Burning pain in upper stomach
You feel a burn or gnaw high in your belly, just under the ribs. It may show up when your stomach is empty. Some people wake with it in the night.
Often this points to a sore spot in the lining of the stomach or the top of the gut. Doctors call that a peptic ulcer.
A germ called H. pylori is the most common cause.
Pain pills such as aspirin and ibuprofen can wear the lining down too. Smoking and heavy drinking add to the strain. Eating may dull the burn for a while, and then it comes back.
When to see someone
Get help right away if you vomit blood, or something that looks like coffee grounds. Black, tar-like stools, sudden sharp pain, or feeling faint also need urgent care. See a doctor soon if you lose weight, food sticks when you swallow, or the burn lasts more than two weeks.
Below is a list of remedies people have long used for stomach ulcers. Each one has a grade for how much research stands behind it, not a promise that it will help. Check with your doctor first, above all if you take other drugs.



