Every person is familiar with the funny expression “sucks in the pit of the stomach.” It is usually used to describe feelings of fear, excitement or hunger. The “spoon” is the depression located between the sternum and the upper abdomen, just below the ribs. The epigastric region also has alternative names: among the people - the intergastrium, in medical vocabulary - the epigastrium. In this article you will learn where the epigastric region is located.
Where is the epigastric region located?
To understand where the “spoon” area is located, you need to draw an imaginary triangle, the top of which rests on the middle of the ribs, and the lower corners run along the bottom line of the ribs. Today we will take a detailed look at the features of this area, as well as the processes that occur in it.
The epigastric region: features
The epigastric or epigastric region is divided into three segments:
- Left hypochondrium area;
- Right hypochondrium area;
- Epigastric center.
Epigastric, intergastric and epigastric - different names for one area of the human body
In general, several important organs are projected in the epigastrium: most of the stomach, loops of the small intestine, the upper poles of the kidneys, the left upper hepatic lobe, the initial part of the duodenum. If a person complains of pain in the pit of the stomach, a medical professional can determine which organs may be causing such symptoms and prescribe specific tests.
Thus, discomfort or pain in the central part of the epigastric region indicates ailments affecting the liver or stomach. Pain in the left hypochondrium indicates diseases of the spleen or liver, in the right - about problems in the gallbladder.
The causes of stomach pain can be various pathological and physiological conditions.
The epigastric zone plays an important role in clinical examination, since it is in it that a high percentage of the formation and concentration of pain is noted. This is due to the close location of the organs to this area, as well as the vulnerability of the epigastrium itself. Considering the location of the epigastric zone, it is quite sensitive to various types of injuries and damage, so you need to pay special attention to the safety of the area you are looking for.
Note. Doctors insist that one cannot ignore painful sensations in the pit of the stomach, which can be either the first sign of illness or a serious symptom.
Causes of pain in the epigastric region (diseases)
Pain in the epigastrium generally portends any problems in the digestive system. Pain can be divided:
- sharp, sudden pain. Most likely, it is pancreatitis, duodenal ulcer, cholecystitis;
- sharp and sudden. Presumably poisoning or chemical burn;
- sharp and very severe pain, “as if someone were cutting the stomach with a knife.” This is a breakthrough of an ulcer into the abdominal cavity;
- aching pain with a burning sensation indicates gastritis, especially if this occurs after eating;
- pain similar to contractions will indicate inflammation of the intestines or an open ulcer. This may also be an indicator of an intestinal infection;
- pain that feels like a shooting through the epigastrium when changing body position is a consequence of poor blood circulation or an inflammatory process;
- constant aching pain may be a consequence of cancer or polyps;
- dull pain syndrome with pain in the navel area speaks of appendicitis;
- intense pain, which becomes less after 2-3 days, indicates the appearance of colitis.
Let's look at each problem separately.
Gastritis
Gastritis is a common disease in people who eat inconsistently or eat on the run.
Today, more and more often, doctors make this diagnosis to students, office workers and anyone who cannot pamper themselves with normal homemade food, but eats fast food.
To understand whether you have gastritis, just listen to yourself. If there is pain in the epigastrium after eating, you need to consult a gastroenterologist.
Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining. It can be divided according to its course into acute and chronic.
The second is scary because of the risks of ulcers and cancerous tumors in the stomach.
There are several types of gastritis, namely: atrophic, erosive, polypous, hypertrophic.
The doctor can accurately determine the type of disease after performing a gastroscopy. During the examination, the doctor, after preparing the patient, inserts an endoscope through the mouth and examines the surface of the esophagus, the area of the stomach and duodenum. The examination must be carried out carefully, because the pathology can be located in different parts of the abdominal cavity.
Pain in the epigastric region
Above, we figured out that several largest organs are projected into the epigastric region. Accordingly, discomfort and pain “in the pit of the stomach” can indicate a variety of ailments. Let's briefly look at what diseases can manifest as epigastric pain.
Epigastric region of the abdomen
Bloating due to overeating or stomach diseases, as well as functional dyspepsia (rapid filling of the stomach with a small amount eaten) are factors that cause discomfort in the epigastric region. In the epigastric zone, a person may feel pressure, burning, and complain that there is a burning sensation in the pit of the stomach. Typically, with these problems, discomfort increases gradually and subsides after a short time. If these sensations occur from time to time and are associated with food intake, and are also associated with a feeling of nausea or even vomiting, examination by a gastroenterologist cannot be postponed.
Symptoms of functional dyspepsia
In 80 percent, pain in the epigastric area is associated precisely with lesions of the digestive tract and typical diseases: gastritis (especially of autoimmune origin), pancreatitis, inflammation of the duodenum, and so on. Girdle pain with a nagging character, which is accompanied by permanent nausea, is a characteristic symptom of pancreatitis. Acute and continuous pain in the pit of the stomach, accompanied by vomiting and fever, is a signal of an inflammatory or infectious condition of the internal organs.
First aid for pancreatitis
Severe weakness, vomiting associated with dull pain in the epigastrium are associated with inflammation of the small intestine or duodenum. If a person feels stabbing, “dagger” pain in the pit of the stomach, or strong spasmodic tension in the abdominal muscles, these are characteristic manifestations of an ulcer in the stomach.
You can read more detailed information about stomach ulcers in our article.
Locations of ulcers
In this case, discomfort in the epigastric region may be associated with lung diseases (pleurisy, pneumonia, inflammation), heart attacks, chondrosis and pinched muscles, and circulatory disorders. With renal colic, nagging pains of a paroxysmal nature also appear in the intergastrointestinal tract.
Causes of pain in the pit of the stomach
In most cases, pain in the pit of the stomach is accompanied by other, more specific symptoms. Together, these symptoms can indicate serious and dangerous pathologies, therefore it is necessary to plan a trip to the clinic in the near future.
Table 1. Causes of pain in the pit of the stomach
| Which organ is affected? | Description of the problem |
| Lungs | Since the epigastric region goes around the lungs from below, a person often feels pain and discomfort in this area during bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis and similar ailments. |
| Diaphragm | If pain in the epigastrium intensifies with inspiration, and also radiates to the neck and shoulders, one should suspect ailments such as diaphragmatic hernia or relaxation of the diaphragm. |
| Spleen | If this organ is damaged (for example, splenic infarction), the pain comes from the left hypochondrium and can flow through the center of the epigastrium to the neck. |
| Heart | Cardiac diseases often “hit” the epigastric region, radiating to the sternum, shoulders and even jaw. The pain is accompanied by pressure fluctuations and rapid heartbeat. |
| Liver | Spasmodic pain in the right hypochondrium indicates liver problems. |
| Appendix | If a person has an inflamed appendix, with sudden movements or turns, pain may be felt in the right hypochondrium. Its nature will not necessarily be acute - “in the pit of the stomach” appendicitis often manifests itself as dull, increasing pain. |
| Stomach | Pain in the epigastric region associated with stomach diseases can be either sharp and stabbing, or pulling, cramping, spasmodic. Pain is often accompanied by tension in the abdominal muscles, nausea, vomiting, and bowel movements. |
| Pancreas | The nature of the pain is similar to that accompanying gastric ailments: it can be shingles, sharp or aching. |
| Intestines | “In the pit of the stomach” the pain is strong and sharp, often the pain is accompanied by vomiting, which does not bring relief. |
| Gallbladder | Acute cramping pain radiates to the center of the epigastrium and radiates to the neck and shoulder blades. The pain intensifies with deep breaths. |
| Kidneys | Kidney diseases have the following symptoms: pain is localized in the center of the epigastric region, and when moving it radiates to the perineum and lower back. |
Regular pain in the epigastric region is a reason to immediately contact a medical facility
The local therapist will prescribe the necessary examinations and also offer symptomatic treatment for the first time. Once the diagnosis is made, therapy will be prescribed more precisely. Usually a complex type of treatment is prescribed, which restores not only the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, but also the immune system.
Pain in the epigastric region
Alexei
May 21, 2020
Hello! Periodic pain in the epigastric region, sometimes the area of pain is not entirely clear and radiates to the right and left. The nature of the pain is tolerable, there is no severe pain, it looks like a burning sensation and as if something is stabbing, sometimes it feels like something is stuck in the esophagus. There is belching after eating, sometimes heartburn (it doesn’t hurt much). Pain and discomfort do not depend on food intake, the only concern is the feeling of fullness in the stomach after eating, and as if there is a lump closer to the esophagus. There is no bitterness in the mouth or nausea. Appetite is good. I passed the following tests - blood, urine, feces, FGDS. Did an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. Here are the results: BLOOD - ALT - 23.7 (normal 0.0-50.0); AST-18.7 (norm 0.0-50.0); alkaline phosphatase - 101 (normal 30-120); Gamma-GT - 16.5 (normal 0.0-55.0); Alpha amylase - 59.0 (normal 28.0-100.0); Lipase - 14 (normal 3 -67); Total protein - 74.7 (normal 66.0-83.0); Albumin 46.8 (normal 35.0-52.0); Total bilirubin - 24.9 (normal 5.0-21.0); Direct bilirubin - 4.3 (normal 0.0-3.4). M O C A - urine alpha amylase - 131 (normal 0-490). A N T I T E L A to Helicobacter pylori, IgG - 0.4 IU/ml. K A L general analysis - consistency - soft; Brown color; pH - neutral; stercobilin - present; bilirubin - absent; muscle fibers with striations - absent; muscle fibers without striations - single; connective tissue - absent; neutral fat - absent; fatty acids - absent; soap - a small amount; intracellular starch - absent; extracellular starch - absent; iodophilic flora - absent; digestible fiber - absent; indigestible fiber - present; mucus - absent; red blood cells - absent; leukocytes - absent; helminth eggs - not found; protozoa - not detected; yeast fungi - not detected. Ultrasound of the Abdominal cavity: LIVER. Location: typical. Contours: smooth. Sound conductivity: unchanged. Parenchyma structure: homogeneous. Parenchyma echogenicity: average. Dimensions: thickness of the right lobe 97 mm (normal up to 125 mm), CVR 119 mm (normal up to 150 mm), thickness of the left lobe 97 (normal up to 60 mm), CVR 78 mm (normal up to 100 mm) Presence of space-occupying formations and their characteristics: not identified. Vascular pattern of the parenchyma: preserved. Intrahepatic ducts: not dilated. Hepatic veins: not dilated. Portal vein: 9.5 mm (normal up to 14 mm). Inferior vena cava: 18mm (normal 25mm) Hepatic artery in the area of the porta hepatis: not dilated. GALL BLADDER. Location: typical. The presence of kinks and constrictions: in the middle third, when changing the position of the body, they are partially straightened. Dimensions: 74*19mm. Walls: 2mm (norm up to 3mm). Clearance: free. Common bile duct: 4 mm, not dilated, the lumen in the area accessible to visualization is free. PANCREAS. head 24 mm (normal 11-30mm), body 11 mm (normal 4-21), tail 20 mm (7-28). Contours: unclear. Echogenicity of the parenchyma: isoechoic of the liver. Parenchyma structure: homogeneous. Pancreatic (Wirsung) duct: not dilated. Presence of space-occupying formations and their characteristics: not identified. SPLEEN. Location: typical. Shape: typical. Contour: smooth. Structure: homogeneous. Echogenicity is not changed. Dimensions 96*36. Presence of space-occupying formations and their characteristics: not identified. Splenic vein at the level of the hilum of the spleen: not wide. Free fluid in the abdominal cavity is not detected. CONCLUSION: No organic pathologies were identified. F G D C. pH = 4.0 - against the background of bile reflux. The ESOPHAGUS is freely passable along its entire length, its walls are elastic, the mucous membrane of the abdominal segment is hyperemic, with fibrin deposits. The rosette of the cardia is elastic, does not close completely, retrograde prolapse of the gastric mucosa is determined against the background of reflux. The STOMACH is of normal shape and size, the walls are elastic, they expand freely with air. In the stomach on an empty stomach there is a lot of foamy mucous content mixed with a moderate amount of cloudy, flaky bile. The mucous membrane is normal, with areas of hyperemia. The folds of the mucous membrane are of the correct orientation, soft, mobile, and can be expanded freely with air. Peristalsis can be traced in all departments. The GOILKEEPER is of the correct shape, gapes, we pass freely for the videoscope. The duodenal bulb is normal, cone-shaped, the mucous membrane is hyperemic. HORSESHOE duodenum with normal lumen, contains bile. The mucous membrane is hyperemic, with multiple lymphangiectasia (the “semolina” phenomenon). The relief has been preserved. The BDS is not visually changed. CONCLUSION: distal catarrhal reflux - esophagitis. Indirect signs of hiatal hernia. Superficial gastritis. Duodenitis. Duodeno-gastric reflux. Indirect signs of the pancreatobiliary zone.
The question is closed
Pain in the epigastric region
Sucks in the pit of the stomach
When faced with danger, acute sensations, fear or getting into a nervous situation, a person may feel discomfort in the epigastric region, which cannot be called painful. They say about it like this: “It sucks in the pit of your stomach.” The fact is that when the nervous system is excited, the motor activity of the stomach also increases. The second situation in which you can experience this sensation is hunger or active secretion of gastric secretions. What is the sucking feeling in the epigastric region connected with: nerves or the work of the stomach? Let's clarify this issue.
The feeling of something sucking in the pit of your stomach is, in fact, absolutely physiological
You can start sucking in the pit of your stomach a couple of hours after a meal. This feeling is encountered more often by individuals with a choleric character or simply by impressionable people with an active, agile psyche. There is even an official name for the desired sensation: the motor migratory complex.
MMC is the contractile activity of the stomach, which is repeated cyclically in the interdigestive time period. Typically, the motor migratory complex occurs during a period when the digestive tract is at rest. As soon as a person has eaten, the MMC is interrupted, as the activity of the organ changes. Why does the body need MMC? In the process, food debris, mucus, bacteria, and gastric secretions migrate through the digestive tract.
The migrating motor complex in healthy people is characterized by constancy of characteristics and consists of cyclically repeating phases
The contractile motor cycle lasts from one and a half to two hours, most of this time occurs in the resting phase (first phase). Muscle contractions (second phase) occur later, increase gradually, reaching their greatest intensity in the third phase. It lasts no more than five to six minutes and is a maximum outbreak of gastrointestinal motility activity, which doctors call the motor migratory complex. This is what people perceive as sucking in the pit of the stomach.
When the third phase ends, a short passage begins when motor activity decreases. A decrease in motility is also associated with diet - the more hungry a person is, the lower the contractile activity of the gastrointestinal tract. So, after a day of fasting, activity drops by 70 percent.
Structure of the human gastrointestinal tract
Important point! The sucking sensation in the epigastric region should not be confused with hunger pain in the stomach. This is a slight feeling of emptiness, not pain. Hunger pains are the result of prolonged fasting, more than three to four days. Sucking in the epigastrium begins much earlier - from several hours to a day, depending on the speed of metabolism in the human body.
Most often, the stomach is in good shape in young, active, healthy people. Also, gastric tone and the feeling of “sucking in the pit of the stomach” are familiar to those who have low blood sugar. If there is a sucking sensation in the pit of the stomach at night, then we may be talking about a hormonal imbalance. Thus, discomfort in the epigastric region is often caused by a lack of cortisol, leptin, ghrelin or neuropeptides.
Why does it suck in the pit of the stomach?
Often sucks in the pit of the stomach several hours after eating
Table 2. Why does it suck “in the pit of the stomach”?
| Time period, circumstances | Possible reason |
| No more than five minutes, goes away on its own | The stomach muscles move; in other words, the organ simply stretches. |
| More than ten minutes, not associated with hunger | State of stress, panic. You shouldn’t immediately seize this feeling, you need to switch to something, drink mint tea, lie down. |
| Immediately after a meal or within a short time after a meal | Reduced blood sugar levels. Mistaking the feeling of thirst for a feeling of hunger (the centers of saturation with food and liquid are located nearby, so a person often feels hungry when he is actually thirsty). |
| Regularly throughout the day | Stress, fatigue, sleep disturbances, too active work schedule, inability to fully restore the body’s strength. |
| After a meal that includes fatty, hot, spicy foods | Stress, fatigue, sleep disturbances, too active work schedule, inability to fully restore the body’s strength. |
| After a meal that includes fatty, hot, spicy foods | Pancreatic reaction. As a rule, a sucking sensation in the epigastrium is accompanied by belching and heartburn. |
| 6-7 hours after eating, accompanied by increasing pain | Gastritis, peptic ulcer. It is necessary to visit a gastroenterologist and examine the stomach. |
Proper nutrition is the key to health
Summarizing
A sucking, uncomfortable or even painful feeling in the epigastric region is a symptom that almost every person has encountered. It is important to be able to distinguish when this trouble is associated with external factors or mild hunger. Regular pain in the pit of the stomach is a sign that is foolish to ignore. Important organs are projected into this area, disorders in which can seriously disrupt the quality of life and lead to long-term treatment.
Visit a qualified doctor
We recommend not postponing a visit to the doctor if the epigastric region reminds you of itself too often. It is possible that no pathology will be detected, but a specialist will help you adjust your diet and lifestyle in general so that discomfort bothers you as little as possible.
