My stomach hurts. How to be? What to do?

The diseases of the stomach are now widespread. The most serious complaint for gastrointestinal diseases is pain. It is this unpleasant symptom that makes a person consult a doctor. Often, patients do not immediately go to the clinic. Not enough time, organization, it is difficult to make an appointment with a doctor. And only when the pain does not pass for weeks and becomes unbearable, comes the understanding that something serious is happening.

The origin of the pain can be different. The most unpleasant is gastric pain. In medical practice, gastric pain is called gastralgia. "Why does the stomach ache, and as a result of what processes does this pain appear," you ask?

Its origin is due to several reasons. The cramping character of the pain is caused by spasm of the smooth musculature of the stomach or its parts. Burning, acute gastralgia is associated with a violation of the integrity of the gastric mucosa. Dull, aching - with a decrease in gastric tone.

One of the serious diseases of the stomach is a peptic ulcer. Often it is combined with a duodenal ulcer. The disease is dangerous for its complications. Long-term ulcer is complicated by a perforated ulcer. This means that a hole in the mucous membrane of the stomach deepens and a hole is simply formed, through which all the gastric contents pass into the abdominal cavity. Peptic ulcer can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, and can be transformed into cancer.

By the time of the onset of pain, you can approximately determine where the ulcer is located. If the stomach hurts on an empty stomach or 2 hours after a meal - then the ulcerative defect is in the stomach, and not in the intestine. The disease should not be accompanied by an increase in temperature. If the temperature still increases and your stomach hurts badly, you should immediately call your doctor or call an ambulance.

What should I do if I have stomach pains? Treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is the prerogative of the gastroenterologist.

At home, to reduce or relieve pain, you can take a drug from the group of antacids, which include aluminum phosphate or magnesium hydroxide. They envelop the inner surface of the stomach, thereby excluding the effect of hydrochloric acid on the inflamed mucosa. Well tolerated and safe preparations are "Almagel" and "Fosfalugel". They normalize the acidity of the stomach, without interfering with normal digestion. In no case can pain medications, including paracetamol, ibuprofen and nimesulide, be taken to relieve pain. These drugs are absolutely contraindicated for pain in the stomach, as they have an ulcerogenic effect (they can cause ulceration in the mucosa).

If you have a stomachache from time to time, you also should not take medications that belong to the proton pump inhibitor group , which reduces the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Although they remove the phenomena of discomfort, on the other hand, they can neutralize the picture of dangerous diseases, which include gastric cancer. In addition, if the inflammation of the stomach is accompanied by a bacterial infection, a decrease in acidity may contribute to its spread and the progression of the pathological process.

In conclusion, it should be recalled that only a doctor after examination and additional examination will be able to choose an effective and safe treatment regimen. The earlier medicines are prescribed, the more favorable will be the prognosis regarding recovery. Therefore, if your stomach hurts, do not delay, go to the doctor.