Squeezing Epigastric Pain, Upper Abdominal Cramps? | Incheon Epigastric Pain
Table of Contents
- "My Epigastric Region Feels Like It's Being Squeezed Painfully" – Is This Recurrent Upper Abdominal Squeezing Pain Just Gastritis?
- 1. Characteristics of the Symptoms – What Exactly is This 'Squeezing Sensation'?
- 2. Causes and Differential Diagnosis – It May Not Be Simple Gastritis
- 3. What Should Be Checked? – Hints for Differential Diagnosis
- 4. How to Manage It? – Prioritize Regulation Over Suppression
- 5. If Squeezing Pain Recurs, It's Not Simple Gastritis
"My Epigastric Region Feels Like It's Being Squeezed Painfully" – Is This Recurrent Upper Abdominal Squeezing Pain Just Gastritis?
"The tests came back normal, so why does it hurt so much?"
Hello. This is Baengnokdam Korean Medicine Clinic.
Have you ever experienced this?
A sudden, squeezing pain just below your epigastric region, but an endoscopy shows no abnormalities, and medication doesn't seem to help. It's not heartburn, but rather a feeling of something tightening inside. That squeezing pain can make you suddenly stop breathing, even when you're just sitting. Is this simply gastritis? Or is there another cause?
Today, we will discuss this type of contractile pain in the upper abdomen, a condition often referred to as gastric spasms.
1. Characteristics of the Symptoms – What Exactly is This 'Squeezing Sensation'?
Many people describe it this way:
- "The area below my epigastrium suddenly tightens and hardens."
- "It feels like someone is clenching their fist inside and squeezing."
- "It's so uncomfortable that it's hard to breathe in."
This pain is not a sharp, stabbing or burning sensation, but a squeezing pain caused by muscle contractions deep within the abdomen. It occurs intermittently and tends to worsen during fasting or stressful situations. Frequent belching after eating or a loss of appetite are also common.
2. Causes and Differential Diagnosis – It May Not Be Simple Gastritis
Generally, when this type of pain recurs, gastritis is the first thing that comes to mind. However, the pain of gastritis is usually continuous and dull, and inflammation of the mucous membrane is clearly observed during endoscopy. In contrast, in gastric spasms or functional dyspepsia, endoscopic findings are normal or show only minor changes.
Underlying conditions may include:
- Excessive contraction of gastric smooth muscle: This is a state where the stomach itself contracts, causing pain.
- Fundic accommodation disorder: The stomach does not relax flexibly when food enters, leading to sensations of fullness and pain.
- Visceral hypersensitivity: A state where even minor stimuli cause pain.
- Autonomic nervous system dysfunction: In stressful situations, the stomach's movements are not regulated, leading to irregular spasms.
- Functional gastrointestinal disorder or nervous gastrointestinal disorder: A condition not confirmed by tests, but where the rhythm of the autonomic nervous system is disrupted, leading to impaired gastric motility and sensory regulation.
3. What Should Be Checked? – Hints for Differential Diagnosis
By examining the following items, you can find clues as to whether it's simple gastritis or a functional disorder:
| Item | Possibility of Gastritis | Possibility of Gastric Spasm or Functional Disorder |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Pattern | Continuous, burning sensation | Intermittent, squeezing sensation |
| Onset Time | Post-meal | Fasting, stressful situations |
| Belching, Sighing | Rarely present | Often accompanied |
| Endoscopic Findings | Mucosal inflammation, erosion | Normal or minor changes |
| Medication Response | Antacids effective | Antispasmodics or Prokinetics needed |
4. How to Manage It? – Prioritize Regulation Over Suppression
These symptoms cannot be resolved simply with antacids or painkillers. The important thing is to restore the rhythm of your stomach.
- Dietary habit adjustments: Avoid late-night meals, eat moderate portions at each meal.
- Antispasmodics and gastroprokinetic agents: To stabilize irregular stomach contractions.
- Relaxation training: Abdominal breathing, meditation, stress management.
- Sleep management: Essential for restoring autonomic nervous system balance.
- Korean medicine treatment: After evaluating stomach tension, liver qi stagnation, and food stagnation through abdominal palpation, pattern identification-based treatment is provided.
5. If Squeezing Pain Recurs, It's Not Simple Gastritis
If your epigastric region feels like it's being squeezed painfully, and belching or discomfort recurs, it might not be simple inflammation, but rather a failure in gastric muscle regulation and an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system. Even if it's not outwardly visible, your internal organs are clearly sending signals. Instead of forcibly suppressing it, a strategy to restore your body's rhythm is needed.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, do not simply conclude it is gastritis, but consider a functional approach from a broader perspective.
Thank you.
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