Author: Dong Guiyu, Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
What is stomach pain?
Stomach pain is usually manifested by pain in the epigastric region. The upper abdomen generally refers to the area below the sword process and above the umbilicus level, where the sword process is a thin bone piece located at the lower end of the sternum.
When stomach pain attacks, it is sometimes manifested only by pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen, and more often accompanied by other symptoms such as acid reflux, heartburn, bloating, early satiety, belching, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, etc.
Is "stomach pain" really a stomach pain?
Remind everyone to be wary of major diseases outside the gastrointestinal tract hidden in the "stomach pain", such as:
Gallstone attacks that are more closely related to eating;
Recurrent stomach pain accompanied by appendicitis with low-grade fever or an abscess of the appendix;
Myocardial infarction that requires emergency management
There are also rare aneurysms or arterial embolisms that appear like time bombs.
If it is "stomach pain" induced by these diseases, the results of routine examination may be normal.
Causes of stomach pain
1. Non-disease factors
Improper diet: Eating raw, cold, spicy food, long-term irregular diet and other bad eating habits, may irritate the stomach and cause pain.
Drug irritation: Oral medications for the treatment of diseases of the non-digestive system may irritate the gastric mucosa, causing stomach pain.
Mental stress: Excessive mental stress and excessive mood swings in daily life may cause nerve stimulation to make the stomach feel painful, or induce stomach disease and produce pain.
2. Disease factors
Chronic gastritis: divided into two categories: non-atrophic and atrophic, of which non-atrophic gastritis accounts for the majority. Only in chronic atrophic gastritis, or with intestinalization, dysplasia, regular re-examination of gastroscopy and biopsy is required, as these conditions are accompanied by an increased risk of gastric cancer.
Peptic ulcer: including gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, etc. Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the main causes of peptic ulcer, and timely and standardized treatment can cure most ulcer diseases.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Stomach cancer, esophageal cancer
Gastrointestinal perforation, gastrointestinal bleeding, pyloric obstruction, etc
What conditions should I consider gastroscopy?
Consult a doctor to consider gastroscopy if you have the following symptoms, or if your symptoms are new, unexplained, or do not respond to treatment:
There is a family history of stomach cancer and esophageal cancer
There are manifestations of gastrointestinal bleeding, such as melaena or blood in the stool
Abdominal mass may be touched, or lymphadenopathy may be felt
Persistent or recurrent vomiting
Dysphagia, painful swallowing
Unexplained wasting or anemia
Feel full early or eat less than usual
Epigastric pain or bloating discomfort, reflux and heartburn
The above is the original work of the volunteers of the "Drug Safety Cooperation Alliance", if you reprint, please indicate the author and source!
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