Hi and thanks for the query,

It could be important knowing if you experience associated symptoms like nausea and vomiting, if the pain is more intense when you stay hungry and if it is more intense at night or not. Knowing aggravating and relieving factors could also be useful.

The pain you describe is very classical for peptic ulcer disease or gastritis. This is usually a pain located in the upper abdomen, towards the lower part of the chest that usually irradiates to the back. Generally aggravated by hunger and certain drugs. And when on eats, the pain reduces. Another disease that could also present as such is gastro esophagal reflux disease, due to reflux of acid from stomach to the esophagus causing burns in the chest and pain. A detailed clinical evaluation of the abdomen, disease history should be sufficient in making an appropriate diagnosis. Symptoms like fever and cough, when generally absent, exclude possibility of pneumonia. A chest X XXXXXXX in very confusing cases helps solves the problem.

A clinical evaluation from your physician, a added to common exams like a chest X XXXXXXX a fibroscopy to examine the esophagus (throat) and stomach to exclude gastritis and gastroesophagal reflux disease could be very sufficient in making an exact diagnosis and orienting treatment.

My suggestion I you consult your family physician for a proper clinical examination and management. Wishing you the best of health and best regards.

Dr Luchuo,MD.

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Hi and thanks for your query and precision,

Excessive flatulance has two main common causes. It would be very appropriate to know if you have greatly changed your diet lately. Some foods and drinks like Cocacola, some dairy producuts containing anaerobic bacteria could produce lots of gas, leading to excess flatulence. Secondly, a disruption in the normal symbiosis that exists in the colon, with cohabitation of certain microbes and man could lead to overt growth of these bacteria, that produce a lot of gas leading to excess flatulence. Excessive intake of antibiotics or some antifungal drugs that destroy this equilibrium could be at the origin.

A stool examination and culture might be required to know exactly the nature of the flora (organisms) in the colon. Determining the numbers, if they are in excess, the specific causative agent and the antibiotic sensitive to this organism might help in eradicating excess growth of this organism.
Generally, excess flatulence is usually simply due to a change in diet and constipation on its own.

Failures for system to readjust with changes in diet, richer in vegetables and fruits, exercise, drinking lots of water should therefore warrant consultation of your physician, for appropriate stool exams, cultures and antibiotic sensitivity tests to be done.

Thanks and best regards hoping this helps,
Luchuo, MD.

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