According to statistics, about 60% of people complain of a burning sensation in the stomach after eating. This rarely happens one-time, most often this symptom occurs with pathologies of the stomach. Stomach burning is not synonymous with heartburn. Heartburn is treated a little differently, manifests differently and comes from different causes.
Heartburn is a burning sensation behind the sternum due to the backflow of gastric contents as a result of a malfunction of the dividing sphincter between the stomach and esophagus. Burning behind the sternum is a burning sensation in the esophagus with reflux esophagitis. This results in increased salivation and a sour taste in the mouth. Heartburn can be associated with the nature of food, tight clothing, bending over, etc. Often, burning of the esophagus after eating and in the stomach are often combined. Their etiology is different, but the treatment is almost identical.
Causes of burning sensation in the stomach
The stomach is lined with a mucous membrane whose cells produce mucin (mucus) that wears a protectivecharacter. Mucus covers the walls of the stomach to a thickness of 0.5 mm. It not only prevents pathogens from entering, but also protects the stomach from aggressive hydrochloric acid and pepsin, which the stomach itself produces. Otherwise, the stomach wall would begin to digest itself. Thus, a burning sensation in the stomach is a consequence of a violation of the acid-base balance in the acid side.
For the digestion of food, first of all, hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin are needed. Their mixture is very aggressive, so much so that it can break down any organic matter. Normally, hydrochloric acid is produced exactly as much as is needed to digest the food bolus.
The walls of the stomach could also be burned with this mixture, if not for the protection of mucin in the mucous membrane. The esophagus is also lined with mucous, but it has no protective properties.
Why can a burning sensation in the stomach after eating bother a person? If the gastric mucosa is damaged by some aggressive irritant, its protective functions are lost.
In such cases, aggressive damaging factors get the opportunity to penetrate deep into the wall of the stomach with subsequent damage. This phenomenon easily causes an uncomfortable burning sensation in the stomach immediately after eating.
After meals
If the food was wrong, fatty, fried, etc., this leads to irritation of the nerve endings and inflammatory reactions. This phenomenon is especially easy to develop with existing damage to the gastric mucosa. The food may be normal, but in largevolume. Then overeating also gives a burning sensation in the stomach after eating.
What food can be wrong for the stomach?
Bad for the stomach:
- Food high in fiber, it starts to act like sandpaper, injuring the mucosa. Among such products are bran bread, beloved by many, some vegetables (beets, raw cabbage) and fruits.
- A burning sensation in the stomach after eating can also be caused by pickles, smoked meats, marinades, spicy dishes and fried foods. Many of these products contain carcinogens, acids, trans fats and other harmful substances.
- Sour-milk products with high acidity often cause a slight burning sensation in the stomach after eating.
- Sour citrus type fruits.
- Prolonged abstinence from food adversely affects the mucosa.
- It is possible to include any alcohol, fast food, soda, chips to objects objectionable to the stomach.
- Also, the cause of a burning sensation in the stomach after eating can be nervous overexertion, frequent stress, taking drugs with an irritating effect - aspirin, NSAIDs, antibiotics before meals, iron, potassium, etc.
- To the provoking factor include excess weight and smoking. In obesity, the stomach is surrounded by fat, which slows down the process of splitting food and its absorption. Therefore, burning in the stomach and esophagus after eating is a constant symptom in overweight people.
But that's not all. Pain is added to the above symptom. Burning in the stomach after eating provokes many unpleasantsymptoms. A vicious circle is formed, and the destruction of the mucosa continues to progress and deepen if no action is taken. In addition, it is very harmful to overeat, especially to eat at night.
Other causes of burning in the stomach after eating:
- bacterial infections (90% of cases are Helicobacter pylori);
- hormonal imbalance;
- too cold or hot food;
- instant strong coffee;
- meal irregularity;
- diaphragmatic hernia;
- diseases of the stomach itself with high acidity - ulcers and gastritis;
- oncological education;
- bad environment;
- poor quality water;
- lifting weights;
- pregnancy (especially in the last trimester, when the enlarged uterus begins to compress the stomach).
Symptomatic manifestations
Burning in the stomach may be accompanied by morning sickness, pain that radiates to the back, belching with burning of the mucous throat. One of the most common symptoms is a metallic smell from the mouth. If the stomach bakes after eating, the cause may be an ulcer or gastritis.
With these pathologies, the mucosa is already damaged. When an additional portion of acid or bile gets on it, pain occurs, perceived as a burning sensation. This is especially evident during hunger.
Pain
If the pain in the side is complemented by a burning sensation in the stomach, this is often the result of ulcers or gastritis, tumors. Then there is irradiation of pain in the back or ribs. Esophagitisalso gives pain and a feeling of hot heat in the esophagus and stomach.
Burp
This is a frequent companion of burning in the stomach. Belching of air also occurs almost always with ulcerative processes or eating food that causes fermentation and gas formation.
Nausea
Burning in the stomach after eating occurs with nausea in gastritis and ulcers. Rarely, vomiting may also occur. During pregnancy, stress or nervous strain, stomach discomfort is not uncommon.
Heartburn
Heartburn almost always coexists with burning in the gastric cavity, regardless of etiology. Why is there a burning sensation in the stomach after eating? For a more accurate diagnosis, just observe exactly when the burning sensation occurs. If it appears immediately after eating, most often this indicates gastritis. By the way, half of the world's population suffers from this disease.
When PUD (gastric ulcer) pain occurs on an empty stomach or some time after eating. If a burning sensation occurs in the morning or in the evening, while there is pain in the epigastrium or on the right side, it is most likely a duodenal ulcer (duodenal ulcer).
Diagnostic measures
For diagnosis, you need to undergo a series of studies:
- X-ray of the stomach is the very first and safest method. It has no contraindications. The method is informative because it allows you to see an ulcer in the early stages, various deviations in the shape of the stomach, its external changes, as well as neoplasms.
- EFGDS is the most modern, fast and popular methoddiagnostics. The mucosa is completely visible. Information about the state of the esophagus and stomach, duodenum is given exhaustive. The examination is carried out quickly enough, but has contraindications.
- The study of gastric juice is necessary because burning in the stomach after eating is always associated with an increase in acidity. The study can accurately determine the composition, acidity and pH of the juice and its deviations from the norm.
- An analysis for the presence of infection - we are talking about Helicobacter pylori. In 90% of cases, it is the cause of stomach disease. Basically, a breath test is performed for the presence of Helicobacter pylori. A biopsy of the stomach may also be performed if cancer is suspected.
Possible Complications
Long ignoring the burning sensation in the stomach leads to changes in the mucosa, the inflammatory process begins. If there is no treatment after this, the inflammation of the mucosa becomes chronic, spreads not only in depth, but also in breadth, capturing a large area.
In addition, inflammation can move to neighboring organs - the duodenum, gallbladder and pancreas are also involved here. This is already running chronic gastritis. Erosions of the mucosa are replaced by stomach ulcers.
Treatment of pathology
In traditional medicine, there are many remedies to eliminate burning in the stomach after eating and in the esophagus. But the treatment is only symptomatic.
Special Diet
In fact, with her the healing process andstarts. Otherwise, you should not count on the success of therapy. Usually, the treatment of burning in the stomach after eating begins with a diet correction: exclusion of smoked meats, pastries, fried and fatty foods, soda, canned food and sausages, alcohol and marinades, coffee, chocolate and sweets, chips, s alted nuts, spicy foods, constant use of chewing gum. In other words, all foods that cause fermentation and increased gas formation are completely excluded.
During treatment, the basis of the diet should be vegetable soups and chicken broths, cereals on the water (the most useful is oatmeal) and steamed vegetables, non-acidic and not too sweet fruits.
Food should be fractional, in small portions. Eating dry and on the go is not your option.
The list of recommended products includes:
- fresh dairy products;
- mucus soups;
- casseroles, steam omelettes, salads, herbs, baked vegetables and fruits;
- boiled or stewed meat, fatty meat is excluded.
- recommended turkey, chicken, rabbit and veal.
Medicines
Classification of funds used:
- Proton pump inhibitors or PPIs are drugs that inhibit the production of hydrochloric acid.
- Blockers of H2-histamine receptors - also aimed at making less hydrochloric acid produced. They disrupt the work of the parietal cells, which produce acid.
- Acid regulators are all kinds of antacids.
- There is anddetoxification therapy - the use of "Smecta" and activated charcoal.
- Antacids - they reduce acidity and have an enveloping effect. Among them are Maalox, Venter, Almagel, Phosphalugel, Alfogel. These funds are the basis of the drug group.
- Antisecretory drugs - help reduce the production of hydrochloric acid, for example, "Omez", "Omeprazole", "Ranitidine" and others.
- Enzymatic agents - do not allow fermentation and putrefactive processes to develop - Festal, Mezim, Pancreatin, Panzinorm, Bisacodyl, Creon, etc.
- In addition, the sensation of baking in the stomach can be caused by the action of acid on the walls themselves, then alginates are used. Alginates are drugs that prevent acid from attacking the wall of the stomach itself.
The doctor often prescribes Omez, Gastal, Rennie, Festal, Gaviscon. Since the walls of the stomach and mucous membranes are damaged during burning, they need to be restored faster.
In order to accelerate regeneration, misoprostol is used, which increases the production of mucus, and Sucralfate increases its protective functions. Prokinetics ("Ganaton", "Motilium") normalize motor skills.
Gastroprotectors ("Novobismol", "Venter", "Keal", "Sukras", "Trimibol") protect the gastric walls fromactions of irritating factors.
To relieve spasms, antispasmodics "Papaverine", "No-Shpa", "Spasmalgon" are used.
Pro- and prebiotics "Hilak Forte", "Maxilak", "Bifiform" and "Linex" are required to restore the intestinal microflora.
In the presence of Helicobacter pylori, the antibiotics "De-Nol", "Amoxicillin", "Clarithromycin", the antimicrobial drug "Metronidazole" are prescribed.
Treatment with folk methods
Folk remedies are used in the form of juices, infusions, decoctions, oils and are an addition to the main therapy:
- Baking soda solution - 1 tsp. to a glass of water. Many are used for burning in the stomach and heartburn. Yes, indeed, in the first moments, soda, as a weak alkali, will reduce the burning sensation in the stomach and neutralize excess hydrochloric acid. But then the picture changes. This method is as popular as it is harmful. After a short-term decrease in heartburn, after a while it resumes with renewed vigor, but already in higher concentrations. Soda for heartburn and hyperacid gastritis is the shortest way to get an ulcer. There are much safer remedies - warm milk, still alkaline mineral water, chamomile tea.
- Marsh calamus root - used dry: a pinch should be chewed and swallowed.
- In addition, you can take a decoction of calamus root, a decoction of St. John's wort is also very useful. They are drunk before meals.
- Activated charcoal - will be useful after a feast, as it will reduce intoxication. 1 tablet of charcoal is mixed crushed with a quarter cup of water.
- Potato juice - well removes high acidity. This is the most popular folk remedy in the treatment of hyperacidity. Grate potatoes, squeeze juice through gauze and drink half an hour before meals. It is taken 4 times a day. It noticeably improves the patient's condition after 2 weeks - heartburn and pain go away. Carrot juice also works.
- S alt solution - a pinch in a glass of water will reduce the burning sensation.
- Buckwheat - it is also taken dry with a burning sensation in the stomach. It should be crushed and well sifted. Pinch taken three times a day.
- Poplar charcoal - it is also crushed before meals and washed down with water.
- From medicinal herbs, you can also recommend an infusion or juice of plantain, an infusion of licorice root, succession, celandine, aloe juice, sea buckthorn oil, olive oil, flax seed, onion juice, cabbage juice - taken daily, several times a day day before meals.
- Bee products - honey water, propolis.
It should be remembered that folk remedies do not remove the cause of the disease, they only improve the patient's condition. It is impossible to cure the stomach with folk remedies. They are useful as a supplement. The main treatment is prescribed only by a gastroenterologist.
Prevention
Drugs, even adequately selected and prescribed, the stomach will not be able to cure if the lifestyle is not changed. Tabletsonly be able to reduce the severity of the manifestations of a burning sensation in the stomach.
The first condition for restoring he alth is the transition to proper nutrition, which was mentioned above. Food should not be chemically aggressive. It is also necessary to exclude smoking and drinking alcohol - in any quantities and any strength. It is important to observe the correct mode of work and rest. Try to avoid frequent stress and negative emotional outbursts.
