Hunger pain in the stomach - why it occurs and how to get rid of it

• Etiology
• Classification
• Symptoms
• Pain in the morning and at night
• Treatment
• Prevention

Hunger pain in the stomach occupies the main place in the symptoms of gastric and duodenal ulcers. This symptom is characteristic specifically of peptic ulcer disease, since it does not manifest itself in any other pathological processes in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, if a patient feels pain from hunger, it is worth visiting a doctor. Most likely, this symptom indicates the formation of ulcerative defects in the walls of the stomach or duodenum.

In medicine, stomach pain is referred to as gastralgia. Only a doctor can diagnose the disease and prescribe treatment.

General rules

Pain in the stomach ( gastralgia ) can indicate the presence of various gastrointestinal diseases, and can be a concomitant manifestation of neurological conditions, stress , and prolonged depression .
A type of pain syndrome is “hungry” pain, the regular occurrence of which indicates the presence of a pathological process in the stomach (usually the antrum and pylorus) or duodenum. Let's take a closer look at what hunger pain in the stomach is - causes, symptoms, treatment.

As a rule, pain on an empty stomach is a manifestation of a defect in the mucous membrane of the digestive organs and can be a symptom of simple/erosive gastritis , gastroduodenitis / duodenitis , peptic ulcer , and the presence of polyps in the stomach.

Hunger pain is pain in the epigastric region with a feeling of hunger, appearing after a break in food intake of varying duration and relieved by a small snack. They can appear at any time of the day, but in most cases they occur at night from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., when the patient wakes up with a feeling of abdominal pain in the stomach area and a strong desire to eat something. The main causes of hunger pain in the stomach:

• increased acidity of gastric juice;
• impaired gastric motility;
• irritation of prescriptions and local spasms in the area of ​​the erosive-ulcerative area of ​​the mucosa.

Hunger pains vary in nature, duration, and intensity, however, their presence in itself does not allow making an unambiguous diagnosis, since they are only part of the clinical symptom complex characteristic of a particular disease. In this regard, all painful manifestations in the stomach must be considered in conjunction with other symptoms (the time when an empty stomach hurts, the presence of discomfort, belching, heartburn, nausea , vomiting, stool disorders, bloating), as well as objective examination data (data from fibrogastroduodenoxia, indicator acidity of gastric juice). And only after all the symptoms have been identified and the cause of the pain syndrome has been established, treatment can be prescribed, including a diet for hunger pain in the stomach.

It should be noted that with pain in the stomach and pancreas and with periodic or constant feeling of hunger, these manifestations cannot be ignored, since the process accompanied by “hungry” pains progresses and the mucosal defect transforms from minor erosion to an ulcer, which can be complicated by bleeding, perforation and degeneration into a malignant tumor. And only timely treatment can achieve a good result and avoid chronicity of the process.

The diet for stomach pain is determined by the specific disease, its form (acute/chronic), the stage of the disease (exacerbation/persistent remission) and the condition of the patient. So, when the stomach hurts due to gastritis , gastroduodenitis , peptic ulcer , if the acidity is normal/high, dietary Table No. 1 or its varieties are prescribed depending on the form of the disease.

The main principle is to protect the gastric mucosa from adverse factors. To reduce the intake of extractive substances into the body, meat should be boiled as much as possible. Food is served at room temperature with a semi-liquid consistency, steamed or boiled, which avoids stimulation of enzymatic secretion of the stomach.

At the beginning of the acute period, a therapeutic Table 1A , which strictly limits the diet, and after a few days - a relatively gentle Diet 1B . The diet is limited to salt (up to 5-7 g/day) and contains only slimy vegetable soups, minced meat and low-fat fish, well-cooked porridge (with the exception of corn, wheat, barley), boiled vegetables, dried white bread/ crackers, soft-boiled eggs, milk, cottage cheese, fats in the form of vegetable oils and unsalted butter, which are added to ready-made dishes. After the process subsides, Table No. 1 with a more expanded diet.

In essence, this is a physiologically complete diet that provides the body’s energy needs without mechanical sparing. Dishes are prepared unprocessed, with varying degrees of grinding and heat treatment with a slight restriction of table salt. Meals are fractional, portions of reduced volume. As the symptoms subside, the diet expands. Day-old white bread, boiled vegetable salads, dietary sausage, and mild cheeses are allowed. Meat is consumed only of dietary grades. Chicken eggs - in the form of a steam omelet. The diet includes buckwheat (chicken), oatmeal and white rice.

Fats are predominantly of vegetable origin, preferably refined oils. A small amount of fresh cottage cheese is allowed; whole milk and cream are not recommended. It is necessary to refrain from pasta, raw fruits and berries. Vegetable juices may be present in the diet. Products that contain easily digestible carbohydrates (honey, sweets, sugar, jam), as well as those that are difficult to digest/linger in the stomach for a long time, are subject to restrictions.

Over the course of 2-3 months, the diet continues to gradually expand, portions increase, and if there are no complaints, the patient is transferred to the general Table No. 15 . In the future, to prevent the appearance of hunger pains in the autumn-spring periods, anti-relapse treatment is carried out, which consists of switching the patient to a gentle diet for 2-4 weeks ( Tables No. 1B , No. 1 ).

If a patient’s constant feeling of hunger and pain occur against the background of low acidity, then the main diet outside the period of exacerbation is therapeutic Table No. 2 according to Pevzner. Unlike the previous diet, its goal is to moderately stimulate the secretory function of the gastric glands and normalize gastrointestinal motility. A physiologically complete diet, the energy value of the daily diet is 2800-3000 Kcal.

Provides for the mandatory inclusion of meat/fish broths, dietary meat of varying degrees of grinding and heat treatment. All foods rich in fiber/connective tissue should be wiped. Animal and cooking fats, fresh bread, canned food, smoked meats, fatty red meats, smoked, fatty and salted fish, duck, goose, legumes, pearl barley, barley, hard-boiled eggs, and hard raw vegetables are excluded from the diet. Be sure to include vitamin and mineral supplements in your diet.

Treatment of hunger pains

After identifying the cause of the pain, the doctor decides on the treatment method. The drug regimen includes several areas:

• Normalization of motility of the digestive tract. For this purpose, drugs based on domperidone or metoclopramide are used.
• Relief of symptoms with painkillers or antispasmodics (Buscopan, Baralgin, No-shpa). Antacids (Maalox, Almagel, Phosphalugel) can reduce irritation of damaged mucous membranes. Self-medication with Analgin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be harmful.
• Fight against Helicobacter pylori. The danger of bacteria to stomach health has already been proven. If the pathogen is identified, its elimination is mandatory for successful therapy. The doctor prescribes a special treatment regimen, which includes an antibacterial drug and a proton pump inhibitor (it provides a gastroprotective effect).
• Accelerates the healing of erosions and reduces inflammation. Preparations based on bismuth - De-nol, Bismol - will be effective.

In addition to drug treatment, folk remedies also provide benefits. They are especially effective in the initial stages of the disease. For gastritis and erosive processes of the duodenum, the following are used:

• Calamus rhizome. Any cause of stomach pain is accompanied by inflammation, which this plant successfully fights, also providing a choleretic effect and stimulating the production of pancreatic enzymes. The decoction is prepared from a ratio of 200 ml of water per 10 g of raw material. The liquid should be kept on low heat for 15 minutes, then cooled and taken 50 ml 4 times a day.
• Pharmaceutical camomile. The technology for preparing the decoction is the same. The product helps relieve spasms of the gastrointestinal tract and accelerates tissue healing. You need to drink liquid in the morning and throughout the day on an empty stomach.
• Plantain. The plant is known for its enveloping and regenerating effect, due to its high mucilage content. For treatment, leaves or juice are used, which successfully relieve discomfort and protect the mucous membrane.

Indications

• 1A and 1B - hunger pain with normal/high acidity in acute/chronic gastritis, gastroduodenitis, gastric ulcer in the acute stage;
• Table No. 1 - hunger pain in acute/chronic gastritis, gastroduodenitis, gastric ulcer against the background of normal/high acidity in remission;
• Table No. 2 - hunger pain in acute/chronic gastritis, gastroduodenitis, gastric ulcer in remission with low acidity.

What symptoms indicate a problem?

Hunger pains are pains that occur 6-7 hours after the previous meal. It is important that they stop after a person eats.

They differ according to the following criteria:

• intensity;
• character;
• duration.

In approximately 30% of patients suffering from peptic ulcers, hunger pain is very intense. This leads to a disruption of the usual way of life, forcing a person to take a forced position. It makes you feel better for a short period of time, but then the pain returns.

The nature of the pain can also vary. Patients describe it as throbbing, burning, burning, aching, shooting, tugging, etc. Usually, based on this characteristic, it is not possible to draw any conclusion about the pathological process. The perception of pain depends on the characteristics of a person’s pain sensitivity.

Authorized Products

Dietary nutrition for hunger pain allows the inclusion in the diet of:

• white crackers, day-old/dried white bread, biscuits;
• dietary meats (chicken, lean beef, turkey, rabbit), unsalted ham, lean fish (pike, carp, pike perch);
• soft-boiled eggs, steamed omelet;
• cereals (buckwheat, semolina), vermicelli, white rice;
• boiled vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, pumpkin, beets, zucchini, carrots;
• vegetable oil/unsalted butter (added to dishes on the table);
• sweet berries and fruits (jelly, jelly, compotes, marshmallows) and drinks - fruit jelly, compote, mineral water, weak tea with milk.

Table of permitted products

Dancing for pain relief

Traditional medicine has long maintained that “all organs in the body are interconnected.” If one is affected, the consequences will certainly affect the other. And vice versa - restoring, for example, sleep - a brain that has experienced stress - will lead to an improvement in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Scientists have proven that physical exercise, meditation and distraction from uncomfortable sensations to more pleasant things help relieve pain.

Considering that painkillers are contraindicated for burning and bloating, this can be an excellent help for those suffering from gastritis.

Dancing and physical exercise promote:

• improving well-being;
• improvement of external data;
• increasing self-esteem;
• uplifting mood;
• relieving chronic fatigue syndrome.

This inevitably leads to an improvement in the situation with an unhealthy stomach. This means that the method is definitely worth trying.

Take care of your health, value life.

Fully or partially limited products

The diet for hunger pains prohibits:

• Highly extractive and rich broths and soups based on them, including borscht, okroshka, cabbage soup.
• Fatty varieties of red meat, canned meat, sausages, duck, goose, smoked meats, fatty fish and canned fish.
• Vegetables containing large quantities of fiber - peas, rutabaga, radishes, turnips, white cabbage, beans and foods rich in connective tissue, as well as sorrel, raw onions, dill, spinach, parsley, since they contain many essential oils and organic acids Mushrooms are not allowed as they are difficult to digest in the body.
• Canned vegetables, pickled and pickled vegetables that stimulate secretion, as well as hard-to-digest cereals - barley, millet, pearl barley and corn.
• Animal and cooking fats, fried eggs, tomato sauce, pepper, horseradish, mustard.
• Fresh white bread, dough, chocolate, dried fruit and ice cream. It is forbidden to consume sour fruits and berries, fermented milk products with high acidity, and sour cream.

Table of prohibited products

Features of pain in the morning

The syndrome of pain after waking up is accompanied by bitterness in the mouth and lasts for a long time.

The person feels sick and their condition worsens. After breakfast, the pain subsides, nausea disappears, and the patient’s well-being improves. These symptoms may be signs of a stomach ulcer.

If a person on an empty stomach experiences not only pain in the stomach, but also nausea, vomiting and a fever, then you should immediately call a doctor.

If a person experiences symptoms in the morning such as a sharp pallor of the skin, a decrease in blood pressure, cold sweat, and the pain is acute, provoking the development of pain shock, then the patient must be urgently hospitalized.

He should not be given painkillers, even if the pain intensifies. This can complicate the diagnosis.

Results and reviews

As numerous reviews from patients testify, dietary nutrition for regular hunger pains gives a good effect - salivation disappears, heaviness in the epigastric region and hunger pains, nausea, belching, the general condition of the patient improves, and appetite normalizes.

• “...I get hunger pains at least 2-3 times a year during an exacerbation of a stomach ulcer. When they appear, I immediately go on Diet No. 1 (fortunately, for 15 years I have studied everything related to dietary nutrition for peptic ulcers) and sit on it for about a month. During this time, the exacerbation subsides, and I very carefully and gradually expand my diet. I learned to cook on my own, since my wife cooks for the whole large family. Diet helps a lot”;
• “... I have had chronic gastritis for 8 years now and hunger pain is a common occurrence, especially after severe eating errors - drinking alcohol, or severe overeating. I have a positive attitude towards the diet, since it allows you to relatively quickly normalize the state of the gastrointestinal tract. I cook almost all the time in a double boiler; it makes life easier because it doesn’t require any special cooking knowledge. I’m already used to it, I’ve adapted and I recommend it to everyone.”

Possible complications

Painful sensations in the stomach are always quite strong, so people do not delay visiting a doctor. Complications often occur due to improper treatment and non-compliance with the recommended diet.

The danger of inflammatory and destructive processes in the gastrointestinal tract lies in the high probability of perforation of the organ. This causes severe pain, bleeding, and inability to digest food. It is also possible to develop pancreatitis or cholecystitis.

Untreated gastritis or duodenitis can become chronic with characteristic aching pain and mild nausea. The appearance of blood in the stool indicates the progression of the disease and requires urgent medical attention.

If you feel like your stomach is hungry even a short time after eating, there is a high probability of functional disorders or trophic changes in the organ.
To prevent complications or a sharp deterioration in health, you must urgently consult a doctor and undergo examination. Colon cleansing with water, you will find the answer in the link.