For a little over a year now I have a mild dull discomfort in the upper left quadrant of my abdoman. Kind of feels like its a little behind my ribs. My doctor thought it might be gerd wo he told me to get on nexium for 2weeks to 1 month. I did as he recommended and it did not resolve the issue. Things that make it worse: 1)bending in different directions at the waste, ie post gym workout. I don't lift heavy weights. 2)The day after having a couple of drinks seems to be worse with hoppy beer, not as bad with martinis and least agitating with wine. And 3)over eating, 4) going a large portion of the day. What has made my symptoms better : 1)getting off grains and refined sugars. I Will still eat starchy and sweet carbs from fruits and veggies, no corn tho. 2)Hydrating a lot. 3) A regular dose of wild oregano oil not to mention regular multi vitamin...The discomfort seems mostly nonexistant many days when I first wake up but can come on within minutes of being vertical for the day. sometime eating brings it on...This condition came on literally over night about a week before Halloween 2014. I chewed tobacco somewhat heavy (I only chewed when I drank, but when I chewed I had one "in" most of the night) and I swallowed most of the spit. I had been using tobacco in the form of chew or cigarettes on and off since I was about 15. I'm 38 now. With that I drank beer through the night to get on my night shift schedule. on this one particular afternoon, I woke up and the discomfort has been there ever since. This was a fairly regular practice for me it's how I adjusted to my night shift weekly. I have since quit tobacco altogether. It's been at least 11 months. Swallowing that garbage irritated the hell out of my stomach. And I have tremendously cut back alcohol consumption. But this irritation still persists even if it's just a couple in a social atmosphere. I had some nausea at first but no vomiting or dry heaving, haven't had tar like stools or weight loss, except for the 15lb loss I had over about 8weeks after getting off grains and sugars... Is it possible I did some sort of permanent damage?