What can I do about burning stomach pains?
For the past few weeks I’ve had terrible burning pains in my stomach and feel very sick every day. I am struggling to eat. The doctor says it’s gastritis, but I’m also suffering nauseating headaches. The GP won’t refer me for a scan.
Gastritis, when the stomach lining becomes inflamed, is an incredibly common problem.
It feels rather like constant indigestion, but the symptoms vary hugely in terms of severity. Some sufferers feel nausea and burning in the stomach, and vomit frequently, as well as feeling discomfort after eating. Others have no symptoms.
There are many possible causes of gastritis. It’s often triggered by eating or drinking certain things, such as alcohol, caffeine or spicy, acidic food. But smoking can cause it, as can regular use of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Stress can lead to gastritis, and it can also be the result of a chronic bacterial infection called helicobacter pylori. Many people with the infection have no symptoms, but for some it will cause regular indigestion.
It is important to take gastritis seriously because in some cases it can develop into severe problems, including stomach ulcers and even tumours.
A scan is not particularly useful in diagnosing gastritis. Instead, an endoscopy, or camera down the throat, would be able to detect inflammation. Tissue samples can also be taken.
This is an uncomfortable test but it is necessary if someone is so unwell they can’t eat, particularly over the age of 50 when cancer is more likely.
I had my flu jab a month ago and soon afterwards started getting a tingling in my lip on the left side, which gradually went down my arm. It soon became difficult to speak.
I thought I was having a mild stroke so I called an ambulance. By the time I got to hospital, my speech improved. Tests showed no trace of a bleed or clot.
I was told it was probably a bad migraine and sent home.
Yet she still hasn’t received a diagnosis.
We often think doctors are there only to treat health problems. In fact, many patients who visit their GP won’t necessarily want treatment – they are looking for answers.
People often suffer symptoms for which, unfortunately, no physical cause can be identified. Studies show this could be the case for up to a quarter of appointments with a GP.
Can this really be right?
When it comes to treating a stroke, acting fast is critical. You should call an ambulance or go to hospital as soon as the telltale signs start.
Signs of a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA, or mini-stroke, where symptoms stop within 24 hours) include weakness in the limbs, changes in speech, and changes in the face or numbness.
When patients are taken to hospital with a suspected stroke, urgent brain scans are performed to spot a potential blood clot or bleed. These scans will also reveal any damage to the brain that is characteristic of a stroke.
Heart tests, checking blood vessels in the neck and a general cardiovascular risk assessment will also be done.
If everything looks normal and the symptoms quickly resolve, it is fair that doctors may rule out a stroke or TIA.
Other conditions can cause very similar sudden symptoms – including migraines. These can also lead to difficulty speaking, pins and needles or numbness, as well as the more commonly known visual symptoms. A migraine is thus easily mistaken for a stroke, particularly if it comes with speech symptoms.
It is worth following up an event of this kind with a GP appointment. The GP will consider personal risk factors and may arrange further tests.
My best friend has been in chronic pain for at least five years and takes strong prescription painkillers daily.
She’s getting worse by the day and seems to be gaining weight, despite not being able to eat much.
Reference: Daily Mail: Dr Ellie Cannon for The Mail on Sunday
No thoughts on “What can I do about burning stomach pains?”
Articles - Most Read
- Home
- LIVER DIS-EASE AND GALL BLADDER DIS-EASE
- Contacts
- African Wholistics - Medicines, Machines and Ignorance
- African Holistics - Seduced by Ignorance and Research
- African Wholistics -The Overlooked Revolution
- The Children of the Sun-3
- Kidney Stones-African Holistic Health
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-3
- 'Tortured' and shackled pupils freed from Nigerian Islamic school
- The Serpent and the RainBow-The Jaguar - 2
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-2
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-4
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-5
- King Leopold's Ghost - Introduction
- African Wholistics - Medicine
- Menopause
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-6
- The Mystery System
- The Black Pharaohs Nubian Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
Who's On Line?
We have 74 guests and no members online
Ad Agency Remote
Articles - Latest
- Do Yams Have Carbohydrates?
- Cardiac-a-vest! Remarkable garment could save lives by predicting heart attack risk
- Inflammation-Busting Foods: A Review by Nutrition Professionals
- Dermatologist's insight on shower frequency without harming skin
- Meat is crucial for human health, scientists warn
- How dangerous are interactions between herbal medicines and prescribed drugs?
- The definitive guide to BMI, and how much you should really pay attention to it
- The nightly ritual that could improve memory and brain health, according to scientists
- Hyacinth Bean: How Nutritionists Rate Its Nutrients, Health Effects, And More
- Top healthiest fruits with anti-inflammatory properties
- Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms: How to spot the signs in your feet
- Dehydration may be as bad 'as smoking' for veins - how much water you need to avoid stroke
- Winter Squash: A Superfood Or Not? Nutrition Professionals Weigh In, With Serving Tips And Health Risks
- Why The Nutrition Professionals Love Winter Melon, Nutritional Benefits And Serving Size Guidelines
- Lesser-known lung cancer symptom in arm or shoulder that can't be ignored
- HIV breakthrough as new technology removes all traces of virus from infected cells
- Seven fruits for diabetics to avoid that can increase blood sugar spike risk
- Top 7 Uses and Benefits of Dead Nettle Plants
- 6 physical symptoms of anxiety you shouldn’t ignore, according to experts