When To Seek Medical Help
Its important to see a healthcare provider if youre experiencing several of the above-listed symptoms. An ulcer can lead to complications if left untreated.
Get emergency treatment if you:
- Experience sudden sharp pain in your abdomen
- Develop a hard abdomen that hurts when you touch it
- Are throwing up blood
- Have blood in your stool
- Experience symptoms of shock like sweating profusely or confusion
Natural Home Remedies For Stomach Ulcers
Severe stomach ulcers are the sores that occur on the lining of the stomach. Its primarily caused by H pylori bacteria. Peptic ulcer as its also called can be excruciatingly painful and may bleed. When these sore develop in the small intestine its termed duodenal ulcer.
If you have a stomach ulcer, your doctor may advise you to take an antacid or pain reliever. These medications will only offer instant relief but with no long time effects on the ulcer. For both instant and future prevention, you can try some home remedies to relieve the burning and pain caused by ulcer.
What If I Still Need To Take Nsaids
If you take NSAIDs for other conditions, such as arthritis, you should talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of using NSAIDs. Your doctor can help you determine how to continue using an NSAID safely after your peptic ulcer symptoms go away. Your doctor may prescribe a medicine used to prevent NSAID-induced ulcers called Misoprosotol.
Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medicines you take. Your doctor can then decide if you may safely take NSAIDs or if you should switch to a different medicine. In either case, your doctor may prescribe a PPI or histamine receptor blocker to protect the lining of your stomach and duodenum.
If you need NSAIDs, you can reduce the chance of a peptic ulcer returning by
- taking the NSAID with a meal
- using the lowest effective dose possible
- avoiding alcohol
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Fight The Infection With A Little Cayenne Pepper
Capsaicin in cayenne pepper can help alleviate uneasiness and treat a stomach ulcer naturally. Capsaicin soothes the mucosal lining of the stomach and increases the release of alkali, which helps ease the discomfort and aid in the treatment of ulcers.
A 1997 study published in FEMS Microbiology Letters, found that capsaicin supplementation or consumption inhibited the growth of H. pylori.
According to a review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition in 2006, the compound capsaicin present in cayenne pepper inhibits the secretion of stomach acids, boosts the production of alkali, and stimulates mucus secretions and gastric mucosal blood flow, thereby preventing and healing ulcers.
- Mix a â teaspoon of cayenne pepper into 1 glass of warm water. Drink the solution twice a day for 3 days. Gradually increase the amount of cayenne pepper up to ¼ teaspoon for the rest of the week.
- Alternatively, take cayenne capsules that are available at health food stores. Consult your doctor for the right dosage.
Do Ulcers In Horses Cause Colic
Necroscopic analysis of ulcerated horses, combined with other existing data, may provide a lead into the underlying etiology of many idiopathic colics. Many studies exist that show gastric ulcers are present in horses that colic, and articles continue to be published suggesting that gastric ulcers are causative.
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When To See A Doctor
Anyone who thinks they may have an ulcer in their stomach should consult their doctor. Any stomach symptoms that last for more than a few days or keep happening need evaluation and treatment.
A slow-bleeding ulcer can be signaled by symptoms of anemia, such as being tired and breathless. More serious bleeding is an urgent medical problem and can be signaled if blood is vomited up, or stools are black and sticky.
Perforation, or a hole in the stomach, is also an emergency. Without quick treatment, the wall of the stomach can become infected. Sudden stomach pain that gets worse can indicate perforation, and any signs of being very unwell with infection need treatment as soon as possible.
Reasons For Blood In Stool:
Rectal Bleeding or Hematochezia is a condition in which the patient releases blood in the stool. Rectal bleeding can also be a symptom of some serious diseases.
Here are some common reasons behind blood in the stool.
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Complications Of Peptic Ulcers
If a peptic ulcer is treated, the outcome is usually very good, and complications arent very common. But if you havent had any treatment, or your ulcer has gone unnoticed for a while, complications may develop. Theres a particular risk if youre older and if youre taking medicines that stop your blood clotting, such as aspirin or warfarin. Complications include:
- bleeding
- perforation
- obstruction
The most common of these is bleeding, especially if your ulcer is linked to NSAIDs. It happens if your ulcer grows into any underlying arteries or veins . If your ulcer is bleeding, you may:
- throw up blood this can be bright red, or dark like coffee grounds
- pass poo that is black and sticky
- develop iron deficiency anaemia, if youve been losing blood for some time
You should get urgent medical help if you have any of these symptoms. The surgeon may be able to stop the bleeding using an endoscope rather than open surgery. Its also possible to treat bleeding with a high dose of PPIs. Less commonly, you may need emergency surgery, but this can depend on how much blood youve lost.
If your ulcer eats through the lining of your stomach or duodenum, you may develop perforation. Perforation means the ulcer has broken through the wall of your stomach or duodenum, causing inflammation of your abdominal lining and a potentially serious infection. Your stomach will feel rigid and sore. You should go to hospital if you think this has happened as you may need emergency surgery.
What Causes Peptic Ulcers
In the past, experts thought lifestyle factors such as stress and diet caused ulcers. Today we know that stomach acids and other digestive juices help create ulcers. These fluids burn the linings of your organs.
Causes of peptic ulcers include:
- H. pylori bacteria . Most ulcers are caused by an infection from a bacteria or germ called H. pylori. This bacteria hurts the mucus that protects the lining of your stomach and the first part of your small intestine . Stomach acid then gets through to the lining.
- NSAIDs . These are over-the-counter pain and fever medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Over time they can damage the mucus that protects the lining of your stomach.
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Drink Fresh Cabbage Juice
Cabbage is a great remedy for the treatment of ulcers in the stomach.
Being a lactic acid food, cabbage helps in producing an amino acid that stimulates blood flow to the stomach lining. This aids in the healing process. Plus, cabbage is a good source of vitamin C, which is beneficial for fighting an H. pylori infection.
A 1949 study published in the Western Journal of Medicine found that rapid healing of peptic ulcers was observed radiologically and gastroscopically in 13 patients treated with fresh cabbage juice. This indicates that its anti-peptic ulcer dietary factor may play an important role in the genesis of peptic ulcers.
A 2014 study published in Medicinal Chemistry Research reports that aqueous cabbage plant extract increased the pH value of gastric juice and as such could be used for healing an acute gastric ulcer.
How to use:
Note: Make sure you use fresh juice each time.
What Are Peptic Ulcers
Peptic ulcers are open, painful sores that affect the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine, called the duodenum . Ulcers in the stomach are also called stomach ulcers or gastric ulcers. Those in the duodenum are also called duodenal ulcers. Peptic ulcers are rare in kids.
In the past, peptic ulcers could last for several years or even a lifetime. But a better understanding of what causes them and how to treat them means that most can be cured.
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Symptoms Of Stomach Ulcer
Perhaps the most common symptom of this condition is a burning sensation or pain in the area between the chest and the belly button. Depending on the severity of the ulcer, the pain may last for a few minutes to several hours.
Other symptoms of stomach ulcers include:
- Poor appetite
What If A Peptic Ulcer Doesn’t Heal
Most often, medicines heal a peptic ulcer. If an H. pylori infection caused your peptic ulcer, you should finish all of your antibiotics and take any other medicines your doctor prescribes. The infection and peptic ulcer will heal only if you take all medicines as your doctor prescribes.
When you have finished your medicines, your doctor may do another breath or stool test in 4 weeks or more to be sure the H. pylori infection is gone. Sometimes, H. pylori bacteria are still present, even after you have taken all the medicines correctly. If the infection is still present, your peptic ulcer could return or, rarely, stomach cancer could develop. Your doctor will prescribe different antibiotics to get rid of the infection and cure your peptic ulcer.
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When Should I See A Doctor If I Think I Have A Peptic Ulcer
- If you have burning pain in your upper stomach that is relieved by eating or taking antacids, call a health-care professional for an appointment. Donât assume you have an ulcer. Certain other conditions can cause similar symptoms.
- If you vomit blood or have other signs of gastrointestinal bleeding, go to an emergency department right away. Peptic ulcers can cause massive bleeding, which requires blood transfusion or surgery.
- Severe abdominal pain suggests perforation or tearing of an ulcer. This is an emergency that may require surgery to fix a hole in your stomach.
- Vomiting and abdominal pain also can be a sign of an obstruction, another complication of peptic ulcers. This also may require emergency surgery.
What Is The Cause Of Peptic Ulcers
When you eat, your stomach produces hydrochloric acid and an enzyme called pepsin to digest the food.
- The food is partially digested in the stomach and then moves on to the duodenum to continue the process.
- Peptic ulcers occur when the acid and enzyme overcome the defense mechanisms of the gastrointestinal tract and erode the mucosal wall.
In the past it was thought that ulcers were caused by lifestyle factors such as eating habits, cigarettesmoking, and stress.
- Now it is understood that people with ulcers have an imbalance between acid and pepsin coupled with the digestive tract’s inability to protect itself from these harsh substances.
- Research done in the 1980s showed that some ulcers are caused by infection with a bacterium named Helicobacter pylori, usually called H pylori.
- Not everyone who gets an ulcer is infected with H pylori. Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause ulcers if taken regularly.
Some types of medical therapy can contribute to ulcer formation. The following factors can weaken the protective mucosal barrier of the stomach increasing the chances of getting an ulcer and slow the healing of existing ulcers.
- Aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , and newer anti-inflammatory medications
- Alcohol
- Cigarettesmoking
- Radiation therapy:-used for diseases such as cancer
People who take aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medications are at an increased risk even if they do not have H pylori infection.
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Other Causes And Factors
Other causes are rare. For example, some viral infections can cause a stomach ulcer. Crohn’s disease may cause a stomach ulcer in addition to other problems of the gut.
Stomach cancer may at first look similar to an ulcer. Stomach cancer is uncommon but may need to be ‘ruled out’ if you are found to have a stomach ulcer.
How Is An Ulcer Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms. They may do an endoscopy. This procedure involves inserting a thin, flexible tube attached to a camera down your throat and into your stomach. Your doctor will test your blood, breath or stool for H. pylori. They also can test a sample of your stomach lining. Your doctor also will ask you if you regularly take aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines.
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How Do Nsaids Cause A Peptic Ulcer
To understand how NSAIDs cause peptic ulcer disease, it is important to understand how NSAIDs work. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce pain, fever, and inflammation, or swelling.
Everyone has two enzymes that produce chemicals in your bodys cells that promote pain, inflammation, and fever. NSAIDs work by blocking or reducing the amount of these enzymes that your body makes. However, one of the enzymes also produces another type of chemical that protects the stomach lining from stomach acid and helps control bleeding. When NSAIDs block or reduce the amount of this enzyme in your body, they also increase your chance of developing a peptic ulcer.
Types Of Stomach Ulcers
Ulcers can develop in various parts of the GI tract, including the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. Contrary to popular belief, research shows that men develop duodenal ulcers more often than any other kind, including stomach ulcers. On the other hand, the opposite is true for women: They tend to develop more stomach ulcers and fewer ulcers of the duodenal.
Many doctors refer to stomach ulcers simply as peptic ulcers. A few other types of ulcers and names that ulcers sometimes go by include:
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What Tests Diagnose A Peptic Ulcer
To confirm a person has an ulcer a diagnostic imaging test will usually be ordered. The two most widely used tests are:
- Upper GI series : This is a type of X-ray. The patient is given a chalky liquid to drink that increases the contrast on the X-ray, making certain features easier to see. Because this liquid contains barium, this test is sometimes called a barium swallow.
- Endoscopy : An endoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera at the end. The patient is given a mild sedative, and then the tube is passed through the mouth into the stomach. The doctor can see the lining of the stomach to diagnose a peptic ulcer. Tiny samples of the tissue will be taken , which are examined under a microscope.
If a diagnostic imaging test reveals an ulcer, the patient will most likely have a test to see if H pylori bacteria are present.
- It is important to be certain about this, because treatment of the H pylori is likely to heal the ulcer.
- Ulcers caused by H pylori are treated differently than ulcers caused by medications.
Three types of tests are available to detect H pylori.
Stomach Ulcer: Risk Factors
Certain lifestyle parameters can lead to the development of an ulcer.
So it is for:
Your physician will first perform a physical examination looking for bloating and abdominal pain.
To confirm the diagnosis, he prescribes an endoscopy.
It is a long tube with a camera that is introduced through the throat to explore the stomach and the small intestine.
If an ulcer is detected, a small swab is taken for laboratory examination.
A barium transit, an X-ray performed after ingestion of a contrast product, can also be performed to explore with precision.
Your physician may also recommend a stool or blood test to determine if you are infected with Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
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Who Can And Cannot Take Pantoprazole
Adults and children aged 12 years and over can take pantoprazole.
Pantoprazole is not suitable for some people. To make sure it’s safe for you, tell your doctor if you:
- have ever had an allergic reaction to pantoprazole or any other medicine
- have liver problems
- are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding
- are due to have an endoscopy
If you’re going to have an endoscopy, ask your doctor if you should stop taking pantoprazole a few weeks before your procedure. This is because pantoprazole may hide some of the problems that would usually be spotted during an endoscopy.