How To Diagnose Gastric Ulcer

How Do Doctors Treat An Nsaid

If NSAIDs are causing your peptic ulcer and you dont have an H. pylori infection, your doctor may tell you to

• stop taking the NSAID
• reduce how much of the NSAID you take
• switch to another medicine that wont cause a peptic ulcer

Your doctor may also prescribe medicines to reduce stomach acid and coat and protect your peptic ulcer. Proton pump inhibitors , histamine receptor blockers, and protectants can help relieve pain and help your ulcer heal.

Gastric Ulcer Symptoms Causes And Treatment Know Them All

Gastric ulcer symptoms vary, and this frequent condition can greatly affect the life of the one who suffers from it. Learn all about it!

The excess of gastric acids that some people suffer makes them more prone to developing gastric ulcers. That is, they occur when the lining of the stomach or duodenum is damaged. Therefore, a gastric ulcer is a wound or sore in the lining of the stomach or duodenum. However, it could appear in the esophagus and even in later sections of the small intestine.

Most ulcers occur in the first layer of lining that covers the affected organ. Sometimes they are so large that they pierce the stomach. If this were to happen, the patients life would be in danger. Hence, it must be addressed with the utmost urgency.

Hence, it is essential to know this disorder. This way we will be in better conditions to prevent it.

Treating Helicobacter Pylori Infection

If your stomach ulcer’s caused by a Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection, you’ll be given:

• a course of antibiotics
• a medication called a proton pump inhibitor

This is also recommended if it’s thought your stomach ulcer’s caused by a combination of an H. pylori infection and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs .

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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. Dont 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.

Treatment And Management Of Stomach Ulcers In Pets

Treatment of stomach ulcers depends on the severity of the disease and the underlying cause. In most cases, dietary modification is needed in treating and managing the condition. H2-blockers like famotidine and proton-pump inhibitors like omeprazole reduce the production of gastric acid which helps reduce further injury to the stomachs lining.

One thing pet owners need to be wary of when starting treatment for dogs or cats with stomach ulcers is rebound hyperacidity. Often, when long-term treatment with either an H2-blocker or a proton-pump inhibitor medicine is discontinued, gastric cells produce acids and enzymes at an increased rate which can worsen the condition. Gradual tapering of these medications is often needed once symptoms have been controlled.

Gastroprotectant medications like sucralfate coat the stomachs lining and protect it from further injuries and damage. Cats and dogs diagnosed with stomach ulcers may need gastroprotectant treatment for an extended period to successfully manage the condition.

Antibiotics can be given at a prophylactic dose to prevent any secondary infection on the ulcers. However, care must be taken in using antibiotics, as some antibacterial medications can further stimulate gastric acid production.

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Causes Of Stomach Ulcers

A stomach ulcer can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Helicobacter pylori bacteria is thought to be responsible for around 60 per cent of stomach ulcers and at least 90 per cent of duodenal ulcers.
• Certain medications which include aspirin or clopidogrel, taken regularly to help prevent heart attack or stroke, and drugs for arthritis. Anti-inflammatory medications are thought to cause around two fifths of stomach ulcers.
• Cancer stomach cancer can present as an ulcer, particularly in older people.

How Is A Peptic Ulcer Treated

Some peptic ulcers heal on their own. But if you donât treat them, the ulcers tend to come back.

They can erode the blood vessel wall in your stomach or small intestine. The ulcers also can eat a hole through the lining and get infected. Or they can cause swelling, which may block food from moving from your stomach into your small intestine.

If H. pylori is the culprit, your doctor may prescribe a mix of antibiotics to kill it. If aspirin and other NSAIDs are behind the ulcer, you may need to cut down on them, stop taking them altogether, or switch to another pain reliever.

Your doctor may also give you antacids to fight stomach acid, or prescribe medicine to lessen the acid your body makes. Prescription drugs called cytoprotective agents can help protect the lining of the stomach or small intestine so the ulcer can heal.

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How Are Ulcers Diagnosed

Your healthcare provider may be able to make the diagnosis just by talking with you about your symptoms. If you develop an ulcer and youre not taking NSAIDs, the cause is likely an H. pylori infection. To confirm the diagnosis, youll need one of these tests:

Endoscopy

If you have severe symptoms, your provider may recommend an upper endoscopy to determine if you have an ulcer. In this procedure, the doctor inserts an endoscope through your throat and into your stomach to look for abnormalities.

H. Pylori tests

Tests for H. pylori are now widely used and your provider will tailor treatment to reduce your symptoms and kill the bacteria. A breath test is the easiest way to discover H. pylori. Your provider can also look for it with a blood or stool test, or by taking a sample during an upper endoscopy.

Imaging tests

Less frequently, imaging tests such as X-rays and CT scans are used to detect ulcers. You have to drink a specific liquid that coats the digestive tract and makes ulcers more visible to the imaging machines.

Check For Peptic Ulcers In Just 10 Minutes With Our Accurate Easy To Use Home Test

Peptic ulcers occur in the stomach and duodenum and in up to 90% of cases, they are due to an infection by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori . The infection causes inflammation and acid erosion of the lining of the stomach to form ulcers that can result in anaemia and other serious side effects if untreated. UlcerScreen identifies IgG antibodies to H.pylori that result from the infection and indicate the presence of stomach and/or duodenal ulcers currently or in the recent past.

The UlcerScreen test kit has been designed for use a home and no previous experience or training is necessary. The test takes just 10 minutes. A small finger-prick blood sample is taken with a sterile lancet provided in the kit. The blood sample is then transferred to the UlcerScreen test cassette using the micropipette provided, and after the addition of six drops of buffer solution the result is shown in 10 minutes. A positive result is given if IgG antibodies to H.pylori are detected.

The summary below shows you how easy it is to take your finger-prick blood sample, run the test and then interpret your results.

Everything you need to perform the test is provided in the kit:

• Easy to follow, step-by-step instructions
• A test cassette and diluent dropper bottle
• Two sterile lancets and micropipettes
• An alcohol swab to sterilise your finger

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What Is Peptic Ulcer Disease

Peptic ulcer disease is a condition in which painful sores or ulcers develop in the lining of the stomach or the first part of the small intestine . Normally, a thick layer of mucus protects the stomach lining from the effect of its digestive juices. But many things can reduce this protective layer, allowing stomach acid to damage the tissue.

Can You Prevent A Peptic Ulcer

While stress and spicy foods can make symptoms of a peptic ulcer worse, they donât seem to make you more likely to have one. But a few other things can raise your chances.

Be careful when you take pain relievers. Some people who have arthritis or other conditions that cause chronic pain take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for weeks or months at a time to ease pain and swelling. These medicines can affect the mucus that protects your stomach against acid and make you more likely to have peptic ulcers.

These pain relievers include:

You’re more likely to get an ulcer while taking one of these if you:

• Are over age 65
• Are infected with H. pylori bacteria
• Take more than one NSAID at a time
• Have had a peptic ulcer in the past
• Also take a steroid drug or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

To lower your chances for peptic ulcers while you take NSAIDs:

• Use the lowest possible dose to control your symptoms, and stop taking them as soon as you no longer need them.
• Take your medicine with food.
• Don’t drink alcohol while youâre taking these medicines.

While you’re on NSAIDs, you can take medicine to lower the amount of acid your stomach makes. Drugs that can do that include:

• H2 blockers such as cimetidine , famotidine , and nizatidine

You can also take the drug misoprostol to boost the amount of protective mucus your stomach makes. But that can cause side effects like diarrhea and stomach cramps.

You can do some things to make an infection less likely:

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Herbal Remedies That Help

You may have learned how to cure stomach ulcer permanently by changing your diet, but you can also try some herbal remedies to get better results. Here are some suggestions:

1. Licorice

Regular use of licorice may also help treat your stomach ulcers. Licorice is beneficial because it contains compounds beneficial for the lining of the stomach. You can make a cup of licorice tea for relief or even make licorice juice to treat stomach ulcers.

2. Slippery Elm

Slippery elm bark can help treat your stomach ulcers because it helps reduce acidity in your stomach. Simply take the slippery elm bark and grind it to make a fine powder. Consume this powder on a daily basis until you find some relief.

3. Calendula

This is a beneficial herb for anyone interested in learning how to cure stomach ulcer permanently. Just take the calendula and dry it. Then, use it to make a cup of calendula tea and drink it regularly for relief.

4. Yellow Root

Ulcers could be the result of the bacterium called H. pylori. It irritates the stomach lining and aggravates your condition. You may benefit from yellow root because it has antibiotic properties. You may also notice some relief from the burning sensation that is usually associated with ulcers.

• Living With Peptic Ulcers

Treatment of peptic ulcers include antibiotics to clear H. pylori, prescription and over-the-counter medicines to manage symptoms, and lifestyle modifications to help ulcers heal.

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How Are Stomach Ulcers Diagnosed

Diagnosis and treatment will depend on your symptoms and the severity of your ulcer. To diagnose a stomach ulcer, your doctor will review your medical history along with your symptoms and any prescription or over-the-counter medications youre taking.

To rule out H. pylori infection, a blood, stool, or breath test may be ordered. With a breath test, youll be instructed to drink a clear liquid and breathe into a bag, which is then sealed. If H. pylori is present, the breath sample will contain higher-than-normal levels of carbon dioxide.

Other tests and procedures used to diagnose stomach ulcers include:

• Barium swallow: You drink a thick white liquid that coats your upper gastrointestinal tract and helps your doctor see your stomach and small intestine on X-rays.
• Endoscopy : A thin, lighted tube is inserted through your mouth and into the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. This test is used to look for ulcers, bleeding, and any tissue that looks abnormal.
• Endoscopic biopsy: A piece of stomach tissue is removed so it can be analyzed in a lab.

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Symptoms Of Stomach Ulcers In Dogs And Cats

Stomach ulceration in dogs and cats causes several different clinical signs, most of which remain undetected until the condition becomes severe. Common symptoms associated with stomach ulcers are non-specific and can easily be confused with other conditions.

Initial signs include vomiting, abdominal pain, generalized weakness, and a decrease in appetite. As the condition becomes chronic, affected dogs and cats lose weight. When ulcers start bleeding, bloody vomit may be observed. Oftentimes, blood from bleeding ulcers is ingested and digested and causes a dark, tarry stool.

Severe cases of stomach ulcers and subsequent perforation lead to peritonitis and sepsis. Pets with perforated stomach ulcers often present with severe weakness, anemia, and pain. If left untreated, this can cause shock and eventual death of the pet.

What Causes Peptic Ulcers

Ulcers form when digestive juices damage the walls of the stomach or small intestine. If the mucus layer gets too thin or your stomach makes too much acid, your gut will feel it. The two major causes are:

• Bacteria. Itâs called Helicobacter pylori , and as many as half of us carry it. Most people infected with H. pylori do not get ulcers. But in others, it can raise the amount of acid, break down the protective mucus layer, and irritate the digestive tract. Experts arenât sure how H. pylori infection spreads. They think it may pass from person to person through close contact, like kissing. You may also get it from unclean food and water.
• Certain pain relievers. If youâve been taking aspirin often and for a long time, youâre more likely to get a peptic ulcer. The same is true for other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . They include ibuprofen and naproxen. NSAIDs block your body from making a chemical that helps protect the inner walls of your stomach and small intestine from stomach acid. Other types of pain meds, such as acetaminophen, wonât lead to peptic ulcers.
• Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol also can make you more likely to get ulcers. Stress and eating a lot of spicy food donât cause ulcers, as experts once thought. But they can make ulcers worse and harder to treat.

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What Are The Symptoms Of A Stomach Ulcer

Most people with a stomach ulcer do not experience any symptoms. The most common symptom is burning pain in the upper abdomen. The pain can travel to the chest and neck, bellybutton, or back.

Other less common symptoms include:

• feeling full and bloated, or belching
• not being able to tolerate fatty foods

Sometimes, stomach ulcers can lead to more serious symptoms, such as:

• a sudden sharp pain in the stomach that gets worse
• vomiting blood
• blood in your stool or black, tarry stools
• weight loss

If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor immediately.

Causes And Risk Factors Of Peptic Ulcers

For a long time, it was believed that spicy foods or stress led to peptic ulcers but doctors now know that this isnt the case.

In fact, the most common causes of ulcers are:

• Helicobacter pylori, a type of bacteria that can infect your stomach
• Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as aspirin, Advil or Motrin , and Aleve , which can wear away at the mucus layer of the digestive tract

Certain factors can put a person at a greater risk of developing a peptic ulcer, including:

• Taking high doses of NSAIDs
• Using NSAIDs continuously over a long period of time
• Being female
• Having a history of ulcer disease
• Taking corticosteroids, medications that may be prescribed to treat asthma, arthritis, or lupus

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Burning Pain In The Abdomen

Persistent burning pain in the abdomen is one of the first signs of a stomach ulcer. The sensation of pain occurs when juices in the stomach, which help in digestion, come into contact with an open sore in the stomach lining.

In most cases, the pain is felt from the breast bone to the navel, and it often worsens during the night. If you skip meals, particularly breakfast, you may also experience this burning sensation in the stomach during the daytime.

If the dull and burning ache of the ulcer often turns into a sharp, stabbing pain, it is a sign that your ulcer is acting up and you need medical help. It could mean that the ulcer has caused a more critical problem like a perforation in the wall of your stomach or intestine, or a blockage in your digestive tract, and it is triggering intense pain.

If Your Ulcer Was Caused By An Anti

If possible, you should stop taking the anti-inflammatory medicine. This allows the ulcer to heal. You will also normally be prescribed an acid-suppressing medicine for several weeks. This stops the stomach from making acid and allows the ulcer to heal. However, in many cases, the anti-inflammatory medicine is needed to ease symptoms of arthritis or other painful conditions, or aspirin is needed to protect against blood clots. In these situations, one option is to take an acid-suppressing medicine each day indefinitely. This reduces the amount of acid made by the stomach and greatly reduces the chance of an ulcer forming again.

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