“Gastric” has become the everyday name for burning, fullness, belching, nausea and pain anywhere in the upper abdomen. Most of the time the cause is genuinely acid-related and genuinely manageable. The problem is that a few conditions produce very similar sensations, and the familiar label makes them easy to wave away.
The common causes
- Acid reflux — burning behind the breastbone, worse lying down or after a heavy, oily meal.
- Gastritis and peptic ulcer — often linked to Helicobacter pylori infection, which is common here and treatable.
- Gallstones — pain in the upper right abdomen after fatty food, sometimes reaching the back or right shoulder.
- Painkiller-related irritation — regular ibuprofen or similar tablets for joint pain are a frequent and overlooked cause.
The one that must not be missed
A heart attack does not always present as dramatic chest pain. It can feel like indigestion, heaviness or burning in the upper abdomen — and it is mistaken for gastric often enough that it is worth stating plainly. Treat it as a cardiac emergency if the discomfort:
- comes on with exertion and eases with rest
- spreads to the jaw, neck, left arm or back
- comes with sweating, breathlessness, nausea or a feeling of dread
Go to a hospital emergency department, or call 999. Antacid is not the test.
If you are over forty and “gastric” has appeared for the first time, it deserves examination rather than a strip of tablets.
Other signs that need assessment, not antacid
- Losing weight without trying
- Vomiting blood, or stool that is black and tarry
- Food sticking, or pain on swallowing
- Persistent vomiting
- Being found anaemic on a blood test
- Pain that wakes you from sleep
The long-term omeprazole habit
Acid-suppressing capsules are cheap, available without prescription, and effective — which is why so many people take them for years. They relieve the symptom without ever answering what is causing it, and can mask a problem that would have been simpler to treat earlier. If you have needed them continuously for more than a few weeks, that is the point to be examined properly.
What helps in the meantime
Smaller and more regular meals, less fried and heavily spiced food, not lying down for two to three hours after eating, raising the head of the bed, cutting tobacco, and losing some weight if there is weight to lose. These are unglamorous and they work.
This article is general health information, not a diagnosis. For anything specific to you, please come to the chamber or call 01357-296604 for a serial.
