Stomach pain is very common, sometimes because of eating inappropriate food, sometimes because of mental stress, sometimes because of some kind of illness. Among them, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer are two common digestive diseases, both of which cause stomach pain, but have some different characteristics.
According to the characteristics of stomach pain, judge whether it is a stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer? First of all, we need to rule out some cases of stomach pain, such as the following 5 types:
1. Your stomach pain may be because you eat unclean food, which causes inflammation of your gastrointestinal tract, which is called acute gastroenteritis.
In this case, you will feel a dull ache or paroxysmal cramps around your belly button, your stomach will rumble, and you will have diarrhea. If you have these symptoms, you need to drink plenty of water, replenish water and electrolytes, avoid eating irritating foods such as chili peppers, alcohol, etc., and if the symptoms persist, you need to seek medical attention and take antibiotics or antidiarrheal medications.
2. Your stomach pain may be due to some inflammation or ulcers in your intestines, which is called intestinal inflammatory disease.
In this case, you will feel severe pain in your left or right lower abdomen, you will have pus and blood in your stool, and you may also have fever, anemia, etc. This is a more serious disease, you need to go to the hospital as soon as possible for examination, do some colonoscopy or blood tests, confirm the diagnosis, follow the doctor's guidance, take some anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressants, control inflammation, protect the intestines.
3. Your stomach pain may be due to some small tumors or tumors in your intestines, which are called intestinal polyps or intestinal tumors.
In this case, your stomach pain will be more persistent, and it will not have much to do with what you eat, and you will also have symptoms such as constipation, blood in the stool, and bloating. In this case, you need to have regular colonoscopies to detect early polyps or tumors and remove them in time to prevent progression or metastasis.
4. Your stomach pain may be due to inflammation of your appendix, which is called appendicitis.
In this case, you will feel pain around your belly button or upper abdomen first, and then it will move to the right lower abdomen, the pain will become more and more severe, and you may also experience nausea, vomiting, fever, etc. This is an acute abdomen, which requires you to go to the hospital immediately, do some blood or B-ultrasound examination, and after confirming the diagnosis, do surgery to remove the appendix as soon as possible to prevent the appendix from rupturing and causing peritonitis.
5. If you are a woman, your stomach pain may be because you have some gynecological problems, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, ectopic pregnancy, etc.
In this case, you will feel pain in your lower abdomen, and you may also have symptoms such as abnormal vaginal discharge, irregular menstruation, and marital pain, you need to go to a gynecological examination, do some B ultrasound or hysteroscopy, and after confirming the diagnosis, follow the doctor's guidance to take some anti-inflammatory or hormone drugs, or do some surgical treatment.
After excluding the above 5 conditions, let's look at the stomach pain caused by gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer, the main difference between gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer is that gastric ulcer is a local defect formed by damage to the gastric mucosa, while duodenal ulcer is a local defect formed by damage to the duodenal mucosa.
The stomach and duodenum are connected, but their functions and environments differ, so the location of the ulcer affects the characteristics of stomach pain. Below, let's take a look at 3 features, which are:
Feature 1: The area of stomach pain
Stomach pain in a stomach ulcer usually occurs in the upper abdomen, where the stomach is located, and sometimes radiates to the back or the left side of the chest. Stomach pain in duodenal ulcers usually occurs on the right side of the upper abdomen, where the duodenum is located, and sometimes radiates to the right side of the chest or the right side of the waist.
Feature 2: Time for stomach pain
Stomach pain in gastric ulcers generally occurs within half an hour to an hour after eating, that is, when gastric acid secretion is at its most vigorous, because stomach acid can irritate the ulcer and aggravate the pain. Stomach pain in duodenal ulcer generally occurs within two to three hours after eating, that is, when gastric acid enters the duodenum after the stomach is emptied, because the mucosa of the duodenum has a low tolerance to gastric acid and is easily irritated.
Feature 3: The degree of stomach pain
The stomach pain of a stomach ulcer is generally more intense, sometimes it feels like a knife, sometimes it feels like a fire, sometimes it feels like a pinprick in a needle, and it is an unbearable pain. The stomach pain of duodenal ulcer is generally mild, sometimes it can feel like hunger, sometimes it can feel like gas, sometimes it can feel like itchy, and it is a tolerable pain.
Of course, this is only a preliminary judgment, if you want to be diagnosed, you still need to go to the hospital for some examinations, such as gastroscopy, gastric acid measurement, Helicobacter pylori detection, etc., so that effective treatment measures can be taken in time.
What foods can relieve the symptoms of ulcers?
Bananas: Bananas can help neutralize stomach acid, form a protective film to prevent stomach acid from eroding ulcers, and at the same time, it can also increase gastrointestinal motility, promote digestion, and relieve stomach bloating and constipation.
Potatoes: Potatoes can help dilute stomach acid and reduce the burning sensation in the stomach, while it can also provide nutrients, strengthen the body, and fight infections.
Milk: Milk can help stimulate the gastric lining to produce more mucus and protect the ulcer area, while it can also provide energy, hydration and sleep improvement.
Honey: Honey can help inhibit the secretion of gastric acid, increase the repair ability of the gastric mucosa, and at the same time, it can also be antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, preventing ulcer infection and bleeding.
Cabbage: Cabbage can help clean up waste from the gastrointestinal tract and promote bowel movements, while it can also provide water, reduce the concentration of stomach acid, and relieve stomach discomfort.
Eggs: Eggs can help increase the elasticity of the gastric mucosa and prevent the expansion of ulcers, and at the same time, it can also provide amino acids that promote the healing of ulcers and enhance immunity.
The above are some foods that can relieve the symptoms of ulcers, of course, there are many other foods, such as soy milk, carrots, celery, yams, wolfberries, etc., all of which have certain effects, and ulcer patients can choose foods that suit them according to their preferences and physique.
In conclusion, stomach pain is a common physical discomfort, sometimes due to stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer, both of which can cause stomach pain, but there are some different characteristics that can be distinguished, and the right treatment can be better chosen.