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High Stomach Pain

Many people experience stomach pain at one time or another for a variety of reasons, including from eating bad food or gastric distress or as a result of food allergies. When stomach pain occurs with any regularity, there could be serious underlying problems that need to be addressed.

  1. Symptoms of High Stomach Pain

    • HIgh stomach pain can appear as chest pain, cough, breathing difficulty, vomiting, fever or diarrhea and constipation.

      Even though pain is experienced in the abdominal cavity, that pain could be the result of problems arising from other organs that are close to the abdominal cavity. This is called a "referred" pain.

      One of the more common problems creating upper abdominal pain is Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or Acid Reflux. High stomach pain can be caused by ulcers. The pain of an ulcer can sometimes be relieved by taking antacids or by eating. The relief is only temporary as these methods only serve to neutralize the acids in the stomach. It is the stomach acid that irritates the ulcer resulting in pain. Pancreatitis displays as a constant and severe pain that may be felt in the upper back as well as upper abdomen.

    High Stomach Pain (Left Side)

    • Left high stomach pain can be recognized by the severity and location of the pain and the presence of additional symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, etc. Left high stomach pain will have pain located underneath the ribcage and could be the result of peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), kidney infection or gastritis.

    HIgh Stomach Pain (Right Side)

    • Right high stomach pain will be felt in the upper right part of the stomach also felt under the ribcage, but could also be felt in the middle part of the stomach. Where the pain is located gives the doctor a good idea of an underlying cause for the pain.

    Diagnosing the Pain

    • An examination is required to find the underlying cause of the pain. The doctor will be looking for fever, peripheral edema (swelling of hands and/or feet and ankles); a yellowing of the skin and/or eyes (jaundice); a result of liver problems or tachycardia (abnormal heartbeat) or skin rashes.

    See the Doctor When...

    • The abdominal pain is severe and continuous. Particularly in cases of pain lasting more than 30 minutes.

      If there is nausea or vomiting accompanying the pain, bloody stools, changes in skin coloration, difficulty breathing.

      If you experience the same pain repeatedly over a period of time.

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