How to heal the stomach lining for people with stomach pain

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with Specialist Doctor I Dong Xuan Ha - Deputy Head of Department of Examination and Internal Medicine - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital
Stomach pain is a condition in which the stomach lining is damaged, mainly caused by stomach ulcers. People with stomach pain often feel a dull pain but extremely uncomfortable, especially after eating too full or too hungry. So what are the effective ways to heal the stomach lining to relieve these symptoms?

1. Gastric ulcers cause prolonged stomach pain

The stomach is an important part of the digestive system, acting as a food bag and connected to the duodenum. The normal stomach will hold about 1-1.5 liters of food/drink. The stomach's main function is motility, peristalsis, excretion and digestion based on regular contractions in the stomach muscle layer, Chohydric acid and digestive enzymes. When the stomach is full, gastric tone is reduced, when empty, the tone is increased. Each day, the stomach can excrete about 1.5 liters of gastric juice, proteins, albumin, immunoglobulins, amino acids and enzymes such as: Pepsinogen, pepsin, glucide, glycoprotein...
The stomach is composed of 5 layers. , in which the mucosa is the outermost layer and contains the glands of the stomach. The gastric mucosa has a protective function and prevents bad agents from affecting the stomach. However, this mucosal layer is very fragile, easily damaged by various agents, especially inflammation, which will thin the stomach lining excessively, even leaving ulcers. If left untreated for a long time can increase the risk of some complications such as:
Peptic ulcer, One of the main causes of stomach pain is very common. Stomach pain is often accompanied by signs such as heartburn, bloating, belching, epigastric pain ... Stomach pain is a very common symptom today. Stomach bleeding. Stomach perforation. pyloric stenosis. Occurrence of tumors in the stomach, increasing the risk of stomach cancer.

2. Mechanism of gastric ulcer disease

Before learning about the ways to heal the inflamed gastric mucosa, we need to know the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer. Mechanism of peptic ulcer disease is due to an imbalance between two groups of pathogenic factors and protective factors.
Among which, common causative factors include excess hydrochloric acid (HCl) and/or pepsin of gastric juice, infection with Helicobacter pylori, abuse of anti-inflammatory drugs, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking. .
In contrast, factors that protect against gastric mucosal thinning include: mucin, bicarbonate, capillary network and especially the integrity of the gastric epithelial cell layer.

3. The principle of healing the stomach lining

Based on the above pathogenesis, the ways to heal the gastric and duodenal mucosa that are ulcerated should follow the basic principles as follows:
Inhibition of gastric acid and pepsin secretion by drugs that heal the mucosa stomach as the group that inhibits secretion or neutralizes acid; Support to enhance mucosal protective factors such as the use of drugs to create a coating or bandage the ulcer. This group of drugs to heal the stomach lining has the effect of limiting the attack of ulcer-causing factors, and creating favorable conditions for the mucosal layer to recover over time. In addition, gastric mucosal dressings also have the effect of inhibiting H. Apply measures to stimulate the regeneration of mucosal cells, the secretion of mucus and prostaglandins; Using a regimen to eradicate Helicobacter pylori with antibiotics or some other supportive drugs; There are supportive treatment measures, improving the overall health of the patient.

4. How to heal the stomach lining for people with stomach pain

4.1. Using drugs to heal the stomach lining

Using medicine is the current preferred method of treating stomach ulcers. However, before applying, the patient needs to be examined and diagnosed by a doctor to determine if there is a stomach ulcer or not, and to achieve the desired effect, the patient needs to follow the instructions and absolutely do not arbitrarily. Buy or change medications without your doctor's prescription.
Some drugs that heal the stomach lining commonly used in the treatment of peptic ulcers include:
Group that inhibits gastric acid secretion; Group neutralizing gastric acid; Groups of antibiotics capable of killing HP bacteria; The drug group of mucosal dressings, creates a membrane to protect the ulcer site from agents.

4.2. Follow-up appointment by specialist doctor

Although the use of drugs is an effective way to heal the stomach lining, it requires patients to strictly adhere to the dosage, type of medicine and especially to follow-up with the doctor's appointment. Medicines to heal the stomach lining are usually prescribed by doctors for 2-4 weeks, depending on the condition and location of each patient. Therefore, the follow-up examination after the end of a course of treatment is very important, helping the doctor to assess whether the stomach ulcer condition has improved or not or whether the patient has experienced any side effects of the drug.
In some cases, after taking the drug, when feeling that the stomach ulcer condition has improved, then arbitrarily stop or replace the drug, do not re-examine or take another patient's prescription to use... The disease is actively progressing but unintentionally negatively affects health. Once peptic ulcer is under control, the patient should still have regular check-ups to prevent future recurrence.

4.3. Some foods support the treatment of stomach ulcers

Some foods have the effect of healing the stomach lining relatively effectively, but not everyone knows, that is:
Aloe vera: Aloe vera juice has both skin-beautifying effects and helps to improve symptoms. flatulence caused by ulcers. At the same time, aloe vera also has a laxative effect and supports digestion very well; Yellow turmeric: Turmeric powder mixed with honey has anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer and gastric secretion reduction; Black turmeric: Used with warm water, it has the effect of limiting gastric secretion and stimulating the function of the digestive system. However, natural herbal remedies still have potential risks of allergies, side effects or poisoning, so patients should consult a specialist before using.

4.4. Change your diet and living habits

Patients with an unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits have a higher risk of peptic ulcer disease, so it is necessary to change and adjust as soon as possible to improve the condition of the ulcer, thin the lining of the ulcer. stomach and prevent other diseases.
To have a healthy diet and moderate activities, the patient needs to:
Limit the use of alcohol, stimulants and give up the habit of smoking; A diet fortified with green vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains; Sleep on time, get enough sleep and try not to stay up too late; Maintain psychological stability, optimism and comfort, minimize anxiety or excessive stress; Food should be soft, easy to digest, and limited to acidic, spicy, and hot dishes; Build a reasonable exercise regimen, exercise for at least 30 minutes a day and participate in appropriate sports. In general, there are many ways to heal the stomach lining for people with stomach pain, but the most important thing is the patient's awareness of treatment adherence in using drugs and daily living habits. These factors will be an important premise for the stomach to quickly recover and improve the patient's quality of life.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.