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Gastric Problem: Causes, Symptoms, Diet, Home Remedies And Exercises

Last Updated: Jun 30, 2023

What is Gastric Problem?

Gastric pain is majorly the discomfort felt in the upper abdomen. Many people may experience gas or gas pain occasionally or even frequently. The gastric issue can be faced by teenagers and elderly people too.

The gastrointestinal tract around the oesophagus or the food pipe, stomach or intestines. The oesophagus passes the food particles to the stomach and intestines where it gets broken down into small elements and allows other organs and tissues to absorb the nutrients from food and carry out the biological routine and ensures the optimal overall health.

What are the symptoms of gastric problem?

Below are some of the common symptoms of gastric problems:

  • Bad breath
  • Stomach pain
  • Belching
  • Flatulence
  • Abdominal bloating
  • Indigestion
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhoea
  • Blood discharge with stool

What causes gastric problems?

Gastric Problems are caused by a number of reasons- these include uncontrolled drinking habits, consumption of spicy food, not chewing the food properly before swallowing it, digestive trouble, bacterial infections and as well as stress and tension. Below are the causes of gastric pain:

  • The backflow of bile into the bile tract or Bile Reflux
  • Bacterial or viruses infection
  • H.pylori and Helicobacter Pylori are the bacteria in the mucous lining of the stomach. If H. pylori is left untreated, the infection can lead to ulcers.

How does gastric pain feel like?

It starts with a burning ache or pain (indigestion) in your upper abdomen and sometimes in the esophagus( food pipe) that may become either worse or better with eating. Nausea, Vomiting, A feeling of fullness in your upper abdomen after eating, heaviness in the stomach, or tiredness are some of the symptoms that came along with gastric pain.

How is the Gastric Problem diagnosed?

After analyzing your medical history and symptoms so far, your medical professionals may suggest you the following test:

  1. Imaging testing:

    To diagnosis what's going on in your digestive tract scanning of the abdomen region will be done with the help of:

    • CT (computed tomography) scan
    • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
    • ultrasound
    • Contrast X-rays
  2. Endoscopy:

    It is a process in which a tube-like structure ( camera attached to the front) is inserted into your colon to examine the overall situation of your digestive system. In case of, Gastric Problems, one may be advised to under the following endoscopy:

    • Upper endoscopy
    • Colonoscopy
    • Sigmoidoscopy
  3. Blood test:

    One of the most common tests for internal infection, a blood test is one of the first tests your doctor will suggest in most medical conditions. It is the best way to detect any traces of infection in the body causing Gastric Problems.

  4. Breath test:

    If you are not aware of your lactose intolerance and feel gassy after consuming dairy, then your doctor will ask you for a breathing test. The test is conducted after the patient drinks glucose solution, with the help of a machine, the doctor will analyze the level of hydrogen in your breath which determines the existence of lactose tolerance.

Where is the pain located with gastritis?

In most cases, people report a sudden sharp, stabbing, or burning pain in the upper-center or upper-left abdomen. The pain often radiates to the mid and upper back. Other common symptoms associated with the disease include bloating, constipation and nausea.

In critical or severe cases, vomiting can also be a symptom of gastritis causes vomiting, the vomit may be clear, yellow, or green.

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How to treat gastric problem?

Some cases of acute gastric pain go away without any treatment with just eating a bland diet for a quick recovery. However, for some infections, one may require one or two rounds of antibiotics. Drink plenty of water daily. This can help you feel better.

Drugs such as H2 blockers are a category of medications that work by minimizing the amount of acid produced by the stomach. When an H2 receptor blocker is consumed the active ingredients contained within this drug travels to certain specified regions of the stomach cells.

These blockers inhibit the acid-releasing cells in the stomach from reacting to histamine. H2 blockers prevent peptic ulcers from showing up again. Usually, the H2 blockers are quickly absorbed by the body to provide immediate relief to the ailing conditions of peptic ulcers.

Short-term triple therapy treatment is very effective in treating conditions caused by Helicobacter Pylori infection. In an experiment carried out on 65 patients over a period of one week- short term triple therapy consisting of 250 mg of clarithromycin twice a day, 20 mg of omeprazole once daily and 500 mg of tinidazole twice a day it is seen, that after a month of completing the treatment Helicobacter Pylori infection was successfully eradicated in 62 patients.

Peptic ulcer, if caused due to an H. pylori infection, will include treatments such as therapy (Short-term triple therapy). This involves taking an acid-reducing agent and two antibiotics.

In cases where the ulcer has started to bleed carrying out an endoscopy test can help to control the bleeding. For patients who do not show any positive results even after taking medications or doing endoscopy, surgery might be advised. These procedures include vagotomy (cutting of the vagus nerve) and semi gastrectomy (partial removal of a part of the stomach).

How can I permanently cure gastritis?

In most cases, the disease can be cured on its own with some easy and simple home remedies and lifestyle changes. Other than that here are some of the things that can permanently help you to take care of the gastric problems:

  • Consumption of over-the-counter medications like antacids can help to ease your stomach problems, although it does not cure the underlying problems.
  • Taking probiotic supplements will boost up your immunity system and prevent symptoms from reoccurring.
  • One should avoid food and drinks that trigger their gastritis, things like alcohol, aspirin, fatty food, spicy food, or pain medication should be avoided.
  • Lifestyle alterations like losing weight and managing stress can also help you cure the disease.
  • Eating small, frequent meals rather than larger meals can also help. Smaller meals are easy to digest and don’t trigger acid reflux.

Can gastritis go away on its own?

Depending on the cause and symptoms gastritis can be acute or chronic.

In most of the cases, where the root cause of the disease is lifestyle habits is known as acute gastritis. The duration of acute gastritis is sudden and short-lived and usually goes away on its own.

On the other hand, chronic gastrointestinal does not go away on its own. One can change lifestyle to help to soothe the acidity but it will be kept on coming back. In this case, the acute gastritis symptoms will sustain even after six months or a year leaving to more complex situations like imbalance digression, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, etc.

It can also be a symptom of an underlying disease like stomach cancer. One should seek medical attention to cure this disease.

Should I go to urgent care for a Gastric Problem?

Gastric Problems often cause minor discomfort that may get resolved with aspirin or carbonated drinks. But if the symptoms are long and unbearable, in that case, it can create an emergency.

Your doctor will question you about the problem to detect its main cause.

Who is eligible for the treatment?

Treatment for Gastric Problems can be conducted on anyone regardless of age and gender.

There are different treatment plans available for each age group but everyone can undergo the treatment process if they are feeling problematic.

Who is not eligible for the treatment?

There are no certain restrictions made for the eligibility of Gastric Problems treatment.

Which medicine is best for gastric problem?

The treatment for it includes taking of antidepressants of low doses, medications that help to negate anxiety and drugs to help fight stomach acid. Drugs that help to alleviate stomach acid issues comprise of H2 blockers such as:

Are there any side effects?

The side effects that are commonly seen on taking H2 blockers are usually mild. These are diarrhoea, trouble sleeping, dryness of the mouth, ringing sensation in the ears, constipation and headaches. Certain serious side effects include trouble breathing, wheezing, agitation, burning skin and vision issues.

Endoscopy is an otherwise safe procedure but complications may have the chance of including bleeding, infection, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and tearing of the gastrointestinal tract.

What are the post-treatment guidelines?

Post-treatment guidelines for gastric trouble include taking your medication as prescribed by your doctor on a regular basis and on time, checking if you are taking any anti-inflammatory or pain killers by mistake as that may aggravate the chances of heartburn.

You need to exercise regularly but make sure to avoid exercises that are of a high-impact nature. Do ensure to keep a tab on your diet- avoid alcohol, greasy or fried foods, spicy foods, carbonated drinks, and other citrus fruits or their juices. Keep yourself hydrated at all times by drinking pure water and other oral hydration solutions.

How long does it take to recover?

Depending on the seriousness of your case the recovery period of your treatment can range from something between 1 week to 4 weeks, maximum. If your gastric problem is mainly due to indigestion you can also get better in a day provided you take the required medicine on time.

What is the price of the treatment in India?

A single leaf of medicine as prescribed by the doctor for treating gastric trouble can range from something as low as Rs.50 to as high as Rs. 700. The price of an endoscopy test could cost you Rs. 1500 on an average and a biopsy test could cost around 250-500 additionally.

Are the results of the treatment permanent?

There are no treatments that will permanently cure the problem of gastrointestinal disorder. The only way to keep your gastric trouble at bay is by avoiding spicy, greasy and fried foods, avoid dairy foods and those rich in sugar. Eat meals small in portion and chew them well before swallowing. Do not stay on an empty stomach for long hours.

How to prevent gastric problems?

You can prevent gastric issues by changing your lifestyle habits and diet. Below are the ways to prevent the gastric problem:

  • Quit smoking
  • Avoid Chewing gum
  • Artificial sweeteners like maltitol, sorbitol or aspartame
  • Let the gas pass out
  • High-fat foods
  • Pass stool
  • Choose non-carbonated drinks
  • Fried and spicy foods
  • Eliminate problematic foods
  • Legumes (beans and lentils)

How should I sleep with gastritis?

Gastritis can be uncomfortable, especially during the nighttime. Here are suggestions that one can follow to have sound sleep at night.

  • Elevate your head from the bed 6 to 8 inches to assist gravity in keeping your stomach acid from refluxing.
  • Do not sleep on your back, especially if you are over-weighted. The pressure on your stomach will drive the acid into your esophagus.
  • Try to sleep on your left side. Some studies show that sleeping on your left side seems to prompt relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. The esophageal sphincter is a tight ring of muscle connecting the stomach and esophagus that normally defends against reflux.
  • Eat your meals at least 4 hours before sleep. This will give your stomach a chance to process the meal and move it smoothly through your digestive system.
  • Eat small and frequent portions of the meal will reduce the load off your digestive system and reduce the chances of acid reflux.

How to control gastric problems naturally?

Below are some natural remedies which can help you to release the trapped gas and gives you relief when you have gastric pain:

  • Have peppermint tea or you can also chew the leaves of peppermint
  • Use a heating pad or bottle to feel better
  • Have one tablespoon apple cider vinegar with honey and mix it with a cup of water.
  • Avoid certain foods which trigger gastric pain.
  • Have a ginger supplement for early pain relief

What is the best diet for the gastric problem?

Here is the list of foods to eat and foods to avoid to reduce the gastric problem:

What foods to avoid to reduce the gastric problem?

Food group offering vital nutrients, for example, vitamins. Minerals and other antioxidants can aggravate a bloated stomach and increase the gastric pain. It is best to avoid foods containing:

  • Complex Sugars
  • Fructose
  • Lactose
  • Insoluble Fibre
  • Starch

What foods to eat to reduce the gastric problem?

Diet plays an important role in your digestive health as helps to prevent the complication, below are friendly diet to make you feel better:

  • Considering High-fibre foods in the diet like fruits, whole grains and vegetables
  • Low-fat foods like fish, lean, and green vegetables
  • Foods with low acidity like beans etc
  • Take non-carbonated and caffeine-free drinks

Is milk good for gastric?

The term gastritis refers to a condition that involves inflammation in the stomach lining. Eating certain foods can help you manage your symptoms of gastritis.

Milk is good for gastric inflammation as its Ph level helps to soothe down the acidity. The milk is also rich in fiber which makes it easy to digest. Although, while choosing the source of milk one should keep certain things in mind, that is:

  • It should be low-fat.
  • It should be consumed with a decaf substitute.
  • It should contain healthy probiotics.

Which fruit is good for gastric?

Gastric often creates acidity and inflammation. Fruits that are high in fiber and Ph level are good to wash down the acids. The more your food has a high Ph level, the more it will cut down your acidity. Also, fruits with low fat are also recommended for gastric problems. Here is the list of fruit that one can add to his/her diet to cure the problem in a natural way:

  1. Apricot
  2. Apple
  3. Kiwi
  4. Banana
  5. Guava
  6. Mango
  7. Melons

Note: These are only examples of some seasonal fruits that can be consumed to ease out gastric inflammation and burn.

Is water good for gastritis?

Yes, drinking warm water can actually soothe the digestive tract and make it easy for your stomach to digest. Also keeping yourself hydrated is very important, in some cases due to lack of water, the stomach struggles to digest heavy and spicy food.

You can also add healthy drinks like:

  • Green tea.
  • Cucumber water.
  • Lemon water with honey.
  • Milk, curd, or other probiotic liquids.

This can help you cure acute gastritis and ease out symptoms of chronic gastritis.

Home remedies to avoid gastric problems

Sometimes gastric pain can cause uncomfortable abdominal fullness after eating, or you may experience pain or burning sensation. Instead of directly taking antacids to calm your stomach, you can control symptoms with the ingredients and herbs present in your kitchen. Here are some home remedies that can provide you with quick relief for gastric trouble:

  • Turmeric (have turmeric mixed with milk everyday to get the desired results)
  • Ppotato juice (have potato juice pre-meal thrice a day to cure your problem of stomach gas)
  • Ginger (ginger is good for treating gastric problem as well as indigestion)
  • Baking soda (it works as an effective antacid and gives instant relief when you have it mixed with water on an empty stomach)
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Cinnamon
  • Cardamom
  • Onion
  • Charcoal (having a charcoal tablet before and after your meals which will greatly help in reducing the issues of acidity and gas).

Yoga exercises for gastric problem

Yoga is the best supplement to avoid gastric issues and has the best health benefits. It increases the blood circulation in the intestine and stomach. Thus it helps in promoting digestion and regulates bowel movement by lowering the accumulation of gas in the stomach. Below are some asanas to cure the gastric problem.

  1. Makarasana: The Makarasana pose helps in improving digestion. Sit on a mat in an upside-down position on your stomach and keep your arms crossed in front of your face and rest your head on your arms. Take a deep breath and keep your body relaxed. You can keep your cheeks on your palms and your elbow can rest on the floor.
  2. Vajrasana: Fold your legs under your buttocks and your feet will be pressed under the buttocks. You will feel numbness and pain in your feet, stretch your legs for a while and continue the posture again. You can continue this for an hour.

How to get rid of gastric problems?

We have make few lifestyle and dietary changes to get rid of gastric problems. A few of them are:

  • Tea to tame the tummy- Fennel, Chamomile Tea, Ginger Tea
  • Drinks to cheer tummy- Cold Milk, Buttermilk, Mint Juice, Lemon drinks
  • Chia seeds
  • Asafoetida Massage
  • Stomach pain-relieving paste containing powder of dried ginger, long pepper, black pepper, Asafoetida and rock salt with few drops of water.
Summary: Gastric Problems can be described as a feeling of pain, bloating, and discomfort in the stomach. It can be due to small issues like eating too much from major medical illnesses like bacterial or viral infection.

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Written ByDr. Shivam Malhotra Sleep Medicine(Training),MBBS Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,MD - General MedicineGeneral Physician
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Reviewed ByDr. Bhupindera Jaswant SinghMD - Consultant PhysicianGeneral Physician
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