What are the symptoms of stomach stones?

Gastric stones are a common disease that can occur in people of any age. Patients will have symptoms such as upper abdominal discomfort, nausea, and pain. They will also show loss of appetite and indigestion. In the face of these situations, active treatment must be carried out. Common methods include manual lithotripsy, mesh lithotripsy under X-ray, etc.

1. Symptoms of gastric stones

After the formation of gastric stones, most patients experience upper abdominal discomfort, fullness, nausea or pain; some patients have symptoms similar to chronic gastritis, such as loss of appetite, indigestion, upper abdominal distension, dull pain, acid reflux, and heartburn; some patients may have combined gastric ulcers; 1/3 of patients with gastric persimmon stones can feel a movable hard mass in the upper abdomen. If the patient has the above symptoms and signs, lives in a persimmon-producing area, and has a history of eating large amounts of persimmons, especially astringent persimmons, on an empty stomach, the diagnosis can generally be made. If there is doubt about the diagnosis, gastroscopy or X-ray gastroscopy may be performed.

Gastric stones can occur in people of any age, from infants a few months old to people in their 80s. The time it takes for inappropriate food or impurities to form coagulation or stones in the stomach can be as short as a few hours or as long as months or even years. The stones formed can grow from small to large, starting from the size of a date and finally aggregated into the size of a goose egg. The stones can be single or multiple of 3 to 5. The nature, shape, size of foreign body stones and the functional state of the stomach determine the manifestation of symptoms: small and smooth gastric stones may not cause symptoms and are excreted from the body through feces with gastrointestinal peristalsis; large and rough gastric stones can cause upper abdominal fullness, nausea, bad breath, nausea and vomiting, upper abdominal pain, and even gastrointestinal bleeding. This is because the stones irritate the stomach, causing gastric mucosal ulcers and gastric bleeding. In severe cases, it can cause gastric perforation and peritonitis.

Huge gastric stones occupy the volume of the stomach. Some patients can feel mobile, smooth, solid lumps in the upper abdomen. Due to reduced food intake, it can cause weight loss, malnutrition and even death. Gastric stones can also be discharged into the small intestine. Large stones can cause intestinal obstruction by blocking the intestinal cavity. The most common site of obstruction is the ileum because the ileum is the thinnest part of the small intestine.

2. Treatment Methods

1. Manual lithotripsy: Try extra-abdominal massage and squeezing to break up gastric lumps into small pieces, then perform gastric lavage or give laxatives to speed up the discharge of stones. Disadvantages: It can only be used for patients with gastric stones without obvious symptoms and complications, and gastric lavage may cause complications.

2. Net lithotripsy under X-ray: A net made of metal wire is inserted into the gastric tube. When the barium shows gastric stones, the net is wrapped around them and the wire is tightened to cut the gastric stones. Disadvantages: Repeated operation of cutting stones may damage the stomach.

3. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: Discharge 80 times per minute at a voltage of 12kV, for a total of 1500-2000 shocks. Generally, the stones will appear broken. Disadvantage: High-frequency shock can cause great damage to the stomach and spleen.

4. Surgical treatment: surgery to remove the stones. Disadvantages: Postoperative pain, serious damage to the body, slow recovery, and the incision may become infected and lead to complications.

5. Treatment with traditional Chinese medicine: Hewei Xiaoshi Decoction is made from natural wild medicinal materials from Miaoling and is hand-prepared by Miao doctors. It is a pure natural Miao medicine decoction piece. It only needs to be decocted in water for oral administration. It has the effects of promoting qi and blood circulation, eliminating accumulation and stagnation, softening and dispersing nodules, and can dissolve stones in a short time.