Stomach Pain After Drinking Alcohol

Why Does My Stomach Hurt After Drinking Alcohol?

A stomach ache after drinking alcohol might seem harmless or a nuisance, but it could be a sign of something more serious. You might have a problem called alcoholic gastritis.

What Is Alcoholic Gastritis?

Gastritis means inflammation of the stomach. The word gastritis comes from gastric which means “of the stomach” and itis which means “inflammation”.

In some cases, alcohol-related gastritis can be mild and the gastritis symptoms may improve on their own. However, if the stomach lining is not allowed to heal, alcoholic gastritis can lead to more acute gastritis and potentially serious consequences.

The walls of our stomachs are sensitive. If we expose them to excessive volumes of alcohol, they can become irritated and damaged. This damage leads to abdominal pain and a range of other acute gastric symptoms.

Other Causes of Alcoholic Gastritis

Alcohol is one of the most well-known causes of stomach pain and gastritis. But, there are many other substances and factors that can lead to alcoholic gastritis symptoms. In some cases, gastritis will develop as a result of multiple causes.

Other substances that cause stomach pain or damage to the stomach lining

Painkillers such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin can cause acute gastritis
Cocaine,
Smoking
Infection from a bacteria called H Pylori
Infection with H Pylori is the most common cause of long-term (chronic) gastritis.¹
Stress

When the body experiences major physical stress, the stomach lining can become inflamed. Examples of such stress would be being in an accident, or undergoing surgery.

Autoimmune Problems

In some cases, the body’s immune system can mistake the stomach lining for an invading virus or bacteria. If this happens the immune system will attack the stomach, causing inflammation.

Do I Have Alcoholic Gastritis?

The symptoms of gastritis are typically described as stomach aches and vomiting. In reality, there is a range of alcoholic gastritis symptoms. It is not always easy to recognise.

Gastritis can cause the following symptoms

Abdominal pain
Feeling sick/nausea
Vomiting, Diarrhoea
Bloated stomach
Heartburn
Acid reflux (stomach acid coming back up your food pipe from your stomach)
Vomiting up blood
Passing stools with blood streaks.

If you’re experiencing these symptoms you should speak to your doctor. If you cannot predict or control your drinking then contact Castle Craig.

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Where Is the Stomach Pain Felt in Alcoholic Gastritis?

People usually feel the pain of gastritis in their upper abdomen. Many people describe it as a stomach ache. Some people may also feel pain in their back.

People sometimes say the pain feels like it’s “burning” or “gnawing” through the stomach. Others may experience a dull burning ache.

Is Alcoholic Gastritis Dangerous?

Many cases of alcohol-related gastritis are mild and will resolve on their own. But, if the stomach lining is not allowed to heal, acute gastritis can cause severe consequences.

Stomach Ulcers

Drinking alcohol heavily destroys the stomach lining. Excessive damage to the stomach lining can cause painful open sores called ulcers. Stomach ulcers are dangerous because they can cause severe gastrointestinal bleeding. People with bleeding gastric ulcers may need invasive procedures to stop the bleeding. Sometimes, the medical team may need to give a blood transfusion to replace all the blood lost.

Anaemia

In gastritis, the blood vessels in the stomach can bleed. This blood loss may be slow, so people do not always notice that there is blood in their stool. However, this slow blood loss can lead to anaemia.

Anaemia is a condition where our bodies don’t have enough red blood cells to transport the oxygen we need. Anaemia can cause you to experience the following:

Dizziness or lightheadedness
Palpitations
Fatigue or tiredness
Shortness of breath

Difficulty Absorbing Nutrients

Our bodies absorb many important vitamins and minerals through the stomach. When the stomach lining becomes inflamed, it is hard for our bodies to absorb these nutrients. People with chronic (long-term) gastritis are at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies.

Your doctor will ask you some questions about your stomach pain and your lifestyle. Your answers can help them gain information about the cause of your gastritis symptoms.

Questions your doctor might ask

What symptoms you’ve been experiencing e.g. stomach pain
When your gastritis symptoms started
Whether you have recently started any new medications
If you smoke or use recreational drugs
How much alcohol do you drink
Whether you have any family history of stomach problems

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Tests for Alcoholic Gastritis

Depending on your gastritis symptoms, your doctor may suggest the following tests:

Blood Test
- Your doctor can check your blood count to see if you have been losing blood. They may also run other tests on your blood to assess your overall health. If you have been drinking large amounts of alcohol, they may carry out tests to check on your liver health.
Stool Sample
- Your doctor may ask you for a sample of stool to look for any traces of blood.
Endoscopy
- In some cases, your doctor may suggest a camera test called an endoscopy to look at the lining of your stomach.
- In an endoscopy, a healthcare professional puts a thin tube with a camera into your mouth.
- The camera goes through your mouth, down your food pipe and into your stomach. It is not painful but can be uncomfortable. During the procedure, you may be given something to help relax you.
Stomach Biopsy
- During the endoscopy, your doctor may also take a small sample of the stomach lining. They can look at this under a microscope to look for inflammation.
Special tests to look for H Pylori
- Your doctor may carry out tests to check whether you have H Pylori bacteria in your stomach.

Other Causes of Stomach Ache After Drinking

If you’re experiencing stomach pain, it’s important not to ignore it. Stomach pain can be a sign of other serious conditions, such as:

Gastric (Stomach) Cancer

Alcohol abuse excessively increases your risk of stomach cancer.² Stomach cancer can be fatal, and must be treated.

Pancreatitis

The pancreas is an important organ that helps our body digest food and regulate our sugar levels. Binge drinking can irritate the pancreas, leading to a condition known as pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is dangerous and requires immediate treatment.

If your stomach ache is caused by gastritis then your doctor may suggest the following steps:

Treating the cause of the gastritis

The most important treatment step is to protect the stomach lining from further harm.

This means:

Quitting smoking/Stopping alcohol
Stopping cocaine
Treating other causes such as H Pylori infection or autoimmune disease

If you are concerned that your drinking levels may be a result of an alcohol problem, the following test can help identify if a problem exists.

Medications for Gastritis

The other key part of treating gastritis is reducing the amount of acid the stomach produces.

There are three groups of medications frequently used in gastritis:

Antacids

Antacids can be bought in most pharmacies and supermarkets. They provide instant relief from stomach pain by neutralising the acid in the stomach

H2 Blockers

This type of medication can be bought from the pharmacy, or prescribed by your doctor. They work by reducing the amount of alcohol your stomach produces

Proton Pump Inhibitors

These can only be prescribed by your doctor. Like H2 blockers they work to reduce the amount of stomach acid you produce.

Speak to your doctor before using these medications.

Acute gastritis is a symptom of stomach inflammation. If your stomach aches are caused by alcoholic gastritis and your stomach pain is worse after drinking alcohol, there are a few steps you can take at home to manage your symptoms.

Stop alcohol, cocaine, and smoking
Avoid foods that worsen acute abdominal pain such as spicy foods or acidic foods
Take steps to reduce stress

Can I Drink Alcohol With Gastritis?

If you have gastritis, you must avoid drinking alcohol. Your stomach lining is inflamed and in a state of damage, and drinking alcohol can cause it to become worse.

Treatment Options

Alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction can cause a range of physical problems. At Castle Craig we recommend complete abstinence from alcohol and through alcohol detox and therapy we help you quit drinking for good.

When choosing a rehab centre, it’s important to consider what medical support they can provide, especially if you have a history of alcohol-related gastritis.

At Castle Craig, we have trained doctors on-site at all times. Our doctors are highly experienced in managing the physical effects of addiction. They are onsite 24/7 to keep you comfortable and look after your physical health as you recover.

Stomach Pain After Drinking Alcohol

Table of Contents

Why Does My Stomach Hurt After Drinking Alcohol?

What Is Alcoholic Gastritis?