Gastric Problems

Millions of people experience gastric problems. How to deal with them, when to treat them at home, and when to see a doctor – these and other questions will be answered in this article.

Indigestion, also known by the medical term dyspepsia, is due to an issue in the secretion of digestive juices in the stomach. Usually indigestion happens after eating spicy or fatty foods or overeating.

It can likewise be triggered or worsened due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cranky bowel syndrome, stress or anxiety, obesity, ulcers, stomach infection, thyroid disease, cigarette smoking and particular medications.

Some symptoms of indigestion are bloating, gas, roaring stomach, abdominal pain, burning sensation in the upper abdominal area, acidic taste and vomiting.

You can easily get remedy for indigestion symptoms using active ingredients from your pantry. For instance, drinking a little water at the first sign of indigestion can offer you some relief as it assists increase the gastric pH.

There are a number of stomach issues affecting countless individuals all over the world. These stomach problems vary from easy to severe. Still, most of these gastric problems are not truly harmful however mostly a little bit bothersome, disruptive, and in some cases humiliating.

Stomach Problem Symptoms

The symptoms of gastric problems will rely on what particular issue the patient is experiencing. Still, the following are a few of the most typical experienced by patients:

Most often, the symptomatology depends on the nature of the disease. However, there are common symptoms common to a number of diseases:

• abdominal pain of various locations;
• belching, nausea and vomiting;
• Digestive disorders accompanied by diarrhea;
• bloating and flatulence.

For the most accurate determination of the ailment and its location, it is important to seek help from a general practitioner. Because of the vague symptomatology, it is impossible to determine the disease on your own, and self-treatment can significantly aggravate the condition.

In addition to general symptoms, each gastrointestinal disease is characterized by its own signs.

Gastritis

It is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach. With gastritis, the following signs are observed:

• Pain in the epigastric region (upper abdomen);
• nausea and vomiting;
• heartburn, belching;
• indigestion and stool disorders;
• general weakness, fatigue.

In acute attacks of gastritis, the symptomatology increases.

Colitis

Inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the large intestine. It is characterized by symptoms:

• prolonged diarrhea;
• nagging pain in the abdomen;
• Nausea, regardless of food intake;
• flatulence;
• An unpleasant taste in the mouth.

The disease is also accompanied by increased irritability, weakness, and rapid fatigue.

Cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gallbladder. Most often occurs as a result of liver damage or improper nutrition. The following symptoms are characteristic:

• Pain in the right subcostal area;
• nausea and vomiting;
• bitter taste in the mouth;
• flatulence, belching of air.

Often with cholecystitis, patients feel weakness and loss of strength.

Pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas. This disease is characterized by the following signs:

• pain in the left side of the abdomen;
• Nausea, vomiting, including with a mixture of blood;
• belching and flatulence.

In advanced stages of the disease, pancreatic dyspepsia – disruption of pancreatic gland function – may be observed. This leads to impaired digestion due to a lack of enzymes.

Peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum

Ulcerous lesion of the mucous membrane of the stomach and/or duodenum. Accompanied by symptoms:

• Pain in the upper abdomen (under the scapula);
• Constant or regular heartburn;
• nausea and vomiting;
• intestinal disorders: diarrhea or constipation.

At different stages of the disease, patients have increased weakness, rapid fatigue.

Hepatitis

A liver disease of viral nature. It is characterized by:

• Jaundice: yellowing of the mucous membranes and skin, whites of the eyes;
• General weakness, fatigue;
• sharp deterioration of the condition.

Since in most cases there is a violation of liver function, symptoms of stomach upset and loss of appetite may occur.

Dysbacteriosis

Disorder of the intestinal microflora. Accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Stool disorders (diarrhea, less often constipation);
• Bloating and flatulence;
• pain and discomfort in the bowel area;
• nausea, heartburn, belching;
• bad breath;
• loss of appetite.

Often the disease is accompanied by an allergic reaction in the form of skin rashes and itching.

Typical signs of gastrointestinal abnormalities include: heartburn (burning sensation caused by stomach contents entering the esophagus), flatulence and stenosis (bloating caused by accumulated gas in the intestines), belching (gas escaping from the stomach or esophagus), nausea and vomiting, problems with stool (constipation or diarrhea), bad breath, plaque on the tongue.

Less common are dysphagia (difficulty swallowing, accompanied by pain and feeling of stopping the food lump), impurities in the stool (blood, mucus, undigested food remains), swollen tongue, bitterness in the mouth, skin itching and other allergic reactions. Diseases of a single pathogenesis have both common and specific signs.

Stomach disorders

Pelvic (epigastric) pain and dyspeptic syndrome (sour belching, heartburn, vomiting, and nausea) may indicate a number of diseases of the stomach, esophagus, and duodenum.

Ulcerative disease, which is a wound in the wall of the duodenum or stomach, presents with sharp intermittent pain in the left subcostal area, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, and bloody impurities in the stool.

Inflammatory processes of the stomach (gastritis) and duodenum (duodenitis) manifest themselves in a similar way. The diseases are accompanied by acute, aching or pulling pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting, and stool problems. Patients experience a feeling of an overflowing stomach and heaviness in the abdomen even with little food intake.

An esophageal hernia also presents with pain in the epigastric region when changing posture and after eating. Back pain and shingles may also occur. In 20% of patients (mostly older than 60 years of age), there is pain in the heart region against a background of concomitant cardiac disease.

The intestines also often suffer from inflammatory processes and infectious lesions. Inflammations of the large and small intestine (enteritis and colitis) are accompanied by stool disorders (up to 15 times a day). During and immediately after defecation, the patient feels a sharp weakness, dizziness, nausea, a drop in blood pressure. There is bloating of the abdomen, cold sweats, trembling limbs, tachycardia, as well as loud rumbling, splashing noise and painfulness on palpation.

Signs of paraproctitis, or abscess (purulent inflammation) of the rectum are severe pain in the rectum or perineum. As the pus increases in size, the pain intensifies, the urge to defecate becomes excruciating, the temperature rises, and chills may occur.

Dysbacteriosis manifests as stool disorders, abdominal bloating, cramping pain, dyspeptic disorders and allergic reactions (itching and skin rashes).

Hemorrhoids (varicose veins of the rectum) are characterized by bleeding or smearing of blood after the act of defecation, prolapse of hemorrhoidal nodes through the anus and painfulness when emptying the bowels, which continues for some time (when walking, sitting or lying down).

The symptomatology of appendicitis is determined by the age of the patient, the location of the appendix in the abdomen and the presence of complications. Blunt pain in the right side, weakness and headache, which may be accompanied by pain in the legs, nausea combined with occasional vomiting, frequent liquid stools, temperature within 101F degrees are characteristic.

Not to be overlooked and one of the most common and meanwhile mysterious pathologies – irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), accompanied by abdominal cramps, loose stools, painful bloating. IBS has a negative impact on the entire body: the patient complains of headaches, insomnia, increased fatigue, and palpitations even at complete rest. According to most experts, IBS is of a psychosomatic nature, and appears as a result of stress and severe emotional overload. However, to get rid of the problem, it is important not only to come to a mental balance, but also to apply a complex medical treatment. One solution may be to take bismuth drugs, which have both a bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and protective effect.

Gallbladder and biliary diseases

Signs of cholecystitis (inflamed gallbladder) are sharp pain in the right subcostal area, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Pain intensifies with deep breaths while palpating the gallbladder area. Many patients note a slight increase in temperature.

Diseases of the pancreas

In patients with pancreatitis, it is not uncommon to complain about the appearance of acute abdominal pain, which is accompanied by nausea and vomiting with gastric juice, mucus, bile, etc. Bloating of the abdomen, dry mouth, and belching are also present. Livid spots often appear on the left side and in the navel area.

Most common and life-threatening diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are caused by inflammatory processes against a background of bacterial or viral infection. Digestion is a single interconnected system and diseases of its organs can consistently develop a domino principle. The source of the avalanche of problems is often in the stomach, which we daily put to the test. Therefore in the treatment of gastrointestinal pathologies an integrated approach using gastroprotective (protective) and antiseptic gastrointestinal medications is effective.

Treatment of gastrointestinal diseases

Gastrointestinal diseases are characterized by rapid transition to a chronic form with frequent relapses, so require timely and adequate treatment. It includes:

• drug therapy, including parenteral and phytotherapy;
• Physical therapy procedures;
• colon cleansing;
• rational balanced diet;
• a course of intake of mineral waters;
• therapeutic exercise;
• massage;
• normalization of the psycho-emotional state;
• immune support.

For drug treatment of gastrointestinal diseases the following drugs are most commonly used:

• Antacids and alginates – neutralizers of acidity;
• antisecretory drugs, histamine receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors that reduce the production of hydrochloric acid;
• prokinetics that stimulate gastrointestinal motility;
• antispasmodics that relieve spasm of smooth muscles;
• enzyme preparations that improve digestive processes;
• probiotics that restore normal microflora;
• enterosorbents that bind and eliminate toxins;
• Oral rehydration salts that replenish fluid loss;
• antidiarrheals and antifoaming agents that reduce gas;
• ursodeoxycholic acid preparations that replace toxic bile acids;
• laxatives, antimicrobials, anthelmintics, and antiemetics.

Results of correct comprehensive treatment of the gastrointestinal tract:

• Normalization of gastric and intestinal peristalsis;
• production of a sufficient number of enzymes and protective mucus in the stomach and 12 duodenum;
• improvement of gastrointestinal mucosal trophism (prevention of ulcers and erosions);
• increasing periods of remission of chronic diseases and reducing their frequency;
• Reducing the risk of complications;
• Reducing the amount of drug therapy;
• Activation of adaptation-compensatory and protective mechanisms;
• improvement of the general state.

Lack of timely treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract significantly reduces the quality of life, often ends with surgery and/or disability. It can trigger the development of cancers, such as colon (colorectal) and stomach cancers, which rank 2nd and 3rd in the overall structure of cancer mortality in the United States and the world as a whole.

Treatment of people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (involving disruption of vital organs) is quite a challenge. To prevent the development of more severe forms of disease, it is necessary to treat chronic inflammatory processes of the digestive organs in their early stages.

Drugs for Gastritis and Peptic Ulcers

One of the most important medical advances of the twentieth century was the discovery of the causes of gastritis and peptic ulcers. It turned out that it’s not about diet, nervous disorders and stress, but about the microbes that get into our bodies. Robin Warren and Barry Marshall from Australia won the Nobel Prize in 2005 for this discovery.

The real culprit of these diseases was the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (Helicobacter pylori). Once in the human stomach, it begins to actively reproduce and invades the mucous membrane. The bacteria destroy the mucosa and then the cells of the stomach walls. An inflammatory process begins, which intensifies under the influence of hydrochloric acid of gastric juice, which gets access to the affected area due to the destruction of the protective mucous layer. This is how gastritis develops, which can give rise to peptic ulcer disease.

Other reasons for the development of these diseases include exposure of the gastric mucosa to strong irritants (aspirin, ibuprofen and other NSAIDs, large amounts of alcohol, nicotine, accidentally swallowed caustic substances), as well as autoimmune diseases, viral infections (such as cytomegalovirus), etc.

Nowadays, ulcer is no longer considered a disease requiring surgery, and most often, like gastritis, is well amenable to medication therapy.

Since the same factors play a role in the development of these ailments, the treatment regimens as well as the medications used for ulcers and gastritis are similar.

The treatment of these diseases usually consists of two phases: the cessation of exacerbation and the prevention of relapse.

The main medicines for gastritis and ulcers can be divided into two groups of drugs:

• reducing the level of acidity of the contents of the stomach by neutralizing hydrochloric acid (antacids) or by suppressing the production of gastric juice (antisecretory drugs);
• antimicrobials – in case of a confirmed Helicobacter infection.

Antacids

Antacids through chemical neutralization of hydrochloric acid effectively reduce the acidity of the digestive juice and its aggressive effect on the stomach. They help to reduce symptoms, heal and reduce the risk of recurrence.
An example of drugs from this group: Maalox, Almagel, Fosfogel, Renny, Gaviscon, Gastal, and Almagel neo (with the addition of a vetogonous component).

Antisecretory drugs

Reduce the production of gastric juice and the amount of hydrochloric acid by blocking histamine receptors in the stomach. As a result, the level of acidity of the contents of the stomach, and therefore the degree of its aggressive effect on the surrounding tissues, is reduced.

The main representatives of drugs of this group are Ranitidine and Famotidine. The duration of action is up to 12 hours if taken once. Should not be taken if you have minor digestive disorders such as heartburn or nausea.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

Omeprazole is a potent medication that can partially or completely inhibit the production of enzymes necessary for acid production in the stomach. It has a long-lasting effect and is more effective than H2-blockers. Some patients, for unknown reasons, may have so called “omeprazole resistance” – insensitivity of the body to the action of this drug.

Other drugs of this group, such as Emanera, Nexium, Gastrozole, Losek MAPS, Ortanol, Nolpaza, Controlok, Sanpraz have a similar effect.

Cholinolytic drugs

Also refer to drugs that inhibit acid production in the stomach.

An example is Gastracepine. It is characterized by high antisecretory activity and low side effects. However, it has a disadvantage – it reduces gastric motility, slowing the progression of food.

Antibacterial drugs

They are used if the cause of the ulcer is a bacterial infection. Prescribe one or more antibiotics in combination with drugs that reduce acidity, usually – with Omeprazole.

In most cases, the drugs used are:

• Clarithromycin;
• Amoxicillin;
• Metronidazole (Trichopol);
• Tetracycline (rare).

Home Remedies for the Treatment of Gastric Problem

• Once again, the remedies for stomach problems will likewise depend on what particular issue needs to be dealt with.
• Still, a change in diet might be an essential step in discovering long term remedy for gastric issues. Foods abundant in oils and fats must be avoided while those abundant in soluble fiber must be increased.
• It is also a great idea to attempt various treatments known to solve gastric problems.
• For instance, a tea made from ginger and chamomile can reduce gas and flatulence.
• Likewise, oils from eucalyptus can be rubbed on the abdominal area to lower gas.
• Fennel Seeds. Fennel seeds can be truly useful for indigestion triggered by really hot or fatty food. Fennel seeds consist of unpredictable oils that can help in reducing nausea and control flatulence. Dry roast, grind, and screen fennel seeds. Take half a teaspoon of this powder along with water. Follow this remedy two times daily. Additionally, you can consume fennel tea, made by soaking 2 teaspoons of crushed fennel seeds in a cup of hot water. Another option is to just chew a spoonful of fennel seeds for symptom relief.
• Ginger promotes gastrointestinal juices and the flow of enzymes that assist you absorb your food. This makes ginger an effective remedy for indigestion, especially when it is caused by overindulging.In truth, as a precautionary procedure, you can spray salt on some fresh ginger pieces and chew it completely after consuming a heavy meal. Take 2 teaspoons of ginger juice, one teaspoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of table salt and black salt. Mix the active ingredients thoroughly and consume it with or without water, whatever suits you. Another option is to add 2 teaspoons of ginger juice and one teaspoon of honey to a cup of warm water and consume it. You can likewise consume homemade ginger tea to obtain relief from bloating, cramps, gas and stomach pains. To make ginger tea, boil one teaspoon of grated ginger in a cup of water for 5 to 10 minutes. Including ginger as a spice in your recipes can also assist if you are suffering from indigestion.
• Baking Soda. Indigestion typically occurs due to high levels of stomach acids. Baking soda is among the most basic and effective treatments for this problem due to the fact that it imitates an antacid. Stir one-half teaspoon of baking soda into half a glass of water. Drink this solution to neutralize the acid in your stomach and give your remedy for bloating.
• Carom seeds have digestion and carminative properties that help deal with indigestion, flatulence and diarrhea. Grind together some carom seeds and dried ginger into a great powder. Add one teaspoon of this powder and a little black pepper to a cup of warm water and consume it. Do this one or two times a day. Merely consuming one-half teaspoon of carom seeds can also offer remedy for indigestion.
• Herbal Tea. Drinking herbal tea after consuming a heavy meal can greatly reduce indigestion. Dip your preferred natural tea bag into a hot cup of water and cover it for 5 minutes. Consume it while it is still warm. Peppermint tea and chamomile tea, in specific, help relax your stomach and ease gastrointestinal problems.