Many people experience stomach pain at one point or another, however, during the holy month of Ramadan, it is a common grievance among the faithful. These complaints tend to increase with changes in diet. In order to get rid of the problem of persistent stomach pain and ache, the source needs to be determined. Once the source is identified, certain drugs prescribed by doctors can relieve the pain, though some foods and herbal teas can help for a while.

With the issue of stomach ache and pain, it is important to watch out for specific symptoms and conditions such as bleeding, weight loss, jaundice, loss of appetite, feeling like something is stuck in the throat, early satiety or anemia. If these conditions are present, one should consult a doctor immediately.

Mustafa Kaplan, associate professor at Memorial Kayseri Hospital’s Department of Gastroenterology, outlined the reasons for the discomfort and methods of treating it.

Light iftar, sahur

Changes in the number of meals and different mealtimes during Ramadan can cause stomach problems.

Stomach pain is one of the prominent complaints in this period. In sahur (the last predawn meal before the start of the daily fast) and iftar (a dinner to mark the end of the daily fast), one should be careful to consume foods that are light and do not tire the stomach but keep you full. It is also important to use the right cooking methods, consume food more slowly and pay attention to fluid intake.

However, despite all precautions, stomachache may not go away. It is very important to get expert help at that point.

Source of the pain

The pain and ache that is felt in the upper part of the abdomen, near the diaphragm, above the area also known as the breastbone – or sternum – is often called stomachache.

The pain usually starts at a single point and can spread to the back, to the right or left and sometimes to the chest area. It can be excruciating and can be long-term constant pain.

The source of the pain is determined according to its character, spread, whether it occurs when hungry or full, and accompanying conditions.

There are plenty of conditions that can lead to the symptom of stomachache and it can be accompanied by several other different symptoms.