Symptoms

Stomach pain after eating can manifest itself in different ways. Mostly they appear very suddenly after a meal. They can be sharp or dull and of varying intensity and are located in the left to middle upper abdomen.

Sometimes they also occur as colic, i.e. in relapses. In addition to stomach pain, there may be other symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss, general malaise and aversion to certain foods. It is important to remember that the symptoms do not always have to originate from the stomach itself, but in some cases are wrongly attributed to the stomach.

Stomach pains after eating, which are accompanied by other symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea or flatulence, can for example indicate food intolerance. Even very high-fat and extensive meals can cause such complaints. The intestinal activity is increased excessively, the affected persons feel strong stomach tumors.

Later, diarrhea and flatulence follow. These symptoms are frequently observed, especially in the case of an allergy to milk protein (lactose intolerance) or certain intestinal diseases (celiac disease / sprue). However, other causes can also be behind the complaints.

It is therefore important to seek medical clarification in the case of permanent or frequently recurring complaints. Stomach pains after eating often occur with belching. The cause of the belching is a weakness of the lower sphincter muscle of the esophagus.

Together with the stomach pain after eating, which is caused by excessive production of gastric acid, it forms the typical symptom complex of a so-called reflux disease. It is an acid-induced damage to the mucous membrane of the esophagus and the stomach. Since the acid is mainly secreted after eating, stomach pain with frequent belching then occurs.

This should be clarified by a physician in case of persistent complaints. Therapy of choice are so-called proton pump inhibitors, which inhibit the production of the acid and thus allow the mucous membrane to heal. Stomach pain often occurs after eating with a burning sensation in the stomach.

Those affected usually feel this in the middle of the upper abdomen. The burning sensation in the stomach usually lasts longer than the typical pain. So it is not unusual for stomach pain after eating to be accompanied by a burning sensation in the stomach for over an hour.

In addition to a reflux disease, this can be caused by a stomach ulcer, a so-called ulcer. This is a chronic defect of the stomach lining, which is caused by too much gastric acid. It is characterized by stomach pain after eating, which can be accompanied by burning in the stomach.

But heartburn with belching after eating also leads to stomach pain with burning sensation in the stomach. This pain is mistaken for stomach pain, but is localized in the lower esophagus. The most important pillar of therapy for both is the administration of proton pump inhibitors such as pantoprazole.

In addition, antibiotics must be administered for the bacterially caused stomach ulcer. Furthermore, an inflammation of the stomach can be behind the symptoms. This is acute and causes pain even at rest.

The treatment is similar to that for stomach ulcers. In some cases, stomach pain after eating occurs together with fever. If the symptoms are accompanied by fever, further measures should be taken to clarify the problem.

Fever is a sign of infection. It can be viral or bacterial. Causes are severe gastritis or a chronic stomach ulcer, which may even have broken through the wall.

If stomach pain occurs after eating with fever, it should therefore be taken to a doctor. In the medical clarification of stomach pain after eating, the patient is first asked about the exact symptoms and their temporal occurrence. Then the doctor palpates the patient’s stomach and also checks the stomach area for pressure pain.

As an additional diagnosis, an ultrasound examination of the abdomen can be performed. A gastroscopy is recommended for further evaluation.For this purpose, a tube with a camera – a so-called endoscope – is inserted into the patient’s mouth and oesophagus up to the stomach. This enables the doctor to assess the patient’s mucous membrane and also to take a sample of abnormal areas of mucous membrane.

This can be further examined histologically. In this way, stomach ulcers can be clarified for malignancy. If the cause of the symptoms is not in the gastrointestinal tract, the physician can also order a CT or MRI examination of the abdomen, with which the other organs can also be examined.