Treating Digestive Issues And Stress In Horses
The cause of stress, behavior changes, or lack of focus in horses isnt always obvious. But one of the first things you may want to rule out is digestive problems, including ulcers. When your horse is dealing with digestive discomfort, its difficult for him to stay focused and work through the pain. This can result in behaviors like backpedaling, rearing, refusal, or bolting, which creates stress and frustration for you both.
A UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine article noted up to 90% of horses have gastric ulcers, with the highest numbers occurring in those involved in athletic activities like racing, endurance, and showing. Ulcers can be caused by increased exercise, limited access to feed, high-grain diets, physical and environmental stressors, or chronic NSAID use. A reluctance to train, attitude changes, and decreased performance are just a few of the signs a horse potentially has ulcers.
Nsaids And Stomach Ulcers
NSAIDs carry a risk of stomach ulcers. The two most popular NSAIDs are aspirin and ibuprofen.
The risk of ulcers increases if the drugs are taken in high doses or regularly for a long time.
Stronger NSAIDs, such as those available on prescription, carry a greater risk of stomach ulcers than those that people can buy over the counter.
A person should always check labels and consult a pharmacist or a doctor about any concerns regarding using pain relief medication. They may recommend an alternative, such as acetaminophen.
How To Calm An Ulcerative Colitis Flare
This article was co-authored by Peter Gardner, MD. Peter W. Gardner, MD is a board certified physician who has practiced Gastroenterology and Hepatology for over 30 years. He specializes in diseases of the digestive system and liver. Dr. Gardner earned his Bachelors degree from the University of North Carolina and attended Georgetown Medical School. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and then his fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Connecticut. He is a previous Chief of Gastroenterology at Stamford Hospital and remains on the staff. He is also on the staff of Greenwich Hospital and New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Gardner is an Approved Consultant in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology with the American Board of Internal Medicine.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 9,951 times.
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Natural And Home Remedies For Stomach Ulcers
A stomach ulcer is a sore on the lining of your stomach or small intestine . This sore usually causes pain and burning in the abdomen. This pain can come and go and may last for hours at a time.
Stomach ulcers occur when the acids that your body uses to digest food lead to damage to the stomach or duodenum walls. This can be caused by the infection H. pylori or the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications . Certain foods and stress can exacerbate the development of ulcers and associated pain.
This article will describe natural and home remedies used to treat ulcers and foods to limit or avoid if you have an ulcer.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
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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Can Stomach Ulcers Just Go Away
Some ulcers follow a chronic pattern of healing temporarily on their own and then returning. This might happen if the factors contributing to your ulcer, such as NSAID use, smoking and alcohol, are temporarily reduced and then resumed. You wont completely heal your ulcer until you eliminate the cause, whether that is chronic NSAID use, H. pylori infection or an overactive stomach. Even after successful treatment, you can get another ulcer.
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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What Is The Best Home Remedy For An Ulcer
An ulcer needs time to heal, so the best home remedies help guard the stomach against unnecessary irritation and work to lower stomach acid. Here are some examples:
- Avoid foods that increase stomach acid such as dairy, coffee, and soft drinks
- Avoid foods that irritate or damage the stomach such as alcohol, spicy foods, and fatty foods
- Eat small meals throughout the day
- Smoking also increases stomach acid, so stop smoking
- Avoid NSAIDs for pain if youre at risk of getting an ulcer. They reduce prostaglandins that protect the stomach lining from stomach acids. Use acetaminophen instead
- Stress and nervousness may increase stomach acid, so manage stress with relaxation exercises, stretching, yoga, and other stress management techniques
Ask Your Doctor About Licorice
Its a traditional folk remedy for ulcers, and theres some evidence that its effective. Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, a compound that is thought to soothe and strengthen the intestinal lining and help ulcers heal more quickly. The average daily dose is 1.5 to 3 grams, says Meyers, but talk to your doctor before taking this amount because of the increased risk of high blood pressure. Licorice should not be used on a regular basis for a prolonged timeno longer than for 4 to 6 weeks.
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Who Might Get Gastritis
Your risk of developing gastritis goes up with age. Older adults have thinner stomach linings, decreased circulation and a slower metabolism of mucosal repair. Older adults are also more likely to be on medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that can cause gastritis. About two-thirds of the worlds population is infected with H. pylori. Fortunately, it is less common in the United States. In the United States, H. pylori is found more often in older adults and lower socioeconomic groups.
What If An Ulcer Doesnt Heal Or Comes Back After Treatment
Taking medicines and treating the underlying cause heals most ulcers. However, if your ulcer doesnt heal or comes back after treatment, your doctor may
- check for and treat any factors that could be causing the ulcer, such as an H. pylori infection.
- recommend you quit smoking, if you smoke. Smoking can slow ulcer healing.
- recommend or prescribe more medicines to help heal the ulcer.
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What Is The Treatment For Stomach 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.
What Are Stomach Ulcers
Duodenal ulcer, also regarded as gastric ulcer or stomach ulcer, is an ulcerative lesion on the lining of stomach or duodenum . There are painful sores that surface on the stomachs lining. They can have a bad impact on your stomach and the small intestine as well. This problem occurs due to the imbalance of digestive juices. These lesions occur when the lining of the stomach, duodenum, and underlying tissue are exposed. Gastric ulcers occur more than four times in the duodenum.
Stomach ulcers or duodenal ulcers are very common in people of all ages, but the quantity of adult patients outnumbers that of children. Based on different locations of various inflammations and ulcers, there are many kinds of ulcer, such as:
- Meckels diverticulum .
Individuals who are suffering from stomach ulcers may feel aching hunger pangs between their navel and breastbone, and sometimes it may extend towards their back.
What Are Symptoms Of A Stomach Ulcer Pain?
As mentioned above, gastric ulcers occur when the tunica mucosa ventriculi in the stomach get damaged. The lining of the stomach is covered with a layer of mucus to protect it against the acid secreted in the organ during the food digesting process. However, this layer can be damaged due to bacterial infection or some other reasons which lead to excessive acid production. Therefore, the holes may develop in the stomach lining and there are also other symptoms associated with this condition.
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What Causes Stomach Ulcers
Your stomach normally produces acid to help with the digestion of food and to kill germs . This acid is corrosive, so some cells on the inside lining of the stomach and the first part of the gut known as the duodenum produce a natural mucous barrier. This protects the lining of the stomach and duodenum.
There is normally a balance between the amount of acid that you make and the mucous defence barrier. An ulcer may develop if there is an alteration in this balance, allowing the acid to damage the lining of the stomach or duodenum. Causes of this include the following:
What Is A Stomach Ulcer
Stomach ulcers are painful sores that develop in the lining of your digestive system. They usually form in the stomach but can also sometimes develop in the small intestine or the esophagus.
Heres the basics of how ulcers work:
Ulcers form when any combination of excess gastric acids, bacteria, drugs or other toxins cause damage and small openings to the mucosa, the tissue that lines the stomach, parts of the small intestine, and other organs. Mucosa normally protect particles from leaking out.
When someone has an ulcer, hydrochloric acid and pepsin build up and destroy parts of the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. The stomach usually manages acid/pepsin by creating a thick mucus coating that is supposed to act as a buffer between the stomach lining and the acids inside the stomach. The mucus coating itself usually produces certain chemicals that help repair the stomach lining, keep blood circulating and carry out cellular renewal processes. But some part of this process can become disturbed, and the lining of the GI tract can become exposed, forming small sores .
When you eat a meal, food washes the acid in your stomach away temporarily, as its used to break down the nutrients in the recently consumed food. But then once your food is digested, the acid once again accumulates in the stomach and can wash against the raw base of the ulcer, exposing and opening it up. This causes a burning, painful sensation, sometimes one thats very strong.
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Stomach Ulcer Symptoms You Cant Ignore And How To Naturally Treat Them
Chances are that if you havent experienced one yourself, you at least know someone whos had a stomach ulcer at one point or another. Estimates show that about 500,000 new cases of peptic ulcers are reported each year in the U.S. alone, and at any given time about 5 million people are affected. In addition, one in 10 adults can expect to deal with painful ulcers at one point or another.
For many years, doctors thought that high amounts of stress alone could cause a stomach ulcer to form by increasing production of stomach acid. But then research emerged in the 1980s showing that frequent use of anti-inflammatory drugs , a poor lifestyle, and especially a type of bacterial infection caused by the strain Helicobacter pylori are the real culprits of the majority of ulcers.
Fortunately, according to an article published in The Lancet, prevalence of H. pylori infection and peptic ulcer diseases have become substantially less prevalent than they were two decades ago.
Wondering how to treat a stomach ulcer if youve already developed one? Below well cover much more about stomach ulcer treatments including medications, stress management and dietary changes.
Peptic Ulcer Disease Complications
The three major complications of peptic ulcer disease treatment are:
- Perforation/penetration, due to the ulcer burning through the stomach wall
- Gastric outlet obstruction, or pyloric stenosis, occurs when the pylorus narrows. The pylorus is the opening from the stomach into the small intestine.
There are a number of options available to treat these complications, including endoscopic therapy.
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Types Of Peptic Ulcers
A peptic ulcer is among the most common forms of stomach disease. About 4 million Americans suffer from this condition every year.
When Should You Call Or See A Doctor
If you think you have a stomach ulcer, call your doctor. Together you can discuss your symptoms and treatment options. If you dont already have a physician, you can use the Healthline FindCare tool to find a provider near you.
Its important to get a stomach ulcer taken care of because without treatment, ulcers and H. pylori can cause:
- bleeding from the ulcer site that can become life-threatening
- penetration, which occurs when the ulcer goes through the wall of the digestive tract and into another organ, such as the pancreas
- perforation, which occurs when the ulcer creates a hole in the wall of the digestive tract
- obstruction in the digestive tract, which is due to swelling of inflamed tissues
- stomach cancer, specifically
Symptoms of these complications can include those listed below. If you have any of these symptoms, be sure to call you doctor right away:
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What Causes Stomach Ulcer
The common causes of stomach ulcers are mentioned below.
- Over usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs : Taking NSAIDs for a long time or in large quantities can cause stomach ulcers. Examples of common NSAIDs include aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen.1
- Helicobacter pylori infection: Getting infected by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori can cause stomach ulcers. This bacteria lives in the stomach itself and does not cause any symptoms for most people. But people who have bacterial overgrowth can develop stomach ulcers as the bacteria continue to grow and damage the stomach wall.1
Some rare causes of stomach ulcers are:
- Severe physiological stress: Getting burns or injuries or other severe illnesses can cause stomach ulcers. Physical stress can cause overproduction of stomach acids, causing stomach ulcers.1
- Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome: A rare kind of condition that causes the stomach to overproduce stomach acids.1
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Beneficial Components Of Aloe Vera Juice
Containing key elements such as aloin, aloin-emodin, tannins, resins and polysaccharide compounds, aloe vera features twelve vitamins, twenty minerals and nineteen amino acids vital for maintaining good health. Many of these nutrients have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidative properties, which not only help speed up healing of tiny skin wounds but also of stomach ulcers. Some experts believe that aloe vera juice benefits us because its components like methionine, serine threonine, various amino acids and the trace mineral molybdenum interact together to detoxify the body of heavy metals and help with the metabolism of carbohydrates, fat and protein. This in turn prevents fat build-ups in the arteries and the liver.
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