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

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

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:

• Rantidine
• Nizatidine
• Cimetidine
• Famotidine
• Pantoprazole
• Rabeprazole
• Omeprazole
• Lansoprazole
• Pepto-Bismol
• TUMS
• Milk of Magnesia – can be used to neutralize stomach acid.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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

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 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.

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.