Every time I eat I have a bad stomach ache. It’s in a strange spot higher up than most stomach pain and it is very sharp. It is very different from gas pain so I already know it isn’t that. It happens EVERY time I eat and it has been going on for years. I didn’t know how abnormal that was until I mentioned it to a friend. Is that a bad sign or do I just have a sensitive stomach?

Dr. Joshua’s Answer:

Causes for stomach pain after eating include, but are not limited to, gastritis, gastric ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, gallstones, esophagitis, motility problems (slow emptying of stomach), and also there are some very serious conditions that may cause these symptoms. However, in your case, cancer or other such serious problems seem unlikely seeing as you’ve had this symptom for years.

It’s not possible to diagnose this over the Internet, so I’d recommend that you see your primary care physician so he/she can do a physical examination and take a thorough history in order to arrive at a diagnosis.

From your description, I’d say this is not normal, and it’s not an acceptable situation - we all have stomach pains and problems from time to time, but having stomach pain after eating every time you eat is not acceptable.