A gastroenterologist shows the one thing he would never do, it's about stomach aches
2024-10-31 13:49:52
TiranaPost
It is very common to say "my stomach hurts". You've probably had stomach aches at some point in your life, whether it's discomfort after eating, stress-related pain, menstrual cramps, or an even bigger problem.
It takes a while to determine exactly what is wrong. Why? Because "there are many causes of stomach pain," said Dr. Sunina Nathoo, a gastroenterologist at the Digestive Health Institute of Orlando—like gallstones, ulcers, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, appendicitis and more.
But there's one thing doctors say they never do (and should never do) when it comes to any kind of stomach ache.
They don't ignore pain – especially if it's unexpected.
"If there's stomach pain that just doesn't feel right, I recommend seeing a gastroenterologist to figure out what's going on," Nathoo said.
The type of pain you're experiencing should dictate your next steps, as some symptoms are more serious than others — especially if you have sudden new pain.
If you have mild, chronic stomach pain, you should see a doctor if the pain persists for more than a week or two, Nathoo said.
It's also important to take any pain or symptoms seriously if you have a family history of stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, or colon cancer, according to Dr. Ekta Gupta, a gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.
Abdominal pain, rectal bleeding and blood in the stool are all signs of the disease.
