Pain due to stomach and duodenal 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.

How and where it hurts with a stomach ulcer, and what to do

Gastric ulcers are second only to coronary heart disease in terms of prevalence among the population. According to statistics, 10% of all adults suffer from this disease. The risk group consists mainly of men under fifty years of age.

Typically, a stomach ulcer is associated with stomach pain, but according to medical observations, in 28% of cases the pain may be absent or the symptoms may resemble other diseases.

In such cases, the patient may find out about his illness completely by accident, having visited a medical facility with a suspicion of another illness, or during a routine examination by a doctor. However, in most cases, pain with a stomach ulcer is the main sign of pathology.

About the nature of the disease

An ulcer is an erosive formation on the mucous membrane of an organ. Violation of the integrity of the mucous membrane leads to this kind of “wounds”. Consequently, as is typical for any open wound, pain is felt. This is because erosion can reach the muscle layer where pain receptors are present.

Experts believe that the primary cause of destruction of the gastric mucosa is the presence of Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the body. This kind of bacteria is able to survive in oxygen-free environments, making them viable in any environment.

Hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach has aggressive properties aimed at digesting any food and protecting the organ mucosa from the influence of substances that enter the stomach.

However, substances secreted by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori are able to neutralize hydrochloric acid, thereby destroying the gastric mucosa.

In addition, the causes of stomach ulcers and, as a result, pain are factors such as:

the predominance of spicy, fatty, fried foods in the diet;
non-compliance with diet. Long intervals between meals;
food that is too hot or cold;
alcohol abuse, smoking for a long time;
frequent stressful situations;
accidental ingestion of chemicals and toxic substances;
mechanical damage to the internal tissues of the organ;
uncontrolled or prolonged use of certain medications.

Gastric ulcers are usually preceded by gastritis. Gastritis is perceived by many people as a disease that is not serious enough to see a doctor. However, untreated gastritis subsequently leads to ulcers. When pain occurs, a big mistake is to take painkillers and not seek medical help. This only masks the disease, but does not eliminate it.

Criteria characterizing pain in ulcers

Pain from a stomach ulcer can be of varying intensity, appear over a long time or pass quickly, and be felt in different places in the abdomen.

Intensity	In the early stages of the disease, pain is not as pronounced. In 50% of cases, patients consider the pain tolerable, a third of patients complain of severe pain.
Depending on the meal	Early. With ulcerative lesions of the cardial, subcardial and fundic parts of the stomach, pain appears immediately after eating. If there is an erosive formation in the body of the stomach, pain appears approximately half an hour after eating. May last a couple of hours. It decreases and disappears when the food bolus passes into the intestines. Late. Peptic ulcers of the pyloric region and duodenal bulb are characteristic. The pain occurs a couple of hours after eating. As the food bolus moves and moves into the intestines, the pain syndrome intensifies. Night and “hungry”, which occur 2-4 hours after eating, are characteristic of ulcers of the pyloric part of the stomach and duodenum. The pain subsides after eating.
Localization	In 75% of cases, pain is felt in the upper abdomen and epigastric zone. Depending on the location of the erosive formation, the pain syndrome is localized, namely: Under the xiphoid process of the sternum, if the ulcer forms in the cardial and subcardial region. It is located at a distance of no more than 5 cm from the stomach under the esophageal sphincter. The pain is mild. A person suffers from nausea, belching, and subsequently vomiting. Differential diagnosis with a disease of the cardiovascular system, namely angina, is important. You can independently distinguish the two pathologies by the fact that physical activity causes an attack of angina, while ulcerative manifestations are associated with food intake. If left untreated, bleeding will occur. When the ulcer is localized in the lesser curvature, the left side of the abdomen hurts at night. The risk group includes older people. This localization is characterized by “late”, sometimes “hungry” pain. In 14% of cases bleeding is detected. If left untreated, it degenerates into a malignant tumor, in which case the pain does not stop. It is rarely diagnosed in the greater curvature of the stomach. There is practically no pain. There are also no other symptoms. However, the probability of malignancy of an ulcerative formation is very high and reaches 50% of cases. For this category of patients, additional diagnostics are applied in the form of a biopsy at certain time intervals. Pain in the right side of the abdomen is characteristic of an antral ulcer. This symptom occurs when the patient is hungry. On palpation, the pain intensifies. Young people suffer the most. Due to the high level of acidity, a person suffers from heartburn and “sour” vomiting. Differential diagnosis with stomach cancer is mandatory, since the malignant tumor is localized in this area. Gastric bleeding occurs in 20% of cases. It hurts on the right in the epigastrium if the ulcer is located in the pylorus and duodenum. Ulcerative pathology in the pyloric canal is characterized by a rapid course and vivid symptoms. A person suffers from heartburn, excessive salivation, and intestinal colic. The pain is paroxysmal, independent of food intake or related to the “hungry” variety. Since a large number of vessels are localized in this area of the stomach, this location of the ulcer is fraught with frequent bleeding. According to statistics, 8% of cases transform into a malignant tumor.
Age	In adolescence, pain syndrome can be masked and even absent. Symptoms atypical for a stomach ulcer may include sweating and irritability. A peptic ulcer can be detected by chance, during a routine examination at a military registration and enlistment office, for example. In old age, an ulcer occurs in most cases as a consequence of an untreated gastric ulcer in youth. The depth and size of the ulcerative process, as a rule, increase, pain becomes intense, and there are complications in the form of cicatricial narrowing of the pylorus and adhesions. The likelihood of degeneration into cancer is high.

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.

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.

What is a stomach ulcer

Gastric ulcer is an inflammation of the mucous layer, which occurs under the influence of bile, pepsin, and hydrochloric acid.

At the same time, during this process there is not always an increase in the level of hydrochloric acid, as often happens during normal gastritis.

Peptic ulcer disease has one characteristic feature - even if the ulcer heals completely, there may be a pronounced scar on the affected area that remains for life.

The causes of this disorder are quite typical. Usually an ulcer appears against the background of gastritis: if a person has suffered from this disease for a long time, the ulcer has become a complication of this disorder.

But unlike gastritis, the treatment of peptic ulcer disease is much more complicated and takes quite a long time.

In addition, during therapeutic therapy it is imperative to maintain proper nutrition and exclude all prohibited foods that have an irritating effect on the structure of the gastric mucosa.

An ulcer is an inflammation of the stomach lining

Why does a stomach ulcer cause pain?

Frequent occurrence of pain is the first signal that there are any disorders or problems in the body. With ulcerative lesions of the stomach, erosive lesions of the structure of the mucous membrane appear. Destructive processes of the mucous layer are caused by painful feelings of varying intensity.

The most important cause of destruction of the mucous layer in the stomach is considered to be the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. This microorganism is able to survive in the environment, even if there is no oxygen.

Throughout its life, Helicobacter pylori produces elements that neutralize the hydrochloric acid of stomach juice. As a result, this organism is able to survive even in conditions of high acidity, which is the gastric juice. At the same time, it destroys the mucous layer of the stomach.

The main reason for the development of ulcers is damage to the gastric mucosa by Helicobacter pylori

In addition, stomach ulcers may appear due to the influence of the following conditions:

when eating large amounts of food with high amounts of salt or hot spices;
if you often eat very cold or, conversely, very hot food;
if the diet is disrupted;
frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages;
smoking;
strong stressful situations, negative emotions.

Types of pain

A stomach ulcer can be caused by symptoms of different types. The initial symptomatology of this disorder is the occurrence of painful sensations with different localization. In addition to these symptoms, others may appear - dizziness, nausea, and a change in the color of the stool to a darker color.

Pain in the stomach due to an ulcer is accompanied by dizziness

Pain in the stomach can increase with body movements, when taking sharp and deep breaths, or when coughing. Their intensification is observed with severe hunger, between meals and during sleep at night. Pain from a stomach ulcer after eating food may occur after a certain time. What kind of pain there may be with a stomach ulcer depends on many factors:

Painful sensations in the early period. They can appear after half an hour, and only in rare cases after 60 minutes. Sensations of this type are characteristic of ulcers of the body of the stomach.
With the late type. These pains appear on average two hours after eating food. They are observed when the pyloric part of the stomach and duodenum is involved.
Pain of the hungry or late type. They appear 4 hours after eating food and disappear after the person eats again. They are characteristic of the same symptoms that accompany late-type pain.

The ulcer is also characterized by the appearance of vomiting after eating

With ulcerative lesions that are localized in the cardiac and subcardial areas, pain occurs immediately after eating.

Sometimes symptoms may be accompanied by vomiting. Moreover, after rejecting all the food eaten, the patient may feel much better.

The pain can radiate to the abdomen, limbs, back and lower back. If nothing is done, these sensations can become much stronger, which can result in severe nausea, chills, vomiting, and no relief after them. There is a lack of effect from taking medications.

How to recognize pathology

Often, gastric ulcers can be asymptomatic, so in these cases it will be quite difficult to determine its presence. Sometimes a patient may not even know for a long time what is hurting him or whether he has this disorder.

Stomach pain due to an ulcer may occur suddenly during sleep

But it is still worth highlighting the symptoms that often occur in patients with this deviation:

Often the pain involves the entire abdomen or is localized. It first appears in the upper abdomen. It has a specific character, but in the subsequent period it becomes stronger and more permanent.
Night pain. These sensations can appear suddenly during sleep, and pain can occur even if the person is well-fed.
The appearance of severe heartburn. This symptom usually accompanies other symptoms and may occur in conjunction with abdominal pain.
Severe nausea.
Vomiting.
Increased sour belching.
The appearance of increased appetite, which is accompanied by frequent meals.

A characteristic symptom of peptic ulcer disease is sour belching.

First aid for ulcers

If the pain occurs suddenly and proceeds with an acute deterioration of the condition, then it is necessary to provide appropriate assistance that will quickly eliminate these unpleasant sensations. To relieve sharp and acute pain symptoms, the following medications are taken:

No-shpa or Papaverine. These drugs do not belong to painkillers, but to antispasmodics. Therefore, when taking them, it is worth monitoring the patient’s blood pressure, as it can drop sharply. If there is a predisposition to hypotension, then these drugs are taken with extreme caution.
Sometimes, together with antispasmodics, antacids are taken that reduce the level of acidity in the stomach - Almagel, Gastal, Rennie, Maalox and others. Some drugs of this type are already available with analgesic components.
In emergency situations, several medications are prescribed. If the pain is aching and sharp, then take a tablet of Analgin, No-shpa, Suprastin, Diphenhydramine.

First of all, antispasmodics and antacids are prescribed for ulcers.

What medications are taken for stomach ulcers?

It is also important to find out whether this disorder can resolve on its own. Of course not.

If, with an ulcerative lesion, severe acute pain occurs that covers the entire abdomen, then in this case you should immediately consult a doctor.

In these cases, only a specialist can prescribe the correct treatment, but self-medication will only worsen everything. To relieve pain during an exacerbation, many doctors recommend using the following medications:

Antisecretory drugs. They reduce the level of juice production, this condition is especially important for stomach ulcers. These drugs include tablets Omez, Omeprazole, Gastrocepin, Ranitidine, Cimetidine.
If the ulcerative lesion is caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, then medications containing bismuth are taken, for example, Vikair. This product creates a protective film on the surface of the gastric mucosa.
Prokinetics. These drugs have a beneficial effect on duodenal motility. These drugs include Motilium and Trimetad.