I keep getting sharp, stabbing pains in my abdomen, always
about an hour after eating. It takes my breath away for a few minutes then
passes. I’ve never had stomach problems before. What could it be? I am 41
and otherwise healthy.
Colin Meyer, by email
A: Dr Dan Rutherford writes
A: Dr Dan Rutherford writes
Abdominal pain can be hard enough to sort out even when one has seen and
examined the patient and done all the tests. One of the giants of medicine
was the Canadian physician, the late Sir William Osler. Among Osler’s many
famous pieces of advice to doctors was to “listen to the patient – he is
telling you the diagnosis”, meaning that within the details of the symptoms
lie the clues to their cause.
Abdominal pains that are short-lived and go away completely between attacks
are typically from spasm, such as from a gallbladder full of stones. If it
is regularly linked to meals, this may point to a stomach or duodenal ulcer
being influenced by fluctuations in stomach acidity with food. Irritable
bowel syndrome may cause intermittent abdominal pains and a bloated
sensation.
The site of the pain is important but can also be misleading, as the brain has devoted much more processing power to localising sensation in your fingertips than to gut pains. Go and see your GP but first note as many features or patterns to the pain as you can as this will make his or her job easier.
A: Sara Stanner writes
There are many causes of stomach pain after eating and, as Dan advises, you need to see your GP to get a diagnosis. A recurrent stomach pain only after eating certain foods may indicate an intolerance or allergy. However, if you are regularly experiencing pain after eating it could be a stomach or duodenal ulcer. This painful condition results from damage to the inner lining of the stomach or upper part of the intestine.
It affects about one in eight people in Britain. A common symptom is a burning pain that develops in the upper part or centre of your abdomen, although the pain can travel up to your neck and down to your navel. The pain can last for a few minutes to a few hours and is caused by the ulcer itself, or by stomach acid that comes into contact with the ulcer and irritates it. Often the pain starts soon after eating a meal if the ulcer is in your stomach, whereas if it is in your small intestine, the pain may start two to three hours after eating.
It used to be thought that stomach ulcers were caused by lifestyle factors such as spicy foods, stress, smoking and alcohol, although there is a lack of evidence to support this. There are treatments available from pharmacies to provide temporary relief, but these will not treat the underlying causes so it is best to see your GP.
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The site of the pain is important but can also be misleading, as the brain has devoted much more processing power to localising sensation in your fingertips than to gut pains. Go and see your GP but first note as many features or patterns to the pain as you can as this will make his or her job easier.
A: Sara Stanner writes
There are many causes of stomach pain after eating and, as Dan advises, you need to see your GP to get a diagnosis. A recurrent stomach pain only after eating certain foods may indicate an intolerance or allergy. However, if you are regularly experiencing pain after eating it could be a stomach or duodenal ulcer. This painful condition results from damage to the inner lining of the stomach or upper part of the intestine.
It affects about one in eight people in Britain. A common symptom is a burning pain that develops in the upper part or centre of your abdomen, although the pain can travel up to your neck and down to your navel. The pain can last for a few minutes to a few hours and is caused by the ulcer itself, or by stomach acid that comes into contact with the ulcer and irritates it. Often the pain starts soon after eating a meal if the ulcer is in your stomach, whereas if it is in your small intestine, the pain may start two to three hours after eating.
It used to be thought that stomach ulcers were caused by lifestyle factors such as spicy foods, stress, smoking and alcohol, although there is a lack of evidence to support this. There are treatments available from pharmacies to provide temporary relief, but these will not treat the underlying causes so it is best to see your GP.
READ MORE
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