Every person knows firsthand about abdominal pain. Let at least once in a lifetime, but everyone had to deal with such a symptom. The resulting discomfort is monotonous and barely noticeable or very strong. And they can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from minor causes to serious pathologies.
Why does my stomach hurt so much? Understanding the cause of such an uncomfortable situation will allow you to provide first aid as soon as possible and return the person to normal life again. At the same time, a very important point is to conduct a correct diagnosis with clarification of the time of onset of pain, its nature and the presence of additional symptoms. And only after determining such signs, it will be possible to proceed to direct treatment.
Stomach pains
Feelings of discomfort in the location of this organ in medicine are called gastralgia. These are pains of an acute or cramping nature caused by gastricpathologies, severe stress or existing ailments in other internal organs.
Pain of different localization and intensity often indicates problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Such pathologies almost always have a chronic character, slowly progress and, simultaneously with their development, steadily become the cause of an increase in symptoms.
Character of pain
Discomfort most often appears in a person in the region of the left hypochondrium. Sometimes such pains are given to the lower back, lower abdomen, and also to the left side of the chest. In addition, uncomfortable sensations can be of a completely different nature, that is, they can be intense, pulling, cramping and sharp.
Depending on the cause of the pain, it may be accompanied by other symptoms. The most common are nausea, vomiting, belching of stomach acid, heartburn, a metallic taste in the mouth, stool disturbances in the form of constipation or diarrhea, fever and weakness, bloating and a decrease in blood pressure.
Pain classification
Strong discomfort that occurs in the area of the stomach, divided into three groups. They are:
- Early. This group of uncomfortable sensations is characterized by their occurrence immediately after the end of the meal. Such pains are manifested by attacks and are dull. A person can feel relief only after the food bolus passes through the stomach and the first stage of food digestion is over.
- Later. The second group of gastric pains are those that begin after a certain period after takingfood. It can be approximately 1 to 3 hours. They arise from a barely noticeable feeling of discomfort and grow 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, hunger pains can begin 4 hours after eating. They are in most cases very unpleasant. What to do if the stomach hurts a lot with uncomfortable sensations of the third group? Sometimes a cup of sweet tea will help smooth out discomfort.
Causes of pain
If the stomach hurts a lot, 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 the existing seizures, can accurately establish the presence of a particular pathology. For example, in chronic gastritis, aching pains 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 such a symptom will clearly indicate an increase in acidity, as well as an increase in the activity of hydrochloric acid, which irritates the mucous membranes.
Pain syndrome, which is acute and persistent, usually accompanies colitis, cholecystitis and pancreatitis. If the stomach hurts very badly with attacks, then this is most likely a chronic ulcer. Infectious pathologies can also be the cause of such uncomfortable sensations.
Gastritis
If the stomach hurts a lot and unpleasantsensations in a person arise immediately after eating, then we can almost certainly 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, s alty or spicy foods, improper diet and frequent stress, physical exertion, drinking alcohol, and also in connection with taking certain types of pharmaceuticals.
In addition to the fact that the stomach hurts a lot, a person begins to complain of nausea and growing heaviness in the stomach, fatigue and an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth, increased sweating and irritability.
What is gastritis? This is an inflammation that covers the gastric mucosa. This disease significantly worsens he alth due to the fact that it contributes to the occurrence of irreversible consequences. The beginning of the development of gastritis can be seen by the slight discomfort that a person feels in the stomach after eating. However, over time, the disease develops. This leads to more frequent manifestation of her symptoms. A person already begins to feel soreness and an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth after eating fatty, spicy, sour and s alty foods. In addition, he complains of heartburn and nausea, gas and heaviness in the abdomen.
If my stomach hurts a lot immediately after eating, what should I do? In the presence of such discomfort, you should seek help from a doctor. Self-medication is dangerous. The consequences in this case can be the mostunpredictable. Only a gastroenterologist can offer the most effective therapy.
If my stomach hurts a lot, what should I do? With attacks of gastritis, the patient must be kept calm. It is also recommended to make him vomit, and then put something on his stomach that will give heat (but not a hot heating pad). As a therapeutic therapy, a person is advised not to eat for the next two days, limiting himself to drinking tea with lemon. After such a fast, liquid food should be gradually introduced. The patient's menu at the same time includes broth, puree soup and grated porridge.
If the stomach hurts a lot, what to drink to relieve the condition from medications? Symptoms can be relieved with antispasmodics or analgesics. Nevertheless, it is recommended to approach drugs with great caution. Taking them for gastritis can aggravate the problems of the digestive system.
For a long period, the patient will need to adhere to a certain diet, which includes foods recommended by the gastroenterologist. In addition, you should take the course of therapy prescribed by the doctor.
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 cramps that develop intensity after a meal gradually.
When the pathology is exacerbated, very severe pain occurs. At the same time, thea person's blood pressure drops and the skin turns pale. There are bruises under the eyes. In addition to pressing pains, constant constipation develops. There is a non-decreasing tension of the stomach muscles, and the digestive system can not cope with its work. There are also bouts of vomiting and unpleasant belching, weight loss and heartburn. Stomach ulcers are classified as seasonal diseases, as they worsen, as a rule, in early spring and late autumn.
If the stomach hurts a lot, then the patient needs to take a supine position and remain at rest. Eating food in such cases is contraindicated. Only drinking water is allowed. Unlike gastritis pain, putting heat on your stomach is not necessary. With an ulcer, such actions will provoke increased pain in the stomach.
What medicines are there to relieve this condition? If the stomach (stomach) is very painful due to an ulcer, then painkillers prescribed by a doctor are needed. Anti-acid drugs 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. Soda should not be taken in such situations. This product releases carbon dioxide, which can cause even more irritation to the mucosa. Emergencies call for an ambulance. It is impossible to delay with very severe pain, because an ulcer can cause stomach bleeding.
Poisoning
The manifestation of symptoms when toxins, poisons or chemicals enter the body can be eitherinsignificant, and very sharp. If the stomach hurts very much and feels sick, then these phenomena may indicate poisoning. Signs of intoxication are also fever, fatigue, vomiting, frequent diarrhea, dizziness. Symptoms of poisoning can appear quite quickly, within 30 minutes after the ingestion of toxic substances. But sometimes complaints are received even after 1-2 days.
If a person has diarrhea and a very bad stomach ache, which clearly indicates poisoning, then first of all it is recommended to induce vomiting. To do this, drink 1-1.5 liters of liquid and gently press on the root of the tongue with your finger. This procedure allows you to wash the 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.
Anspasmodics are recommended to relieve stomach pain. They will quickly eliminate discomfort in the abdomen. Effective drugs in this case will be "No-shpa", "Papaverin" or "Platifillin". To restore the correct digestion of food will allow such medicines as "Festal", "Creon", "Mezim forte".
Sorbents will allow toxins to get out of the body. These drugs are very effective and also quite safe for he alth. Among them are "Smecta" and "Enterosgel", "Phosphalugel" and "Polysorb".
Diet will completely relieve the stomach of pain. After poisoning infor two weeks, you will need to eat small portions five times a day and chew your 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 feeling unwell, 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 a handful of pills.
And there is nothing surprising in the fact that soon such patients experience pain in the stomach. The reason for this may be:
- high acidity;
- chronic gastrointestinal ailments;
- incorrect medication;
- chewing tablets and capsules in the shell, which causes inflammation of the mucosa.
If the stomach hurts very much after antibiotics, as well as other medications, this may be due to their side effects. Feelings of discomfort in the abdomen sometimes also occur due to the patient's intolerance to the individual components that are in the composition of the tablets.
In addition to stomach pain, a person begins to complain about:
- dysbacteriosis;
- severe nausea and vomiting;
- loss of appetite;
- increased gas generation.
What to do in such cases? The drug should be discontinued. After that, it is important to contact your doctor, who will prescribe a new regimen.therapy.
Pregnancy period
Sometimes a woman who is preparing to become a mother has a severe stomach ache. It should be noted that in this case, the occurrence of uncomfortable sensations is not always associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Moderate stomach pain that occurs in the 2nd and 3rd trimester is considered normal. Their occurrence is provoked by a growing uterus, which compresses those organs that are nearby. This leads to 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 a day). At the same time, you should reduce the consumption of foods that contribute to the occurrence of intestinal gas, as well as completely abandon fatty and heavy foods.
The reason that the stomach hurts very much during pregnancy can be:
- constipation;
- overeating;
- hormonal changes;
- toxicosis.
To eliminate stomach pain, it is recommended to take antispasmodic and pain medications. If they did not bring any effect, then it is better for a woman to consult a doctor.
Prolonged abdominal pain can be the result of acute stress and allergic reactions, physical overwork and taking certain types of pharmaceuticals. If a woman was diagnosed with gastritis before pregnancy, then during the bearing of a child, an exacerbation of the disease is likely. This is due to emerging toxicosis, as well as a decrease in immunity, which is typical for 80% of futuremothers.
If pain in the stomach during pregnancy is associated with an exacerbation of gastritis, then taking medications traditionally used for this pathology is prohibited. A doctor can advise a woman on a therapeutic and preventive diet, correction of her psycho-emotional state, and also prescribe a 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 the "stomach flu". This disease causes a feeling of severe discomfort. Moreover, everyone can suffer from such an infection - both children and adults. In addition to abdominal tenderness, symptoms of rotavirus infection include vomiting and diarrhea, as well as fever.
Pathogenic viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia and inflammation in the throat can also provoke stomach discomfort.
Diseases of other organs
Severe stomach pains can be caused by:
- dysfunction of the small and large intestines;
- pancreatitis;
- appendicitis;
- pathology of the heart and blood vessels.
Diagnostics
Identification of the causes of severe pain in the stomach begins with a survey by the doctor of the patient. In addition, the doctor necessarily conducts palpation of the abdomen, and also listens to the work of the lungs and heart rhythm. After that, the doctor will certainly give a referral for laboratory tests.biomaterial analyses. As a rule, urine and feces are subject to research. A biochemical and general blood test is also carried out. The composition of gastric juice is considered.
Accurate diagnosis will require instrumental diagnosis. To do this, the doctor will send the patient for an ultrasound of the abdominal organs. Somewhat less often, a referral is given to an x-ray with a contrast agent, MRI or CT. As a rule, the diagnosis becomes clear after the basic studies described above.
In rare cases, more serious action is required. For example, a doctor may send his patient for a laparoscopy. This procedure involves inserting a microcamera into the stomach through a small incision in it. Such actions allow you to assess the condition of hollow organs visually.
