How Do You Get A Peptic Ulcer

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.

H Pylori Infection Treatment

Patients infected with H. pylori will usually need PPIs and antibiotics. This treatment is effective in most patients, and the ulcer will start to disappear within days. When treatment is over, the individual will have to be tested again to make sure the H. pylori have gone. If necessary, they will undergo another course of different antibiotics.

Can A Peptic Ulcer Come Back

Yes, a peptic ulcer can come back. If you smoke or take NSAIDs, peptic ulcers are more likely to come back. If you need to take an NSAID, your doctor may switch you to a different medicine or add medicines to help prevent a peptic ulcer. Peptic ulcer disease can return, even if you have been careful to reduce your risk.

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How Do I Get Rid Of Mouth Ulcers

The range of treatment options includes:

Similarly, what diseases cause sores in mouth?

Mouth ulcers can sometimes be caused by certain medical conditions, such as:

• viral infections including the cold sore virus, chickenpox, and hand, foot and mouth disease.
• vitamin B12 or iron deficiency.
• Crohn’s disease a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system.

How do you cure mouth sores?

These include:

What causes sores inside mouth?

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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.

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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.

Prevention Of Peptic Ulcers

Using alternatives to NSAIDs, like acetaminophen, to relieve pain can help prevent peptic ulcers. If you need to use an NSAID, opt for the lowest dose and take it with a meal.

Peptic ulcers caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori are not usually preventable, but good hygiene such as washing your hands thoroughly before eating and after using the bathroom may help limit the spread.

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Alternative And Complementary Therapies

Certain lifestyle changes can help you recover from an ulcer.

• Watch your diet. If you know that there are specific foods that make your ulcer feel worse, avoid them until your treatment is over. For many people, these include alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods, spicy foods, and chocolate.
• Stop smoking. If you smoke, you are already at increased risk of getting an ulcer. The data also shows that ulcers take longer to heal in smokers and that the ulcer medication you are taking may be less effective. Scientists don’t know exactly why smoking has these negative effects.
• Take pain medication carefully. NSAIDs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and many other commonly taken drugs, are taken for pain and fever, but can cause an ulcer if used too often. NSAIDs can also prevent an ulcer from healing as quickly as you would like, so talk to your doctor about what you can take for your other aches and pains while you are waiting for your ulcer to heal. Acetaminophen does not cause ulcers, so it may be an effective substitute. Also, be sure to read all drug labels some cough and cold liquids have NSAID ingredients in them, and you should avoid them, too.
• Cut back on alcohol. Stop drinking alcohol if you want to completely reduce your risk of additional ulcers and help your body heal.

Outlook For Peptic Ulcers

With proper treatment, most peptic ulcers heal. However, you may not heal if you stop taking your medication early or continue to use tobacco, alcohol, and nonsteroidal pain relievers during treatment. Your doctor will schedule a follow-up appointment after your initial treatment to evaluate your recovery.

Some ulcers, called refractory ulcers, dont heal with treatment. If your ulcer doesnt heal with the initial treatment, this can indicate:

• an excessive production of stomach acid
• presence of bacteria other than H. pylori in the stomach
• another disease, such as stomach cancer or Crohns disease

Your doctor may offer a different method of treatment or run additional tests to rule out stomach cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases.

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What Is The Treatment For Peptic Ulcers

The choice of treatment depends on whether or not the ulcer is caused by infection with H pylori. Correct diagnosis is key to whether a treatment works or not. If the bacteria are the cause, treatment focuses on killing the infection. Regardless of whether the bacteria are the cause, reducing acid in the stomach is another important focus of treatment.

The following treatments are recommended for ulcers:

• Lifestyle changes: Quit smoking, avoid alcohol, aspirin, and NSAIDs
• Acid-blocking medications
• Medications that protect the lining of the stomach and duodenum
• “Triple-therapy” or “dual-therapy” regimens for ulcers caused by H pylori

No single medication works to get rid of H pylori infection. Two combinations have been found that work well in most people.

These treatments are generally given for two weeks.

Once H pylori bacteria are eradicated from a person’s digestive tract, usually it will not come back. The ulcers usually heal completely and do not return.

Treatment for bleeding ulcers depends on the severity of blood loss and includes:

It is important to remember that treatment may not work if the diagnosis is not correct. If the doctor diagnoses an ulcer, it is important to determine whether the ulcer is caused by infection with H pylori.

When Do You Get A Peptic Ulcer In Your Stomach

Peptic ulcer. Duodenal ulcers usually appear between ages 30 and 50 and are more common in men than women. Stomach ulcers tend to occur later in life, after age 60, and affect women more often than men. The cause of most stomach and duodenal ulcers is infection with a type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori.

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Lifestyle Changes To Treat Pud

Along with medication, these lifestyle changes may be helpful in assisting to control the pain of peptic ulcer disease.

• Wise diet choiceseating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains may promote healing. Processed foods, fried foods and junk food will make it harder to heal.
• Change your pain relieverbecause PUD can be aggravated by using certain pain relievers, talk to your doctor about a different option.
• Stop smokingSmoking can affect the mucus lining of the stomach and produce more stomach acid.
• Avoid alcoholAlcohol can wear away the mucus layer of the stomach and intestine.
• Manage stressUse exercise, mediation, relaxation techniques and recreation to reduce stress and reduce stomach acid production.

How Common Are Stomach Ulcers

Its not known exactly how common stomach ulcers are. They have become much less common since the 1980s because of much more effective treatments. So people with stomach ulcers now usually get better much more quickly.

The term peptic ulcer is used to describe ulcers that are caused by too much acid in the stomach. This includes stomach ulcers and also ulcers in the first part of the gut known as the duodenum. Stomach ulcers are less common than duodenal ulcers.

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Causes Of Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers can be caused by a wide range of factors including:

• Accidentally biting the inside of your cheek.
• Injury from a toothbrush .
• Constant rubbing against misaligned or sharp/broken teeth.
• Constant rubbing against dentures or braces.
• Burns from eating hot food.
• Irritation from strong antiseptics, such as a mouthwash.
• Ulcers may become worse during periods of stress, illness or extreme fatigue.

What Causes Ulcers In The Esophagus And Stomach

How this works. What are peptic ulcers? Peptic ulcers are sores that develop in the lining of the stomach, lower esophagus, or small intestine. Theyre usually formed as a result of inflammation caused by the bacteria H. pylori, as well as from erosion from stomach acids. Peptic ulcers are a fairly common health problem.

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How Does H Pylori Cause Ulcers

Although many people naturally carry H. pylori, it is not clear why the bacteria only cause ulcers in some people. H. pylori spread through food and water. They live in the mucus that coats the lining of the stomach and duodenum, and they produce urease, an enzyme that neutralizes stomach acid by making it less acidic.

To compensate for this, the stomach produces more acid, and this irritates the stomach lining. The bacteria also weaken the defense system of the stomach and causes inflammation. Patients with peptic ulcers caused by H. pylori need treatment to get rid of the bacterium from the stomach, and to prevent them coming back.

When To Seek Treatment For Mouth Ulcers

If ulcers are interfering with your normal daily activities, or have persisted for 2 weeks, see your dentist or an oral medicine specialist.

In some cases, you may need blood tests if its suspected that you have an underlying deficiency or an inflammatory condition.

If your oral health professional cant determine the cause of your mouth ulcers, or if the ulcers dont respond to the normal treatments, you may need to have a biopsy of part of the ulcer and some of the surrounding tissue. A biopsy is a procedure where a tissue sample is taken for examination and diagnosis.

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Other Causes Of Peptic Ulcers

• Genetics: A significant number of individuals with peptic ulcers have close relatives with the same problem, suggesting that genetic factors may be involved.
• Smoking: People who regularly smoke tobacco are more likely to develop peptic ulcers when compared with non-smokers.
• Alcohol consumption: Regular heavy drinkers of alcohol have a higher risk of developing peptic ulcers.
• Corticosteroid use: People on large or chronic doses of corticosteroids are also at greater risk.
• Mental stress: This stress has not been linked to the development of new peptic ulcers, but symptoms appear to be more severe in people with ulcers who are experiencing ongoing mental stress.

A patientâs description of symptoms will normally cause a doctor to suspect a peptic ulcer.

Tests that can confirm a diagnosis include:

• a blood test to check for H. pylori, though a positive test does not always mean there is an active infection
• a breath test, using a radioactive carbon atom to detect H. pylori
• a stool antigen test to detect H. pylori in the feces
• an upper gastrointestinal X-ray to identify ulcers

An endoscopy may also be used. This involves a long, narrow tube with a camera attached to the end is threaded down the patientâs throat and into the stomach and duodenum. This is the best diagnostic test.

When To Seek Medical Advice

You should visit your GP if you think you may have a stomach ulcer.

Seek urgent medical advice if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• vomiting blood the blood can appear bright red or have a dark brown, grainy appearance, similar to coffee grounds
• passing dark, sticky, tar-like stools
• a sudden, sharp pain in your tummy that gets steadily worse

These could be a sign of a serious complication, such as internal bleeding.

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What Happens After Treatment

A repeat gastroscopy is usually advised a few weeks after treatment has finished. This is mainly to check that the ulcer has healed. It is also to be doubly certain that the ulcer was not due to stomach cancer. If your ulcer was caused by H. pylori then a test is advised to check that the H. pylori infection has gone. This is done at least four weeks after the course of combination therapy has finished.

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What Is A Peptic Ulcer And How Do They Develop

Peptic ulcers are open sores that develop in certain parts of your digestive tract. They occur when the protective layer of mucus that lines those areas erodes due to the buildup of acids. If left untreated, these ulcers can lead to internal bleeding and other complications.

There are two types of peptic ulcer disease that are classified based on where they develop. When an ulcer forms on the stomach lining, it is referred to as a gastric ulcer. A duodenal ulcer is the name for an ulcer that appears at the top end of the small intestine. You can have ulcers at any age, but your chances of having one increases with age.

Peptic ulcers generally develop for two reasons:

• Bacteria One common type of bacteria, known as Helicobacter pylori is a main cause for peptic ulcers. While as many as 50% of us carry this type of bacteria, most people infected with H. pylori do not get ulcers. For some however, it can raise the amount of acid produced, break down the protective mucus layer, and irritate the digestive tract.
• Pain Relievers Another cause for ulcers is prolonged use of pain relievers, such aspirin or medications that contain ibuprofen or naproxen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . These medications block your body from making a chemical that help protect the inner walls of your stomach and small intestine from stomach acid.

Other symptoms may include:

• Lack of appetite or weight loss
• Feeling faint
• Bloody or dark stool
• Vomiting

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What Kind Of Doctor Treats Peptic Ulcers

• If you suspect you may have a peptic ulcer, you may first be diagnosed by your family practitioner or internist.
• Children or teenagers may see a pediatrician.
• For further treatment you will likely be referred to a gastroenterologist, a specialist in disorders of the digestive tract.
• If you have an emergency such as vomiting or severe abdominal pain you will be seen by an emergency medicine specialist in an emergency room.
• In the rare case where surgery is needed, you may see a general surgeon.

Check If You Have A Mouth Ulcer

You may have more than 1 ulcer at a time and they can change in size.

Mouth ulcers are not contagious and should not be confused with cold sores.

Cold sores appear on the lips or around the mouth and often begin with a tingling, itching or burning sensation.

If you have several mouth ulcers, this can be a symptom of:

• hand, foot and mouth disease, which also causes a rash on the hands and feet
• oral lichen planus, which causes a white, lacy pattern inside the cheeks
• Crohn’s and coelic disease
• a weakened immune system from having a condition like HIV or lupus

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Gastroenterologists In Austin Texas

If you suffer from stomach ulcers, reach out to us at Austin Gastroenterology by calling the location nearest you or request an appointment online now.

We offer a wide variety of GI services and treat various disorders of the upper and lower digestive tract. Our goal is to provide you relief so you can go back to living your life without bothersome stomach pain.