If you frequently have irregular meals with long fasting intervals and /or lead a stressful life, it is quite likely that you have experienced at least one episode of “gastric pain”. Simply put, this refers to pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen. Other symptoms include bloating, belching, nausea, and heartburn (burning pain in the chest).
Gastric pain is sometimes referred to as non-ulcer dyspepsia or functional dyspepsia by your doctor. When you have such pains, your doctor will recommend ruling out organic causes first. Some of the possible organic causes include inflammation, ulcers, infection by Helicobacter Pylori, and cancer.
If these test results are negative, the gastric pain is then referred to as non-ulcer dyspepsia. The term dyspepsia refers to the presence of recurrent or persistent discomfort or abdominal pain centered in the upper abdomen.
When to Visit Your Doctor
If you suffer from gastric pain and have the following signs and symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately:
- passing out black stools (bleeding in stomach) – melaena
- Vomiting blood
- persistent vomiting after eating
- drastic and unexplained weight loss
- excruciating and severe upper abdominal pain
In addition, you should see a doctor if these symptoms and signs have appeared just recently and persist. In many cases, gastric pain symptoms are mild, episodic, and are long-standing. Some can even have had such pains that began many years ago. Those symptoms are less likely to indicate any serious health issues.
Organic Causes of Gastric Pain
Non-ulcer dyspepsia has no definite cause. However, many doctors associate it with stress.
In a minority of cases, the tests can reveal that the underlying cause can be any of the following:
Gallstone Disease
Gallstones typically do not have any symptoms or signs. However, when the gallbladder is inflamed or there is blockage of the bile duct, the patient can experience severe upper abdominal pain.
Occasionally, gallstones can also cause blockage of the bile duct or significant gallbladder inflammation. CT scans and ultrasound scans can help detect the presence of gallstones and their complications.
Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
This is a chronic condition where the bile or stomach acid flows back (ie reflux back) into the esophagus (food pipe) and irritates its lining. To rule out GERD, a gastroscopy may be recommended.
A thin tube that contains a tiny camera at the tip is passed through the mouth to examine the esophagus, stomach and first part of the duodenum. (EGD – esophagogastroduodenoscopy)
Dyspepsia (Peptic Ulcer Disease)
Dyspepsia is caused by inflammation /”sores” in the stomach’s innermost layer or duodenum wall (where the small intestine connects to the stomach). Some are severe enough to cause erosions resulting in defects Most peptic ulcers are caused by the Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) infection.
At times, it can also be attributed to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like painkillers or aspirin. H. pylori infection can be ruled out through a stool test, blood test, urea breath test, or by tests done during endoscopy.
Cancer
Pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, or stomach cancer can also cause persistent upper abdominal pain. Cancer is ruled out during endoscopy as this allows the endoscopist to remove small pieces of tissue (biopsy) after which these can be examined for cancerous cells under the microscope (histopathology).
Alternatively, non-invasive methods e.g. barium meal x-ray examination may also be done – but these are increasingly obsolete.
Ways to Prevent Gastric Pain
Whether it’s non-ulcer dyspepsia or caused by something else, simple lifestyle changes can lower your risk of experiencing gastric pain. Some of the ways you can avoid gastric pain include:
- Eating on time and not skipping meals. Gastric juices (peptic acid) is then regulated to be secreted only during mealtimes and not erratically.
- Quit smoking. Smoking can increase the production of stomach acids, can slow down healing, and can increase your risk of getting stomach cancer.
- Better stress management. Highly stressful situations can increase the production of gastric juices in the stomach. Exercising regularly and adopting activities such as yoga and meditation can help you manage your stress better.
