If you’re experiencing intense stomach pain after eating, you may have a stomach or gastric ulcer. Pain after eating is one of the main symptoms of this condition, as well as nausea, weight loss, heartburn or acid reflux, loss of appetite, vomiting, blood in your stool, or you may not have any symptoms at all.

Gastric ulcers occur when the delicate lining in the stomach becomes damaged or torn. This can be the result of too much acid in the stomach that wears away the lining or some other trauma.

The most common cause of gastric ulcers is the H. Pylori bacteria. The bacteria are fairly common in most people. It becomes a problem when it runs rampant and causes damage to the stomach lining. Although some people can get ulcers from too much stress or too much spicy fooulcer, it’s much more common to get an ulcer as a result of H. Pylori.

So, what can you do about it? If your ulcer is in fact due to H. Pylori, you’ll have to undergo a series of tests, antibiotics and more tests to make sure the bacteria is in fact gone. In the mean time, or if your ulcer is the result of something other than H. Pylori, you can help your body heal itself by following a few simple steps.

1. Be careful of what you eat. Certain foods, like fatty foods, some types of meat (ground beef, marbled cuts of meat, etc.), whole milk and other fatty dairy products, and some vitamins (like iron and calcium) are very difficult to digest and can exacerbate an ulcer. Use caution when consuming these foods if you have an ulcer. You may want to focus your diet on more easily digestible foods, like those that contain whole grains, fish, and other foods that are high in vitamins that your body needs to heal.

2. Avoid pain killers. Although your intense stomach pain after eating may have you reaching for a bottle of Aspirin, you should resist that urge. Pain killers are known to cause gastric ulcers, and can significantly worsen existing ulcers. So, use other methods to relieve your ulcer pain.

3. Eat smaller meals. This will help your body better handle the digestive process. When your stomach is already injured, adding large amounts of food can stress the area and slow the healing process dramatically, as well as worsen your pain. So, simply eat less more frequently to help your body heal.

4. Focus on lowering your stress levels. Stress can worsen an ulcer by increasing the amount of acid in your stomach. So do what you can to mellow out. Get a massage, take time to curl up with a good book, add exercise to your daily routine, practice meditation and deep breathing, or listen to some soothing music at work. Do whatever you need to in order to take the focus off the stressful situation and place it back on your overall mental health. Your body will thank you for it.

You don’t need to continuously suffer intense stomach pain after eating. See your doctor and take steps to help your body heal from its ailments. For more information on intense stomach pain after eating, and healing the condition naturally, visit refluxremedy.com.