In the 'Symptoms - Abdominal Pain' section of our in-depth questionnaire we ask the following question about epigastric pain:
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Do you have pain or discomfort in the upper abdominal (stomach) area, below the breastbone?
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Your answer |
...indicates |
...and suggests |
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"Don't know" |
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"No" |
Absence of epigastric pain |
A symptom |
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"Occasionally / mild" |
Epigastric pain |
A symptom |
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"Several times a week / moderate" |
Epigastric pain |
A symptom |
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"Frequently / severe" |
Epigastric pain |
A symptom |
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Your answer will affect the likelihoods of the conditions below.
Any answers in green reduce the likelihood of the condition.
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| Answers |
Condition |
Comment |
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Allergy to Foods (Hidden) |
The first part of the body to react to food is often the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes mast cells are involved in allergic reactions and release chemicals such as histamine. If the affected mast cells are in the gastrointestinal tract, a person may suffer vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhea. |
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3 |
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5 |
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) |
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Gastric/Peptic/Duodenal Ulcers |
Most patients with ulcers complain of pain or discomfort that is located in the upper part of the stomach, often in the area immediately below or around the lower part of the breast bone. This is called epigastric pain. Symptoms may be associated with meals, or occur in-between meals, or sometimes even occur at night to the point where one can be woken up from sleep. This pain may be relieved by meals also. |
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Gastritis |
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GLOSSARY
Abdomen (Abdominal)
That part of the body between the chest and the hips that contains the stomach, intestines, liver, bladder, pancreas and other organs.
Diarrhea
Excessive discharge of contents of bowel.
Epigastric
Relating to the area immediately above the stomach.
Gastrointestinal (GI, GI Tract)
Pertaining to the stomach, small and large intestines, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.
Histamine
A chemical in the body tissues, produced by the breakdown of histidine. It is released in allergic reactions and causes widening of capillaries, decreased blood pressure, increased release of gastric juice, fluid leakage forming itchy skin and hives, and tightening of smooth muscles of the bronchial tube and uterus. Histamine is the chemical that drives the initial acute allergic reaction, causing itching, swelling and congestion.
Mast Cells
These are a group of cells that line the capillaries of tissues that come in contact with the outside, for example skin, sinuses, and lung mucosa. They, like their first cousin basophils, are produced in the red bone marrow and migrate to the appropriate tissues, where they stay. They bind IgE, supply the histamine and heparin response that gives you a healing inflammation, and cause allergies.
Stomach
A hollow, muscular, J-shaped pouch located in the upper part of the abdomen to the left of the midline. The upper end (fundus) is large and dome-shaped; the area just below the fundus is called the body of the stomach. The fundus and the body are often referred to as the cardiac portion of the stomach. The lower (pyloric) portion curves downward and to the right and includes the antrum and the pylorus. The function of the stomach is to begin digestion by physically breaking down food received from the esophagus. The tissues of the stomach wall are composed of three types of muscle fibers: circular, longitudinal and oblique. These fibers create structural elasticity and contractibility, both of which are needed for digestion. The stomach mucosa contains cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and this in turn activates the other gastric enzymes pepsin and rennin. To protect itself from being destroyed by its own enzymes, the stomach’s mucous lining must constantly regenerate itself.
Ulcer (Ulceration, Ulcers)
Lesion on the skin or mucous membrane.
Last updated: Feb 28, 2008
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