Gastritis Treatment in Phuket: Relief for Burning Stomach Pain
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan, Physician, Takecare Clinic Phuket. Last reviewed: September 2026.
“In Patong we see a very typical combination: several nights of beer and cocktails, ibuprofen taken for a sore head or a scooter bruise, meals skipped in the heat, and then a gnawing, burning pain under the ribs that will not let the person sleep. Each of those things irritates the stomach on its own. Together they are the commonest reason for gastritis in our holiday patients, and it settles well once the lining is given a rest.” Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan
What is gastritis?
The stomach makes strong acid to digest food, and protects itself with a layer of mucus and a constant supply of blood to its lining. Gastritis happens when that protection is broken down and the lining becomes inflamed. Acute gastritis comes on over hours or days after a clear trigger. Chronic gastritis grumbles on for months, often without obvious symptoms, and is most often caused by infection. If the inflammation erodes deeper, it can form a peptic ulcer, an open sore in the stomach or the first part of the small intestine (the duodenum).
What causes gastritis?
Alcohol irritates the stomach lining directly and increases acid production. Heavy drinking over a few days, especially spirits on an empty stomach, is enough to cause acute gastritis in most people.
Anti-inflammatory painkillers, known as NSAIDs, include ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen and aspirin. They block the chemical signals that keep the stomach’s protective mucus and blood flow going. Taking them repeatedly for a hangover, sunburn, a sprained ankle or a dental ache, often without food, is a leading cause of gastritis and stomach ulcers.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium that lives in the stomach lining. It is very common worldwide, including in Thailand, and is usually caught in childhood. Many people carry it without knowing, but it is the main cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers and, over many years, raises the risk of stomach cancer. Clearing it cures the underlying problem.
Other causes include severe physical stress from serious illness, smoking, bile reflux, and some autoimmune conditions.
Does spicy food cause gastritis?
This is the question we are asked most in Thailand. Chilli does not cause gastritis or ulcers; that is a myth. What it can do is make an already-inflamed stomach feel worse, because capsaicin, the compound that makes chilli hot, stimulates pain nerves. So if you have gastritis, it is sensible to eat milder food until it settles. Once you are well, there is no medical reason to avoid a good Thai curry.
Gastritis symptoms, and what else it could be
Gastritis typically causes a burning or gnawing pain in the upper abdomen, just below the breastbone, that may improve or worsen with food. Nausea, bloating, early fullness, belching, loss of appetite and sometimes vomiting are common. Many people also have acid reflux, a burning that rises up behind the breastbone.
Several other problems cause pain in the same area, and telling them apart is a key part of the visit.
| Symptom pattern | Likely cause | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Burning upper-stomach pain, nausea, after alcohol or NSAIDs | Acute gastritis | Clinic visit; usually treated in one visit |
| Recurring pain for weeks, eased or worsened by meals | Chronic gastritis or peptic ulcer, often H. pylori | Doctor review and H. pylori test |
| Vomiting and diarrhoea within hours of a meal | Food poisoning | Rehydration; see a doctor if you cannot keep fluids down |
| Severe pain boring through to the back after heavy drinking | Possible pancreatitis | Same-day assessment, often hospital |
| Pain under the right ribs after fatty food | Gallstones | Doctor review and ultrasound referral |
| Black tarry stools or vomiting blood | Bleeding ulcer | Emergency: hospital or call 1669 |
Upper-stomach pain can occasionally be the heart. Pain that spreads to the chest, arm, neck or jaw, or comes with sweating or breathlessness, needs emergency assessment, not antacids. If your main symptoms are vomiting and loose stools after a specific meal, our page on food poisoning treatment is more relevant.
How we diagnose and treat gastritis at Takecare
The doctor asks where the pain is, what makes it better or worse, how much alcohol you have been drinking, which painkillers you have taken, and whether you have noticed black stools, vomiting blood, weight loss or difficulty swallowing. We examine your abdomen and check your pulse and blood pressure. Where needed, a blood count checks for anaemia from hidden bleeding, and we may check liver and pancreas blood tests if the pattern suggests them.
For acute pain, fast relief comes from an antacid or an alginate, which neutralise acid and coat the stomach within minutes. When pain or vomiting is severe, we can give acid-suppressing and anti-sickness medicine by injection. The main treatment is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), such as omeprazole, which switches off most acid production so the lining can heal. A typical course is four to eight weeks, taken 30 to 60 minutes before breakfast. Most people feel much better within a few days.
If symptoms keep coming back, or you have had an ulcer before, we test for H. pylori with a stool antigen test or a breath test. PPIs can hide the infection and cause a false negative result, so ideally they are stopped for two weeks before testing. If the test is positive, treatment is a combination of a PPI and two antibiotics, sometimes with bismuth, for 7 to 14 days. The exact combination depends on local antibiotic resistance, which in Thailand includes rising resistance to clarithromycin. A repeat test afterwards confirms the bacterium is gone.
Stopping the trigger matters as much as the medicine. That means a break from alcohol while you heal, and switching from NSAIDs to paracetamol for pain unless a doctor advises otherwise.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if upper-stomach pain lasts more than a couple of days despite antacids, keeps returning, wakes you at night, or you need antacids most days. Come in promptly if you have been taking NSAIDs or aspirin regularly, if you are on blood thinners, or if you are over 55 with new indigestion. Unintentional weight loss, difficulty or pain when swallowing, persistent vomiting, or feeling full after only a few mouthfuls are warning signs that need an endoscopy (a camera test of the stomach), which we arrange through a hospital specialist.
Go straight to hospital, or call 1669, for black stools, vomiting blood, severe sudden pain with a rigid abdomen, fainting, or pain spreading to the chest or arm.
Prevention and early detection
On holiday, the most effective protection is to pace alcohol, avoid drinking on an empty stomach, and alternate drinks with water. Use paracetamol rather than ibuprofen for hangovers and minor aches, and if you do need an NSAID, take it with food for the shortest possible time. People who must take NSAIDs or aspirin long term, especially over 65, often benefit from a PPI alongside.
Early detection is about H. pylori. If you have recurring indigestion, a past ulcer, or a close family member with stomach cancer, a simple stool or breath test finds an infection that can be cured, reducing the risk of future ulcers.
Visiting Takecare Clinic in Phuket
All three branches are open 24/7 for walk-ins: Takecare Clinic Bangtao (Cherngtalay), Takecare Clinic Kata-Karon and Takecare Clinic Patong. A walk-in doctor in Phuket will usually see you within minutes, and our pharmacy dispenses your treatment on the spot.
If pain or vomiting keeps you in your room, book a doctor hotel visit in Phuket and we will come to you, day or night.
Message us on WhatsApp or call 081-718-9080. We confirm the price on WhatsApp before your visit, offer direct billing with most travel insurers, and provide a medical report and itemised receipt for claims.
Related services and treatments
Gut problems on holiday often overlap. If loose stools are part of the picture, see our pages on traveller’s diarrhoea treatment for new diarrhoea during your trip and diarrhoea treatment for symptoms lasting more than two weeks.
Summary
Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining, caused mainly by alcohol, NSAID painkillers and H. pylori. Spicy food does not cause it but can aggravate it. Antacids ease pain quickly, and a PPI such as omeprazole lets the lining heal over a few weeks. Recurring symptoms deserve an H. pylori test, because clearing the infection cures the cause. Black stools, vomiting blood, weight loss and difficulty swallowing are red flags that need urgent or specialist care.
“Give your stomach three things for a few days: no alcohol, no ibuprofen, and regular small meals. With a PPI on top, most people are enjoying the food again within the week. If it keeps coming back after that, let us test you for H. pylori rather than living on antacids.” Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan
Frequently asked questions
How long does gastritis take to heal?
Acute gastritis from alcohol or painkillers usually improves within a few days of starting a PPI and removing the trigger, although the lining takes four to eight weeks to heal fully. Gastritis caused by H. pylori needs the infection cleared first. If symptoms have not improved after two weeks of treatment, see a doctor again.
Is spicy Thai food bad for gastritis?
Spicy food does not cause gastritis or stomach ulcers. However, chilli can make an already-inflamed stomach burn more, so choose milder dishes while you are recovering. Alcohol, NSAID painkillers and skipping meals are far more important triggers to avoid. Once you are healed, spicy food is fine for most people.
How do you test for H. pylori?
We use a stool antigen test or a breath test, both of which detect an active infection. Acid-reducing medicines like omeprazole can cause a false negative, so ideally stop them two weeks before testing, and avoid antibiotics for four weeks beforehand. If you test positive, treatment with a PPI and two antibiotics, sometimes with bismuth, lasts 7 to 14 days.
Can I walk in without an appointment?
Yes. You can walk in to our Bangtao, Kata or Patong branch at any time of day or night without booking. An English-speaking doctor usually sees you within minutes, and most visits take under half an hour including your medicine. You can send a WhatsApp message first if you would like us to expect you.
Can a doctor come to my hotel for stomach pain?
Yes. If pain, nausea or vomiting make travel difficult, our doctor can visit your hotel or villa anywhere in Phuket 24/7. The doctor examines you, gives medicine to settle pain and nausea, and tells you clearly if your symptoms need a hospital instead.
Will my travel insurance cover gastritis treatment?
Most travel insurance policies cover sudden stomach illness that starts during your trip. Some exclude problems linked to heavy alcohol use or long-standing conditions, so check your policy wording. We offer direct billing with most travel insurers and provide a medical report and itemised receipt for any claim.
Sources
NHS: Gastritis. NICE guideline CG184: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and dyspepsia in adults. MedlinePlus: Helicobacter pylori infections.
Gastritis, stomach inflammation, dyspepsia, indigestion, peptic ulcer, stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer, Helicobacter pylori, H. pylori, NSAIDs, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, aspirin, alcohol, capsaicin, proton pump inhibitor, PPI, omeprazole, antacid, alginate, bismuth, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, stool antigen test, urea breath test, melaena, haematemesis, endoscopy, pancreatitis, gallstones, NICE CG184, NHS, MedlinePlus, Bangtao, Cherngtalay, Kata, Karon, Patong, Phuket, Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan, Takecare Clinic Phuket.
This page is general health information and not a substitute for a medical consultation.