Patients often complain of hunger pains in the stomach area, disturbing at night or in the daytime, if the body has not received nutritional support for a long time. It is worth taking a minimum amount of food or drinking a few sips of water, the painful sensations subside. Such symptoms of diseases are periodic in nature.
Hunger pains for a long time do not cause fear in most patients, since they are quickly relieved by taking a small amount of food or drink. Often, a sick person mutes the painful sensation by snacking on a hamburger, sweet baked goods, snacks and is unaware of the intensification of the development of the intensity of the pathology. The result of these snacks is a complication of the disease, which manifests itself in the manifestation of serious signs and life-threatening diseases. If the stomach hurts when a hungry person ate no more than 6 hours ago, it is not recommended to neglect the consultation of a gastroenterologist, since the symptom indicates the development of an ulcerative state of the digestive organ.
How hunger pains manifest themselves
Pain in a patient with a pre-ulcer state of the stomach begins to progress 6-7 hours after the last meal. A sharp cessation of pain is observed immediately after taking a minimum amount of food. The manifestation of painful sensations in different patients differs in growth and intensity. Approximately one third of patients experience such severe pain that they lead to a violation of the usual daily routine and lifestyle. By the nature of the manifestation, a different variational series is also found: cutting, aching, etc.
The pathological process in the stomach rarely develops only with the manifestation of painful sensations. Accompanying pain can be heartburn, belching with a sour odor, the urge to vomit, the accumulation of gas, constipation. It is this symptomatic complex that indicates gastric ulcer.
The ulcer causes pain on an empty stomach that disappears after eating or drinking.
The onset of symptoms of hunger pains is often associated with nighttime. Not so much the desire to eat, but how much the onset of pain pushes a person to have a snack with the subsequent disappearance of unpleasant sensations. A relationship was revealed between nighttime snacks after waking up from stomach pain and the localization of the ulcerative state of the gastric mucosa in its pyloric section.
Not always hungry stomach pains provoke food intake, some patients do not feel like eating because of a special psychological state, explained by the body's fear of carrying out an increased load in digesting food.
Causes of hunger pains
The etiogenesis of hunger pains is different:
Since the most common causes of pain in the stomach from hunger are associated with the ulcerative and pre-ulcer state of the gastric mucosa, the connection between hunger pain and the pathogenic inhabitant of the digestive organ, Helicobacter pylori, is obvious.
The cause of hunger pains is indicated by Helicobacter pylori
Eliminating an unpleasant symptom through food intake is not the best way to cure the underlying disease. By eliminating the feeling of hunger and striving to achieve comfort in the digestive organ by eating, patients thereby hide other symptoms of pathology, delaying its acute period to a state of criticality. For this reason, the occurrence of painful sensations in the organs of the digestive system does not tolerate self-medication and requires an immediate visit to the clinic for consultation and examination.
How do you deal with this kind of pain?
In addition to the treatment regimen, which should only be prescribed by a competent medical specialist, the patient can alleviate his condition in simple ways. These include a diet, the adherence to which is desirable during pain relief, examination and treatment. The diet involves forgetting about the consumption of food that can irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive organ: spicy, fried, etc. Fatty meat and fish, butter will also have to be removed from the table for a while.
The diet should preferably include cereals or soups, cooked boiled or steamed. Fruits with a lot of organic acids are best left for consumption after a full recovery. The rest of the sweet-sour and sweet fruits in their raw form are less suitable for consumption than baked and other types of heat treatment. Porridge cooked in skim milk or water is good for eating. It is advisable to take any products warm.
Eating during the day at short intervals with a minimum amount of food will help to avoid hunger pains at night. This type of dietary food is called fractional. Limiting salt in the presence or absence of an ulcerative state of the mucous membrane will have a beneficial effect on the state of the body and the digestive system. The presence of an ulcer of the gastric mucosa forces a dietary diet with the use of baby purees, where there are no preservatives, additives, salts and sugar.
These measures relieve irritation of the gastric mucosa and contribute to a faster transition to the main period of treatment of pathology.
Seeing a doctor and possible complications
A visit to the clinic immediately after the onset of a painful symptom will prevent a life-threatening complication. Most often, doctors have to diagnose in these cases a stomach ulcer, the development of which can perforate the gastric wall and the release of contents into the abdominal cavity. Inflammation of the sheets of the peritoneum (peritonitis) can lead to a systemic inflammatory process, attributed by doctors to a serious condition with a threat to life.
Treatment of hunger pains
When hunger pains appear, analgesics are the primary remedy for their elimination. Further treatment regimen depends on the cause of the symptom, which is established by the gastroenterologist. Omeprazole and pantoprazole are prescribed after an increased secretion of hydrochloric acid is detected. If the motor function of the gastric walls is impaired, metoclopramide and its analogues are prescribed. The presence of spasms requires the use of antispasmodics. If Helicobacter pylori is detected by diagnostics, a course of antibiotics is developed.
Traditional medicine as a complementary treatment enhances the effect of exposure to essential drugs. For different causes of pain, the following recipes are prescribed:
- A handful of chamomile inflorescences brewed with boiling water has an antibacterial and antispasmodic effect. The remedy is drunk throughout the day as tea.
- Fresh cucumber juice, drunk 3 large tablespoons a day, has an analgesic effect on hunger pains.
- Oatmeal in the form of liquid porridge or soup has an enveloping effect. The amount of mucus under the action of oatmeal increases, which reduces the effect of hydrochloric acid and prevents the development of an ulcerative state of the mucous membrane.
Complexes of folk remedies in identifying the true cause of hunger pains are varied. Like the main treatment regimen, healing with folk remedies begins after a diagnostic examination.
Most of us discomfort like hungry stomach pains, we often ignore it. It is understandable why, because after eating something tasty, a sandwich or a cookie, an unpleasant and intrusive sensation is drowned out.
However, hunger pain is a symptom that signals that you are developing or already progressing a disease of the gastrointestinal tract (eg, duodenal ulcer and stomach ulcer).
Hunger pain is called a pre-ulcer condition, which manifests itself in the presence of advanced inflammation of the stomach or in the presence of erosive duodenitis (bowel disease).
Pain sensations occur under the spoon or slightly lower, the pain intensifies when pressed with fingers.
Additional symptoms of a peptic ulcer: nausea, sour vomiting, which occurs at the peak of pain, heartburn and even constipation. A fairly common reaction to hunger pain is a decrease in appetite. This is, as a rule, a psychological problem, the body rejects food, as it is too heavy for it.
Hungry pains, what to do?
The first thing that needs to be done is to analyze the pain sensations, make an appointment with a specialist gastroenterologist, undergo a diagnosis, possibly even a second one. After that, the doctor will make a decision - hospitalization.
You can analyze the pain sensations as follows: with a stomach ulcer, the pain appears about half an hour after eating; with duodenal ulcer - after a few hours. These symptoms can appear at night.
If hunger pains bother you, you must control your diet. Eliminate spicy, fatty and fried foods from your daily diet. Replace your snack with a sandwich for hot food: soups, cereals. Fish and meat are boiled or steamed. With hunger pains, you should abandon all kinds of
Hunger pains - the reasons for their appearance
Hunger pains are a signal of stomach problems
Symptoms of stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers, for example, hunger pains, loss of appetite may appear in diseases such as fascioliasis, clonorchiasis, strongyloidosis and opisthorchiasis. However, with these ailments, pain is less pronounced daily.
With trematodes of the liver, hunger pains are accompanied by dull periodic pains in the right hypochondrium with a return to the shoulder. The pain increases with physical exertion.
With prolonged invasion by opisthorchis, violations of the integrity of the bile ducts can be detected, which can lead to bile-purulent peritonitis. All complications and further development of the disease can be prevented only by drug treatment of opisthorchiasis directly in the foci.
Invasion by helminths: pinworms, roundworms, whipworms, in addition to the above symptoms, is capable of initiating appendicular colic. At an early stage of the development of the disease, allergic hepatitis may appear.
Hunger pains - treatment
Treatment of hunger pains is based on the prevention of the development of the above pathologies. Therefore, treatment is based on the following:
- normalization of the motility of the entire gastrointestinal tract, for this purpose Metoclopramide or Cerucal is prescribed;
- the appointment of painkillers, analogs of Analgin;
- in order to reduce the secretion of hydrochloric acid, gastrologists prescribe antisecretory drugs, for example, Lansoprazole, Pantoprazole, Omeprazole and other proton pump blockers;
- the appointment of antispasmodics that eliminate local muscle spasm.
In addition to the above urgent complex treatment, it is necessary to carry out basic pathogenetic treatment. It provides for the intake of antibacterial drugs. Helicobacter is sensitive to these drugs, which plays the role of a microbial agent in the development of a peptic ulcer.
Hungry stomach pains at night
Hunger pains in the stomach at night in 90% of cases indicate the topography of the ulcer, which is usually located in the duodenum or in the antrum of the stomach. To confirm the diagnosis is assigned. During the diagnosis, the ulcer defect and its degree of development can be considered in all its glory. In most cases, with fibrogastroduodenoscopy, a biopsy is taken in order to exclude the oncological process.
Hungry stomach pains in the morning
Pain sensations that occur in the morning, usually from 3 to 5, indicate an erosive-ulcerative lesion with localization in the duodenum. To reduce pain, it is enough to drink milk or water. The pain may subside after vomiting.
This is due to the fact that during vomiting, the acidity of gastric juice decreases, which irritates the sensitive nerve roots. In this case, morning hunger pains indicate the presence of a peptic ulcer, which means that a person needs proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
What can you do if your hunger gets worse
Increased hunger with low-intensity pain at night may be associated with hormonal balance. Very often the body, at the biological level, confuses day and night. In this regard, a person's appetite worsens or completely disappears during the day, and insomnia appears at night. If you went to bed earlier than the prescribed time, then at night you will wake up from an obsessive feeling in your stomach and it will not stop until it receives a portion of food. In this case, the feeling of hunger appears against the hormonal background.
Sometimes you are unable to have lunch during the day, or you deliberately suppress hunger, which is bound to lead to a strong feeling of hunger after eight in the evening.
In addition, pain during hunger can be associated with disturbances in the secretion of gastric juice, and be of a psychological nature. In most cases, the doctor recommends seeing a psychologist, since pain and hunger at night can appear due to depression or daytime overstrain. In this case, food plays the role of a sedative, which in the future will lead to another problem - obesity.
It is necessary to get rid of hunger at night. With the first night sensations, it is important to follow the diet. You will have to resist not only your habits and weaknesses, but also fight with the whole body, and this is not so easy to do. Your body will definitely express its protest against such innovations, which can manifest itself in the form of increased pain syndrome.
Alternative (folk) medicine can offer many plants that will have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and the entire body as a whole. These herbs include St. John's wort, lemon balm, chamomile. They are inexpensive and sold at any pharmacy kiosk.
You can fight hungry pains with physical activity. An excellent medicine is morning exercises, during which calories are burned, which means that a healthy and healthy appetite will definitely appear by lunchtime.
Another effective way to fight hunger is the use of vitamins, a full range of all macro and micronutrients that stabilize your metabolism. If you notice that you have extra pounds due to nighttime snacks, it is time for active action, since the violations reported their presence.
You can get rid of obsessive hunger pains in the stomach like this:
- analyze the nature and symptoms of pain;
- do not delay the visit to the doctors: psychologist, nutritionist and;
- timely treatment.
Causes of pain and rumbling in the abdomen, interesting studies of this issue:
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Why there is a pulling pain in the stomach, what pathologies ... -
Pain in the stomach (gastralgia) has many characteristics. One of them connects the beginning with the time of the meal: during the meal, immediately after (early), after a while (late). Depending on how many hours have passed since the beginning of digestion, "hungry stomach pains" are emitted. This means the absence of any products in the organ cavity.
Patients report pain cramps "on an empty stomach." Feeling of hunger accompanies gastralgia, but does not mean a sharp increase in appetite. This is not the constant hunger experienced by endocrine obesity patients or people trying to use low-calorie diets based on prolonged fasting in the treatment of diseases.
It's just that such pains are relieved well by a light snack. In any case, it must be borne in mind that a healthy person should not have discomfort in the stomach. If they appear, then you should understand the reasons, as early as possible to identify the disease.
What processes occur in the stomach at the time of the onset of pain?
In order to understand the causes of hunger pains, we will try to establish what the organ is "busy" with 6-7 hours after eating, what abnormalities in activity contribute to the occurrence of pain in the stomach.
This is the average residence time of the food bolus in the stomach.
The organ has elastic folds that allow it to expand and hold up to 4 liters of food and liquid. For the specified time, all received products should be crushed, turn into a homogeneous mass. The stomach muscles stir the compound to improve the area of contact with the enzymes.
Alcohol, salts, glucose, excess water are immediately absorbed and transferred into the blood. The remainder is exposed to gastric juice containing hydrochloric acid, mucus, enzymes (pepsin, gastrin). It is produced by the parietal cells located between the epithelial cells. The largest amount is spent on the digestion of meat and spicy dishes. "Heavy" food is delayed the longest.
As you know, the juice in the stomach can be produced by the sight, smell of food. The enzyme system of the stomach is designed so that it only works in a sufficiently acidic environment. The acidity decreases as the pyloric sphincter is approached.
The duodenum is part of the small intestine and stands out for its importance. Having received the food mass through the gatekeeper, it continues the breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates. It is here that the secretions of the gallbladder and pancreas are included in digestion, and the action of gastric juice stops.
The synthesis of pancreatic enzymes depends on the secretory activity of the stomach:
- with an excess of acid, the synthesis of the necessary enzymes that break down proteins is disrupted, this leads to the entry of foreign antigens into the body, causes autoimmune reactions, food allergies;
- low acidity in the stomach - disrupts the production of biochemical substances responsible for the absorption of minerals and vitamins, contributes to the loss of iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B 12.
Why does the stomach hurt when it does not contain food?
So, we have established that at the time of hunger pains in the stomach there are no food debris. This means that they are caused by digestive disorders in the border regions. Practice shows that most often, when examining patients, they find:
- bulbit (inflammation of the bulb);
- erosion or duodenal ulcer;
- duodenogastric reflux gastritis, caused by the throwing of intestinal contents with bile acids into the pyloric stomach;
- disruption of the functioning of the pancreas, biliary tract.
A certain role is played by a decrease in the natural defense of glandular cells from the mucus-forming epithelium, this is facilitated by the entry into the stomach of too coarse food, toxic substances
The factors that contribute to pain are:
- an increase in the synthesis of hydrochloric acid by the parietal cells by 2–3 times in comparison with the required level, especially at night;
- lack of activity of the buffer system for alkalization;
- growth on the mucous membrane of Helicobacteria;
- spastic muscle contraction in the area of an erosive or ulcerative defect;
- impaired motor activity of the digestive system.
In the mechanism of change in acid formation, the main role is played by the disruption of the adaptation of acid production to the quality and volume of incoming food. It has been established that people with fluctuations in blood sugar levels below normal may experience hunger pains in the stomach. The lack of the required amount of glucose in the body causes painful contractions of the muscle layer.
How do hunger pains manifest?
Hunger pains in the abdomen are most often localized in the upper part (epigastrium), but when the biliary tract is involved, it can be felt as pain in the right hypochondrium, radiating to the left. Patients note sensations that are different in nature and duration:
- rare, short-term attacks in the form of contractions or cramps on an empty stomach, which are relieved by drinking mineral water or milk - the initial state of disruption of the digestive function in the stomach is usually well restored with proper treatment;
- prolonged spastic pains in the epigastric region with pulsation or burning - indicate an advanced stage of inflammation, possibly of an erosive type;
- if the pains take on a regular nature, necessarily appear at a certain time of the day (in the morning or at night), then you should think about a duodenal ulcer.
By the nature and intensity of pain on an empty stomach in 1/3 of patients can be described as strong, cutting, causing difficulties at work and in the rhythm of life, another option is "pulsating spasm" or aching sensations, discomfort
Additional symptoms aggravate the patient's condition: sour belching (patients feel "as if they ate something sharp and sour"), constant heartburn, nausea, stool disturbances (tendency to constipation), rumbling in the abdomen, flatulence.
Usually, the appetite, despite the fact that the stomach hurts, does not suffer, sometimes even increased. Self-induction of vomiting helps to relieve pain. On examination by a doctor, pain is noted during palpation in the epigastric zone, possibly in the right hypochondrium and along the intestines. The liver is not enlarged.
When hunger pains occur in patients after 40 years of age, it is necessary to exclude atypical localization of angina pectoris, to examine the intestines. In addition, it should be borne in mind that people with depressive conditions suffer from similar symptoms. For them, food acts as a sedative.
What provokes acid hypersecretion and what are the consequences of violations
The provoking factors of uncomfortable sensations if the stomach hurts on an empty stomach are:
- improper diet with a predominance of spicy, meat and fatty foods, sweets, lack of a regimen in food intake, long breaks;
- impaired synthesis of the hormones lepton and melatonin, the reason is relevant for the occurrence of pain attacks at night;
- pregnancy in women, changing hormonal levels;
- smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages;
- transferred stresses;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- long-term medication intake;
- food and household poisoning.
Simultaneously with the hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid, the process of cell regeneration, the formation of protective mucus are disrupted, often insufficient blood supply is found against the background of hypertension, diabetes mellitus.
It is important to promptly eliminate the overstrain of the gastric parietal cells, since they subsequently atrophy and die off. With fibrogastroscopy, a picture of atrophic gastritis is found.
Are there any differences in pain at night and in the early morning?
Patients, having felt pains from hunger, react to them in different ways. Pay attention to the fact that the main symptoms disappear after a light meal. Therefore, they adapt to snacking at night, drinking milk or mineral water. Others are afraid of food, refuse because of the expectation of an increase in pain. They develop irritability, insomnia.
A symptom such as eating at night raises suspicion of a duodenal or lower stomach ulcer
The optimal time for a pain attack in the morning is 3-5 hours. This is a symptom of ulcerative lesions of the duodenum. Patients also relieve sensations with food or vomiting. There is no significant difference in pain syndrome depending on the time of onset.
What kind of examination do you need to undergo to identify the cause?
To accurately identify functional and structural abnormalities in the stomach help:
- a sensing method for the study of acidity, it can be replaced by a more modern pH-metry or the determination of uropepsin by daily urine;
- finding out the infection with Helicobacter pylori infection by the respiratory method;
- fibrogastroduodenoscopy - a visual way to determine the type and degree of mucosal lesions, localization, take material for biopsy;
- the study of the morphology of the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum helps to identify the defeat of the parietal cells, the initial signs of dystrophy.
If the pain "seizes" in the case of depression and weight gain, patients will need a psychiatric consultation.
How to treat hunger pains?
Helping yourself with food or vomiting is only temporary. It is necessary to understand well that the ongoing process will continue and reveal itself at a more difficult level. Treatment of hungry stomach pains begins only after a full examination, otherwise it can be harmful.
It is definitely recommended to give up smoking and alcohol, normalize mental stress and organize adequate rest. Sports activities, increased physical activity, daily exercise in the morning help. A sparing diet aims to relieve digestion from the effects of biologically active substances that stimulate the secretion of gastric juice.
It is necessary to give up rich fish and meat broths, fried and fatty meat dishes, smoked sausages, sausages, canned food, hot sauces, mayonnaise, sweet culinary products. In food you need: milk porridges and soups, vegetable casseroles, fresh juices from fruits and vegetables, low-fat boiled meat and fish dishes.
It is important to eat small meals more often. With night pains, do not eat tightly for dinner, drink a glass of milk before bedtime. As for the possibility of eating fresh fruit, it is better to decide the issue individually with a doctor.
Almagel A has an analgesic and enveloping effect, taking the drug eliminates the feeling of hunger
The complex of therapy includes:
- antispasmodic drugs - if the pains have a pronounced cramping character (No-shpa, Drotaverin, Platifillin);
- to suppress the production of excess acid, Omeprazole, Pantoprazole are prescribed;
- when Helicobacterium is detected, a course of eradication with antibiotics and bismuth preparations is carried out;
- in order to normalize the regulation of acid production, courses of vitamin therapy (group B) are recommended, they restore neural connections between organs;
- some patients need choleretic drugs, enzymes.
Of the folk ways, it is most acceptable to drink a warm decoction of chamomile, flax seeds, add ground cinnamon to tea in the morning, eat cucumbers, peeled from the skin, include oatmeal products (porridge, jelly, decoction) in the diet.
You should be careful with the tincture and decoction of St. John's wort. It cannot be taken without consulting a doctor. It should be remembered that the popular mint tea for calming and sleeping has the ability to increase acidity, in this case it is not suitable.
Self-medication of hungry stomach pains is categorically contraindicated. The mechanism of influence on the level of acidity is very complex, therefore, one cannot do without diagnostics. The selection of drugs is a doctor's business. Some remedies, if used incorrectly, only intensify and provoke the problem.
The occurrence of pain in the stomach with a prolonged absence of food in the body indicates that there are problems in your gastrointestinal tract. You should not endure pain in any of its manifestations - be it even short-term and weak. It must be understood that a pain symptom of the body signals that there is a problem and it must be eliminated.
Expert opinion
Tsareva Nadezhda
General practitioner, hepatologist, site expert
You should not experiment with health on your own, taking medications on the advice of your friends. Only a professional gastroenterologist can help you get rid of the disease and stomach pain.
Causes of pain on an empty stomach
Hunger stomach pains can occur for various reasons. The main ones are:
- Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract - to varying degrees;
- Hormonal disruptions;
- Stress and increased fatigue;
- Alcohol and smoking abuse;
- Excessive use of medicines;
- Improper nutrition;
- Trauma;
- Sedentary lifestyle and metabolic disorders;
- Chronic diseases of other organs and systems.
Pain on an empty stomach suggests that negative processes are taking place in it, associated with one or more factors:
- Increased emission of hydrochloric acid;
- Inflammation of the lining of the stomach or pancreas;
- Infection with bacteria such as Helicobacter;
- Reaction to other diseases, in particular the biliary tract.
To be properly treated, it is necessary to establish the true cause of hunger pains. The effect of recovery depends only on this.
Symptoms and Potential Complications
The main symptom is stomach pain when there is no food in it. Pain can manifest itself in different ways and be:
- Sharp;
- Stupid;
- Burning;
- Lethargic;
- Constant;
- Short-term;
- Periodic.
By its nature, a preliminary diagnosis is made. Indeed, with different diseases, the anamnesis of the disease is different, and the pain manifests itself in different ways.
In many diseases of the stomach, pain can occur not only in the area of the organ, but also be given to other parts of the body, for example, to the left or right hypochondrium, lower abdomen, lower back.
Neglected types of diseases of the digestive system take much longer to heal, and chronic forms can accompany a person throughout his life. Then he is forced to take medicines and follow a strict diet for life. To prevent such a scenario of the development of the disease, you need to consult a doctor at the first signals from the body. Then the treatment will be short-term and effective.
Table of the main types of stomach diseases, symptoms and possible complications
| Name of the disease | Symptoms | Possible complications |
| Acute poisoning | Fever, weakness, nausea, diarrhea, increased flatulence, dull pain in the stomach | Dehydration. intoxication of the body |
| Bloating, rumbling in the stomach, hiccups, heartburn, diarrhea or constipation, stomach pain, nausea, increased sweating, low blood pressure, shortness of breath, darkened eyes | Stomach ulcer, bacterial intoxication, chemical poisoning of the body Vomiting of blood and appearance of blood with feces, bleeding |
|
| Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or diarrhea, dry mouth, chills, hunger pains of varying degrees and nature in the stomach area, aching pain after eating, occasional rumbling in the stomach | Penetration - the transition of inflammation to the nearest organs and tissues Tachycardia |
|
| Stomach ulcer | Severe sharp pains on an empty stomach, vomiting, chills, a sharp decrease in pressure, weakness, darkening in the eyes and loss of consciousness, fever | Peritonitis - pouring a purulent mass into the abdominal cavity |
| Duodenal ulcer | Abdominal pain that turns into vomiting (there is temporary relief), constipation or diarrhea, sour belching, gas and bloating, stools with pieces of undigested food, black stools, stools with mucus or blood, constant restlessness, sleep disturbance , white plaque in the mouth, back pain | Peritonitis - pouring a purulent mass into the abdominal cavity Malignancy - the transition of pathology to a malignant process, the occurrence of intestinal cancer |
Any disease begins with symptoms such as heartburn, hiccups, flatulence. It is on these primary symptoms that you should pay attention and urgently consult a doctor. Otherwise, irreversible processes begin that can lead to blood poisoning and even cancer.
Diagnostic methods
At the first examination, the doctor collects an anamnesis of the disease, asks you questions about how you feel and when the first signs appear. Then he conducts a general examination, including measuring temperature and pressure, also palpating the abdomen. For example, with an ulcer, any touch with the abdominal region is accompanied by a sharp, dagger pain. Bloating is also a suspected diagnosis. Also, the doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis of abdominal tension. So, with an ulcer, the abdomen is very hard, and with pancreatitis, even in the last stages, it is looser and not so tense.
Even a person's behavior can help a doctor determine the diagnosis. So, with peptic ulcer diseases, a person lies motionless, afraid to move, which can increase the pain. And, for example, with pancreatitis, he behaves restlessly, constantly moving and moving.
But for the diagnosis to be accurate, it is necessary to conduct a number of clinical and laboratory studies in order to identify the causes of pain on an empty stomach:
- Blood test - general, biochemical, water;
- Stool analysis;
- Analysis of gastric juice;
- Biopsy of stomach tissue.
- A complex of instrumental clinical diagnostics will also be carried out:
- Gastroscopy - examination with a probe;
- X-ray examination;
- Laparoscopy - two abdominal punctures and camera insertion;
- Endoscopy - using an endoscope with a video camera, etc.
Expert opinion
Shoshorin Yuri
Physician therapist, site expert
Taking gastric juice is an unpleasant, but necessary diagnostic procedure, it is she who determines the acidity in the stomach. An ultrasound will help determine the degree of deformation of the intestinal or stomach walls. If the stage of the disease is high, then the doctor can take biomaterial from the walls of the stomach for determination.
Blood tests will help determine a number of factors that are important in diagnosis:
- Levels of blood particles such as amylase, lipase, C-protein;
- Reveal diabetes mellitus by insulin and glucose levels;
- Threat of blood clots and blockage of small blood vessels;
- To detect an increase in leukocytes and erythrocytes, which indicates infection and inflammation, and also the activation of Helicobacter bacteria.
Gastroscopy helps to see all changes in the state of the intestine, ultrasound will clearly show if there are wounds, erosion and ulcers in the organ.
MRI or CT - will help in detecting pathological foci using computed tomography.
To make an accurate diagnosis, doctors carry out differential diagnostics using methods that exclude other diseases and identify the underlying disease and side pathologies, which can manifest themselves in the form of indigestion and hunger pains.
Expert opinion
Shoshorin Yuri
Physician therapist, site expert
In case of revealing dangerous complications and a threat to the patient's life, an urgent operation is performed. If there are no such indications, then the diagnostic procedures continue - to accurately determine the pathology, its type, type, form, stage.
Hunger Pain Treatment Options
After the diagnosis, the doctor determines the program of therapeutic measures that is individual for each patient, which will depend on the pathogenesis, etiology of the onset of the disease, and physiology.
- The classic scheme consists of a complex application:
- Diets;
- Medicines;
- Traditional medicine methods;
- Balancing the psychological state.
If the disease is in the acute phase, then dietary table No. 1 or 1a will be assigned, including the most gentle diet: vegetable broths, decoctions, liquid cereals. After that, table 1b can be assigned, which includes black bread, crackers. Table 5, with a positive dynamics of recovery, will include a large number of products prepared by boiling, stewing, steaming, baking.
Drug therapy can consist of one or more drugs, depending on the severity of the disease. The main traditional regimens include medication:
- Ranitidine + Denol + Erythromycin;
- Omeprazole + erythromycin;
- Omeprazole + Amoxicillin + Metronidazole + Denol + Erythromycin.
The use of traditional medicine methods is also possible, including the use of infusions of medicinal herbs, propolis solution, etc.
Drugs for treatment
Drug treatment is designed not only to relieve symptoms, but also to cure the disease from the inside, that is, to normalize the condition of the mucous membrane of the diseased organ. If the pain is acute and unbearable, anesthesia is prescribed, as which the following medications can be used.
Table of drugs for the treatment of hungry stomach pains and their price
| Drug name | Price in rubles |
| Antispasmodic No-shpa
|
from 50 |
| Bismuth preparation, which forms a protective film on the stomach and relieves pain De-nol
|
from 150 |
| Antacids Almagel, Maalox,
|
from 200 |
| Analgesics Ibuprofen, Analgin, Acelysin
|
from 120 |
| Ganglion blockers and gastroprotective drugs - help to reduce the secretory and motor function of the organ Dimekolin, Venter tablets
|
from 270 |
In addition to relieving pain and spasm, you must:
- Destroy Helicobacter bacteria - bismuth-based drugs contribute to this;
- Reduce the amount of gastric juice produced - inhibitors, blockers, anticholinergics;
- Prokinetics will help improve motor skills;
- Reduce the effect of hydrochloric acid, which destroys mucous membranes - gastroprotective agents;
- Relieve inflammation and destroy pathogens - antibiotics.
Expert opinion
Shoshorin Yuri
Physician therapist, site expert
The duration of medication intake and dosage are determined by the doctor strictly individually. Usually - 2-3 times a day in different dosages (25 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg).
Table of dosage of antibiotics for various pathologies of the stomach
| Drug name | Dosage | Price in rubles |
| Oxacilin | 0.5 - 4 times a day | from 200 |
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For most people, hungry stomach pains do not cause anxiety. Meanwhile, such a symptom, which occurs constantly, often indicates diseases of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. In today's article, we will look at the causes and symptoms of the disease, in which you need to run to the doctor. You will also learn about the drugs that are used in such cases, and how the diet can improve the patient's condition.
What tests are needed for fasting stomach pain? Can there be night pains? What is their reason? Is it possible to resort to traditional medicine recipes, which are the most effective? We will tell about all this in our material. You will also learn about basic preventive measures to help avoid abdominal discomfort.
What is gastralgia
This term in medicine is usually called cramping pain in the stomach. As a rule, it is felt in the area of the left hypochondrium, but at first it can only cause slight discomfort to a person.
Since gastralgia has a different etymology, which is not always associated with the functioning of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, it is imperative to carry out a diagnosis. With its help, the attending physician will be able to determine what is causing the pain.
Characteristics of hunger pains:
- cramping - spasms;
- aching;
- "Sucking";
- strong;
- giving to the right or left hypochondrium;
- shingles.
It is considered normal if pain (or rather unpleasant) sensations arise in the stomach after 6 hours of fasting, but not earlier.
Quite often, patients note that hunger pains subside after vomiting. This is explained by the fact that after such an unpleasant phenomenon, the acidity of the gastric juice decreases, which irritates the sensitive nerve endings.
Why stomach hurts: the main reasons
Before talking about how the treatment is carried out, it is necessary to clarify the reasons for such discomfort. These include:
- Violation of the peristalsis of the walls of the stomach, which is accompanied by pain.
- Today, doctors often attribute hunger pains to psychosomatic illness. Against the background of stress and nervous breakdowns, pain in gastritis and ulcers may increase.
- This problem occurs with increased acidity of the stomach associated with gastritis or gastroduodenitis.
- One of the most common causes is a stomach or duodenal ulcer. Muscle contractions and spasms that are centered around the ulcer are common problems.
- Similar painful sensations in the stomach occur with chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
- In some cases, hungry abdominal pains indicate a person's infection with worms. Helminthic invasion can be easily confused with diseases of the kidneys, gallbladder and gastrointestinal ailments. However, in addition to pain, there are a number of other non-specific signs that indicate that helminths have colonized the intestinal tract. The person suffers from regular diarrhea or constipation, nausea and bloating. As a rule, the pain is localized in the right hypochondrium and the navel.
Many people naively believe that worms do not bring significant harm to their owner. However, too bright pains indicate colonies of helminths swarming in the internal organs. This phenomenon causes constipation and bowel problems. With prolonged massive infection, serious intoxication of the body is possible, an increase in body temperature, and weakness. Also, joint pains indicate the presence of a serious problem.
Non-stomach problems
Other common reasons:
- Pregnancy. The fact is that many women suffer from pain localized in the solar plexus region. Toxicosis is their culprit.
- If you are worried about nighttime pain in the navel, then you need to see a specialist and exclude salmonellosis infection. This problem occurs when eating raw eggs, poorly processed dairy and meat products.
- Hunger pains are often characteristic of people with myocardial infarction and complicated arrhythmias. In this case, patients complain to specialists about pain in the heart. With a heart attack, it can be given to the arm or neck. Due to similar symptoms, experts often mistake an attack for a disease of the gastrointestinal tract.
The culprit of pain that occurs on an empty stomach may be appendicitis. As a rule, the patient complains of discomfort in the early morning or at night. Initially, the patient is worried about the pain under the ribs, and then it spreads further. With appendicitis, the pain sensations increase, as well as while lying on the left side.
What diseases can cause the problem:
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome;
- pancreatitis;
- Crohn's disease;
- cholecystitis and cholangitis;
- Barrett's syndrome;
- lesion of the digestive tract organs with clostridia dificile.
How is the diagnosis carried out?
To prescribe a course of treatment, the patient needs to undergo a series of examinations. For hungry stomach pains, the following are recommended:
- ultrasound examination of the gastrointestinal tract;
- fibrogastroendoscopy;
- fluoroscopy;
- sometimes an MRI of the digestive tract;
- capsule endoscopy (in some cases it may not be effective enough).
As you can see, most often hunger pains occur against the background of the development of diseases such as ulcers and gastritis. In most cases, they are caused by the pathogenic bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Therefore, it is imperative to undergo a test for H. pylori when diagnosing in order to determine the magnitude of the problem. Unlike other diseases, Helicobacter pylori infection can only be treated with antibiotics. The course of treatment is determined by the doctor, but it should not exceed 14 days. After drug therapy, you will need to re-take the test.
Treatment
First aid
- For temporary relief of symptoms, proton pump inhibitors (Omez, Lansoprol, etc.) can be taken 1 hour before meals in the morning.
- Antacid enveloping drugs can also help: Almagel, Fosfalugel, Maalox, etc. (they can be taken before or some time after a meal - according to the instructions).
- In some cases, taking an antispasmodic (No-shpa) helps.
- If there are no medicines at hand or you are afraid to do something before the doctor's prescriptions, you can brew crushed flaxseed (1 tsp for ½ cup boiling water), let it brew and take 30 minutes before meals.
- May relieve hunger cramps and other coagulating foods. For example, oatmeal in water or unsweetened jelly.
- If you have nothing at all on hand, drink a glass of warm water on an empty stomach.
These methods are undertaken once or for a short time, if there is no way to get an appointment with a doctor. In the near future, you should consult a doctor to make a diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. Even if the symptoms have diminished or disappeared, do not postpone the trip to the hospital - the problem has not gone away!
Seeing a doctor
Stomach hurts from hunger - that's one thing. However, if you do not want to have a snack, and the pain continues to bother you, go to the doctor.
Based on the examinations, the specialist determines the course of treatment. Drug therapy includes the appointment of:
- Antibiotics (the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is vulnerable to antibacterial drugs, however, when prescribing them, one should be guided by the results of a drug susceptibility test).
- If the doctor has prescribed antibiotics, prebiotics should be taken. They will help to populate the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract with beneficial bacteria.
- Preparations designed to eliminate muscle pain and spasms localized in the stomach (antispasmodics).
- To normalize the acidity of the stomach (especially with serious ailments of the gastrointestinal tract), the use of antisecretory agents is recommended.
- Also, medications are needed that are directly aimed at treating the underlying disease, a symptom of which may be hunger pains.
- Strong pain medications will help eliminate pain (only as prescribed by a doctor, as they can complicate the disease).
- During the period of treatment, it is necessary to take hepatoprotectors. They protect the liver from the negative effects of the active ingredients of medicines.
- Also, according to the doctor's recommendation, you should consume vitamins that stimulate the functioning of the body's immune system.
In some cases, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting.
What does ignoring the problem lead to?
If you consult a specialist even at the first alarm bells (discomfort or mild hungry pains in the stomach), you can prevent serious health problems. In most cases, doctors diagnose gastritis or ulcers.
The latter ailment is a great danger, since in the absence of treatment, perforation of the stomach wall and the release of contents into the abdominal cavity is possible. Inflammation of the sheets of the peritoneum, which in medical circles is called peritonitis, leads to a systemic inflammatory process.
In advanced cases, ulcerative formation can lead to a serious condition of the patient and even death.
Traditional methods
Fight against high acidity
Gastritis, in which hydrochloric acid is intensively produced, can be treated with complex therapy. In addition to medications, let's say taking one of these traditional medicines:
- Grind the eggshells with a coffee grinder. Take 2 tsp. daily for 7 days. Then take a break of one week and repeat the course of treatment.
- Drinking mint tea will help reduce the production of hydrochloric acid. It is advisable not to use a packaged drink. It is better to replace it with dry mint, collected in the garden. Drink the healing infusion twice a day daily.
- Cinnamon will help relieve hunger pains and reduce the production of hydrochloric acid. It is recommended to eat a pinch of the spice daily on an empty stomach.
Treatment of hunger pains with herbs
If you are practicing herbal medicine, you must remember that it is necessary to take healing infusions within 1-2 months.
- Pour 10 g of dry chamomile with a glass of water, simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cool and strain. Take the medicine 4 times a day daily.
- 1 tsp pour 200 ml of flaxseed. boiling water. After the product has been infused for 20 minutes, shake and strain. Take the drug in 50 ml. three times a day. This is best done before meals.
Diet during treatment
In addition to the treatment prescribed by specialists, it is necessary to follow a diet. A balanced diet will allow you to restore the affected mucosa and reduce the load on the organs of the digestive tract.
From the patient's diet, it is necessary to remove fast food and semi-finished products (the so-called junk food), all kinds of questionable bars and dough products. Coffee is not the best option for hungry stomach pains, the causes of which we discussed earlier. Therefore, it is recommended to replace this drink with weak herbal infusions.
People with this problem need to include in their diet:
- durum wheat pasta and nutritious cereal-based side dishes;
- vegetable and chicken broths (pork is not recommended for preparing the base for the soup);
- nuts (no more than 30 g per day);
- dried fruits and non-acidic fruits (just not on an empty stomach, since the acids contained in fruits can provoke another attack of pain);
- jelly and natural non-acidic freshly squeezed juices (with good tolerance);
- water without gas;
- dairy products;
- the use of greens is of great benefit to people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (dill and parsley stimulate the work of peristalsis, relieve intestinal colic).
Hunger pains in the abdomen most often indicate the presence of gastric ulcer, so it is recommended to reduce the amount of salt consumed to a minimum - no more than 1-2 tsp. per day.
If hungry morning stomach pains, the causes of which we discussed earlier, continue to annoy, then experts strongly recommend adhering to the following rules:
- First courses should not be eaten cold or too hot. It is desirable that the soup or borscht be warm.
- Avoid eating excessively fatty and salty foods. Also, doctors recommend avoiding eating too spicy and fried foods.
- With such a problem, it is forbidden to starve and sit on any diets. In the process of forming the right eating habits, you will already get rid of those extra pounds.
- It is advisable to eat according to the fractional method. That is, in small portions, but often enough. This will help you avoid unhealthy snacks. The optimal number of meals per day is 5-6. At the same time, make sure that the last time you eat 3-4 hours before bedtime.
For more serious problems, doctors advise patients to eat mashed food.
Now you know what hungry pains in the stomach can indicate, and what consequences they can lead to if you do not start timely drug therapy. For a quick cure for an ailment, it is recommended to adhere to proper nutrition and get rid of bad habits that adversely affect the condition and function of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
