If you suffer from acute abdominal pain and you notice that when you eat bread, the pain temporarily subsides, you may have a peptic ulcer. With these ulcers, it's common that shortly after eating abdominal pain will feel better for a short period of time. An ulcer is an open wound that forms in the lining of the digestive system for various reasons. If you suspect that you have an ulcer, call your doctor for an evaluation to clinically diagnose your condition. The most common treatment for an ulcer is triple antibiotic treatment.
Peptic Ulcers
Your digestive system is lined with a protective layer of mucus, called the mucosa, which keeps harsh digestive acids from affecting the soft tissue under the layer of mucus. If the mucosa gets weakened or is compromised, the soft tissues underneath are exposed to the harsh chemicals, leading to inflammation and damage. Some ulcers will bleed, causing the appearance of blood in your vomit or stools, which needs to be reported to your doctor. Peptic ulcers can develop in your esophagus, your stomach or the opening of your small intestines, called the duodenum.
Causes
While it's a popular thought that ulcers are the result of stress or eating too many spicy foods, ulcers are not the result of these conditions. Stress and spicy foods can irritate the open sores in your digestive system, but they do not cause them to form. FamilyDoctor.org states that the most common cause of peptic ulcers is a bacterial infection by the H. pylori bacteria that weakens the mucosa. Other reasons why ulcers may develop include the regular use of certain pain relievers, the abuse of alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
Eating Bread
Ulcers cause acute abdominal pain during the middle of night, in between meals and after eating certain foods. Foods that can make the pain worse include acidic foods, such as citrus fruits, spicy foods, such as chili, and irritants, such as caffeine and alcohol. Eating bland foods, such as bread, may help your pain subside for one to two hours after consuming the food. Your pain may go away temporarily because the bread coats the lining of your digestive tract during digestion, preventing the ulcers from exposure to the digestive fluids.
Consideration
Acute abdominal pain may be related to various conditions and needs to be assessed by a medical doctor. Eating bread is not an acceptable treatment or way to manage your symptoms. If you develop severe abdominal pain, where you're unable to function normally, call your doctor immediately.
