely contraindicated for those who have an excessive mucin layer in the stomach cavity.