The nature of pain in gastric ulcers

PAIN AS THE MAIN SYMPTOM OF DISEASE

Ulcers are lesions of the mucous membrane of the stomach and/or duodenum. They may differ in size, location and depth, but will always manifest themselves through pain - this is the main symptom of the disease.

Unpleasant sensations occur not only in the place where the ulcer is located. The pain usually radiates (radiates) to the back, sternum or hypochondrium. In the case of a stomach ulcer, pain most often occurs in the upper part of the stomach, closer to the sternum, since it is in this area that the mucous membrane is affected. If there is an ulcer in the duodenum, pain may appear in the area:

• navel;
• lower abdomen, left or right;
• right or left hypochondrium.

Causes of pain

The appearance of pain can be the main indication that an unhealthy process is developing in the body. Therefore, there is no need to suppress them with analgesics; it is better to immediately determine the factor of their appearance.

During a gastric ulcer, erosive damage to the mucosal structure is observed. All this causes its severe destruction, which provokes unpleasant sensations of varying severity.

The main factor in damage to the mucous layer of the gastrointestinal tract is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. It can survive in an environment without oxygen. It produces components that have a neutralizing effect on hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice.

The main cause of the disease is Helicobacter pylori

Additional reasons

Unpleasant symptoms are provoked by factors that can be of different nature:

• Irregular eating. Often, pain manifests itself during a long break from eating; as a result, gastric juice is released, which causes irritation of the walls and the appearance of pain.
• Stress.
• Increased smoking of tobacco products. It has been established that nicotine strongly irritates the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum.
• Failure to follow the recommendations of a nutritionist or gastroenterologist. For example, eating prohibited treats - salty, fatty foods, smoked foods, marinades.

Smoking causes the development of stomach ulcers

• Sleep disturbance.
• Presence of overvoltage.
• Increased activity of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori in the digestive organs.
• Including foods containing vinegar in your diet.
• Abuse of alcohol, coffee, medications with acetylsalicylic acid.
• Increased physical activity, fatigue.

Under these conditions, the condition of the gastric mucosa is constantly under the destructive action of hydrochloric acid. This process is often accompanied by strong painful feelings.

Overwork contributes to the development of ulcers

WHAT PAINS ARE DUE TO AN ULCER

Based on the time of occurrence, they are usually distinguished:

• night pain: characterized by strong intensity;
• hunger pain: appears in the morning or during a long break in meals. Explained by spasms and the release of large amounts of gastric juice;
• early and late: the first is felt approximately half an hour to an hour after eating. She is accompanied by heaviness in the stomach and heartburn. This pain is explained by the effect of food on the affected areas of the mucous membrane. Late pain may appear 3-6 hours after the last meal.

Localization

In what area does it hurt with a peptic ulcer? A typical pain syndrome is observed in the epigastric region. They have the character of attacks that intensify after eating, especially during exacerbation of the disease. Depending on the specific location of the ulcer, the pain will change location. The pain can be localized in different areas. For example:

1. First, let's look at the pain associated with a duodenal ulcer. In this case, the pain symptom will be localized in the upper right part of the peritoneum. As a rule, it has the character of attacks that are quite intense, multi-temporal and can be repeated several times a day. However, there have been cases when the pain has an increasing character and is quite long-lasting.
2. If the ulcer is located right in the center of the stomach, then the pain symptom is felt in the epigastrium, sometimes in the left side of the abdomen.
3. An ulcer located at the top of the stomach makes itself felt by pain in the form of burning and pressure behind the sternal process. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that they are often confused with the symptoms of an angina attack, the characteristic feature of which is pain in the area of ​​the left shoulder blade, heart or arm. As a rule, symptoms appear after eating, but they can also be noticed after intense physical activity.

Do not self-diagnose or self-medicate. You will not be able to diagnose the problem at home based solely on the nature of the pain. In these cases, gastroenterological diagnostics are simply necessary, which can only be performed by an experienced specialist.

PAIN ELIMINATION

Pain syndrome with gastric and duodenal ulcers can be relieved with the help of antispasmodics and anti-inflammatory drugs. But this will not solve the problem globally. If you suspect you have a peptic ulcer, consult a gastroenterologist as soon as possible. In the absence of treatment, it can transform into oncology, which will require more serious therapy.

Treatment of stomach ulcers comes down to a special diet, taking gastroprotectors to restore and protect the mucous membrane, antispasmodics to relieve pain and antibiotics to eliminate the bacterium Helicobacter pylori , which is the main cause of the development of the pathology.

Seeing a doctor at the first symptoms of a peptic ulcer allows you to diagnose the disease in time, develop the correct treatment regimen and avoid dangerous complications.

How to relieve an attack?

To know how to deal with painful attacks of peptic ulcer disease, it is necessary to discuss such a clinical situation with a gastroenterologist in advance.

For painful ulcerative attacks, drugs from the group are usually prescribed:

1. Antispasmodics (No-spa);
2. Anticholinergics (Gastroceptin);
3. Antacids (Maalox, Phosphalugel);
4. Medicines with bismuth (De-Nol);
5. Ganglioblockers (Dikalin, etc.).

Therapeutic nutrition, which gastroenterologists prescribe to all ulcer sufferers, will also help to avoid painful attacks.

Such patients need to eat often (6-7 times a day), regularly and little by little (100-150 g). Food must be steamed or boiled. Alcohol and soda, spicy foods and fatty foods are prohibited. It is necessary to completely exclude from the diet all foods that irritate the stomach.

Traditional medicine will also help people with ulcers cope with painful attacks.

• It is useful to drink an infusion of fresh or dried blueberries;
• Sea buckthorn oil, which is recommended to be taken half an hour before meals, a teaspoon, also effectively relieves pain;
• To eliminate pain, it is recommended to stir a large spoonful of propolis tincture in a glass of water. This drink should be drunk before bedtime for 20 days;
• A decoction of herbs such as yarrow or horsetail, calendula, wormwood or chamomile, rose hips, dill seeds or plantain, St. John's wort, etc. also has an analgesic effect for peptic ulcers. You need to brew the herb, bring to a boil and leave for half an hour. Take 100 ml before meals 20 minutes.
• Chamomile tea or a mug of warm milk helps with night pain.

The dosage of medications or alternative medicine should be determined by the doctor, taking into account the specific clinical case and the patient’s condition.

If, as a result of the examination, no signs of malignancy of the ulcerative lesion or bleeding of the ulcer were found, then physiotherapy is indicated, which also effectively relieves painful attacks of ulcerative origin. Sessions of magnetic therapy, galvanization, etc. are prescribed.

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General ulcer symptoms

There are obvious and indirect signs of gastric ulcer. Their timely diagnosis can protect a person from long-term therapy and treatment of extremely unpleasant consequences. For example, diarrhea due to a stomach ulcer is not a direct symptom of the disease. It occurs due to hydrochloric acid entering the intestines, but diarrhea can be caused by many other ailments.

In most cases, the pathology develops against the background of other gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, wall erosion), so a person must be very attentive to the signals that the body sends. You should schedule an appointment if you experience the following symptoms:

• decreased appetite;
• increased gas formation;
• vomiting, belching, nausea;
• weight loss;
• heaviness after eating, feeling of fullness;
• constipation;
• stomach ache;
• whitish coating on the tongue;
• increased sweating.

Signs of ulcers in the subcardial and cardial parts of the stomach

People always complain of pain from stomach ulcers, but there are several types of this disease that have specific symptoms. There are several areas in which the disease can develop. For example, pathology in the cardiac and subcardial regions has the following symptoms:

1. The pain comes after eating 20 minutes. As a rule, it is characterized as weak.
2. The area of ​​pain is the upper abdomen, near the heart.
3. Accompanied by unpleasant sensations: vomiting and nausea.

Symptoms of a gastric ulcer of the lesser curvature

This is another option for localizing this pathology. An unpleasant complication of this type of disease can be perforation, in which an open breakthrough is formed into the abdominal cavity, retroperitoneal space, and neighboring organs. To avoid this, you should know what symptoms are especially characteristic of a gastric ulcer of the lesser curvature:

1. Localization of pain is on the left along the midline of the abdomen.
2. Manifestations appear approximately 1 hour after eating. The pain intensifies if there is a long break between meals.
3. Patients note that aching pain often occurs before going to bed or at night.
4. When complications arise, it becomes more difficult to endure unpleasant sensations.

Signs of an ulcer of the greater curvature of the stomach

This type of disease is diagnosed more often in men over 30 years of age. More than 50% of such ulcers are malignant. Due to the fact that the pain is mild, it can be recognized when the pathology has already begun to progress. The manifestation of a stomach ulcer is characterized by the following symptoms:

• weak, unexpressed pain in the abdominal area;
• decreased appetite;
• nausea, vomiting;
• coating on the tongue;
• constipation or diarrhea;
• weight loss.

Antrum of the stomach

Another part of the organ that can be affected by an ulcer is the antrum. As a rule, this type is diagnosed in young people. If the disease becomes more complicated, bleeding may occur. What signs of a stomach ulcer should be a clear signal to visit a doctor:

1. The peak of pain occurs at night.
2. There is a feeling of heartburn, sometimes the person vomits.
3. Patients usually complain of pain in the right side of the abdomen. It intensifies when touched (Mendelian syndrome).

Pyloric canal of the stomach

According to statistics, this area is attacked least often by the disease. Of all requests, only 8% of cases are diagnosed with this type of pathology. In the last stages of the disease, perforation and bleeding into the pancreas occurs. How does a stomach ulcer manifest?

1. Characterized by long-term (more than half an hour) severe attacks of hunger pain (sometimes at night).
2. There is excessive salivation, heartburn, and a feeling of bloating after eating.
3. In some cases, the patient vomits acidic contents and feels sick.

Perforated stomach ulcer

This dangerous complication can be triggered by alcohol consumption, strong emotional stress, physical work, and poor diet (the effect intensifies during the seasonal exacerbation of the disease). There is a small chance of perforation after probing the stomach. Scientists have provided data according to which, during periods of war or crisis, visits to hospitals due to ulcers increases 3 times due to an increase in psycho-emotional pressure and deterioration in the quality of nutrition.

Perforation, in which a through defect appears in the wall of the stomach or intestines with leakage of contents into the peritoneum, is more often diagnosed in elderly people. Young people are more susceptible to localization of perforation in the duodenum. A stomach ulcer, the symptoms of which develop into perforation, has the following symptoms:

• severe sharp pain;
• urge to vomit, nausea;
• dizziness, cold sweat, severe weakness, pallor;
• a slight improvement in the condition when pressing the legs to the stomach;
• 5 hours after the onset of the attack, the patient feels a false improvement in his condition;
• Peritonitis may begin, which is characterized by increased temperature with a stomach ulcer, bloating, and tachycardia.

These symptoms may be mistaken for signs of diseases of other internal organs, for example, inflammation of appendicitis, renal colic. It is important for a person to recognize these symptoms in time and not hesitate to call an ambulance. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient must be hospitalized. These manifestations should not be ignored, because with the development of peritonitis, death is possible. Perforation cannot open suddenly; this complication is always preceded by the development phase of a stomach ulcer, the symptoms of which were described above.