What to do if your stomach hurts
Educational Program Health / / December 19, 2019
If the pain in his left side, under the ribs, is likely to blame the stomach. It can be felt for a number of reasons - both secure and not very much.
But there are cases when the pain signals with completely different organs problems.
When it is necessary to immediately contact a doctor
Call an ambulance if stomach pain - severe and is accompanied by the following symptomsAbdominal Pain: What You Should Know:
- you experience discomfort and tightness in the chest;
- you assume that the pain may be related to the recent blow to the stomach;
- your temperature above 38 ° C;
- there is persistent vomiting or vomiting blood;
- the skin on the body has got the yellow color;
- you experience breathing problems;
- you pregnant.
Ambulance is not necessary, but try as quickly as possible to get an appointment with a physician if:
- the pain is not strong, but lasts for 2-3 hours or longer;
- stomach sensitive to touch;
- in addition to pain, you notice that you are more often than usual to the bathroom, or the pain gets worse when you urinate.
If no alarming symptoms, relax.
Most pain in the stomach area is not dangerous and is likely your case - it is as follows.
Nevertheless, it should understand what causes discomfort in the upper left part of the abdomen, not to miss the dangerous "bells".
Why stomach hurts
Here are some common reasonsStomach ache and abdominal pain.
1. You swallowed air
This often happens, for example, with amateur chewing gum. Excess air in the stomach can cause muscle spasms and its pain.
What to do
Wait. Pain due to spasm of the stomach is usually not severe and quickly pass on their own. If they are repeated on a regular basis, be sure to consult a physician or a gastroenterologist. He will find out why the air enters the stomach, and tell you what to do. For example, offer to give up chewing gum, change diet or take medicine that reduces the amount of gases.
2. You have gastric (intestinal) flu
This colloquial name of gastroenteritisGastroenteritis ( «Stomach Flu») - inflammation of the stomach. As a rule, its pathogens are viral infections. Stomach flu, inter abdominal discomfort accompanied by diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fever - sometimes small.
What to do
If the stomach flu is caused by a virus, it is treated only symptomatically not allow dehydration, appoint antiemetic drugs. However, the diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis and prescribe treatment can only physician. Do not try to deal with amateur - you can make a mistake and worsen their condition.
3. You ate something that did not
In addition to viral gastroenteritis, bacterial and distributed. In this case, the inflammatory process in the stomach causing got into it with food bacteria - the same salmonella.
There are other ways to earn gastroenteritis:
- sip dirty water from the reservoir, wherein the full-microbial parasites;
- have a drink or eat something, what is contained heavy metals - arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury;
- too carried away by acidic foods - citrus or tomatoes;
- taking certain medications - certain antibiotics, antacids (agents that reduce gastric acidity), laxatives, drugs for chemotherapy.
What to do
Again: the symptoms of gastroenteritis sure to contact your physician. The bacterial form of the disease is treated only with antibiotics. Other types require their own treatment strategies. Accurate diagnosis and prescribe an effective treatment can only qualified physician.
4. You have indigestion (dyspepsia)
so callCommon Causes of Stomach Ache fullness, discomfort that occurs in the stomach after eating. This is a common problem, and with the move is often impossible to determine its cause. And they can be different:
- binge eating;
- poorly chewed food;
- excessive consumption alcohol;
- chronic constipation;
- smoking;
- stress, fatigue;
- reception of medicines - the popular aspirin and other painkillers, birth control pills, certain kinds of antibiotics, steroids, drugs for the treatment of thyroid gland;
- disease known as irritable bowel syndrome;
- thyroid dysfunction;
- diabetes;
- stomach cancer.
What to do
As you can see, indigestion can be dangerous reason why it can not be ignored. If indigestion is repeated on a regular basis, you should consult with a gastroenterologist.
5. You have heartburn
It - gastroesophageal reflux disease. So we call a condition in which stomach contents, together with the acidic gastric juices into the esophagus. In addition to discomfort in the stomach, the person feels a burning sensation in the middle of the chest.
Often heartburn depends on the diet, for example, appears after drinking coffee, carbonated drinks, fatty and spicy foods. But sometimes it is the first symptom of serious diseases - stomach ulcers or esophageal cancer and even heart attack.
What to do
If heartburn - one-time event, you should not worry. But if it is repeated, and besides, accompanied by other symptoms - nausea, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, consultation with a gastroenterologist is required.
6. You have gastritis or gastric ulcer
Gastritis - an inflammation of the gastric mucosa. At initial stages it is accompanied by the same symptoms as indigestion, heartburn or stomach flu, so gastritis diagnose itself can only physician. Sensible pain appears only if the mucosa is already severely damaged or gastritis turned into a stomach ulcer.
What to do
Go complain to the gastroenterologist. The doctor will send you for tests that will help establish the correct diagnosis and prescribe an effective treatment. Tighten with this if gastritis is not necessary, as it increasesGastritis the risk of developing stomach cancer.
7. You have stomach cancer
It is dangerous to diagnose the disease at an early stage is difficult. As well as gastritis, cancer hides behind innocent symptomsSigns and Symptoms of Stomach Cancer, among which:
- frequent and prolonged heartburn;
- a feeling of fullness after eating, as in dyspepsia;
- nausea, slight salivation;
- loss of appetite.
What to do
Understand that any regular symptoms can not be ignored. If there is discomfort and pain in the stomach area (even if they do not seem serious to you), be sure to consult a doctor.
7. You have problems with other organs
In the left upper quadrant is not only the stomach. Can match the pancreas, bile ducts, spleen, left lobe of liver ...
In addition, the organs in the abdomen are closely related: pain in one gives to another. Therefore, if there were strong cutting, stabbing sensation in his left side, it can be:
- appendicitis;
- pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
- cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation);
- cholangitis (inflammation of the bile ducts of the liver);
- cystitis (bladder infection);
- duodenal ulcer;
- nephrolithiasis;
- colitis and other diseases of the large intestine ...
What to do
Not tolerate. Any sharp pain in the stomach area, especially if they are repeated or, then extinguished, then reappearing, lasts longer than a couple of hours - an occasion as soon as possible to visit a gastroenterologist. From this visit may depend on your life. Do not take chances.
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