How To Know You Have A Ulcer

What Causes A Peptic Ulcer

Understanding Ulcers: How Do You Know If You Have One? Dr.Berg

Causes of peptic ulcers include

long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as aspirin and ibuprofen
an infection with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori
rare cancerous and noncancerous tumors in the stomach, duodenum, or pancreasknown as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Sometimes peptic ulcers are caused by both NSAIDs and H. pylori.

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.

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What Should I Expect Before An Upper Endoscopy

To help your doctor clearly view the digestive tract, you should go into the procedure with an empty stomach. Your doctor will review preparation with you. You may need to prepare with:

Food and drink: Consume only clear liquids for six to eight hours before the procedure.
Medications: Stop taking medicines that thin blood or affect blood clotting, including aspirin. You may need to switch medications for diabetes or high blood pressure. Follow your doctors recommendation.

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Peptic Ulcer Disease Can Be Caused By These Factors Sometimes In Combination

increased stress

an infection caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori

long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen

a rare condition known as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers by increasing the bodys production of acid

Stress Levels Have Increased During The Pandemic Could That Be The Cause Of An Ulcer

How to know if you have ulcers in your stomach

Although its a commonly held belief that psychological stress can burn a hole in your stomach, its not actually true. When were stressed, our bodys level of cortisol rises, causing our stomach to contract and feel painbut it cant cause an ulcer.

According to Dr. Dan Sadowski, a professor in the faculty of medicine at the University of Alberta, stressed out people often simultaneously experience dyspepsia, or indigestion, which leads to belching, bloating and burning pain. Although stress isnt a cause, the flood of cortisol causes you to feel pain more keenly. And, on top of that, when were stressed we may be apt to drink more alcohol, which exacerbates the problem. Thankfully, in the majority of cases, you can successfully treat dyspepsia symptoms with over-the-counter antacids.

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How Can My Doctor Diagnose My Stomach Ulcer

Depending on the availability and cost, following the test, your doctor may ask for

Antibody blood test

X-ray imaging by swallowing a barium dye

Examination by inserting a thin tube, which has a light and camera attached to it, through the incision made onto the stomach

A piece of stomach tissue removed by endoscopy and examined in the laboratory

Signs You May Have A Stomach Ulcer

We have absolutely warned our patients about the dangers of untreated ulcers in the past. However, we consider this to be an extremely important matter and therefore, we will continue to try to educate the people of Los Angeles, as well as those elsewhere on the most common symptoms of stomach ulcers. If you know the signs, you can see your doctor sooner rather than later when things have gotten especially bad. Continue reading below to get familiar with what these symptoms are.

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What Ulcer Treatments Are Available

If your ulcer is bleeding, your doctor may treat it during an endoscopy procedure by injecting medications into it. Your doctor could also use a clamp or cauterization to seal it off and stop the bleeding.

For most people, doctors treat ulcers with medications, including:

Proton pump inhibitors : These drugs reduce acid, which allows the ulcer to heal. PPIs include Prilosec®, Prevacid®, Aciphex®, Protonix® and Nexium®.
Histamine receptor blockers : These drugs also reduce acid production and include Tagamet®, Pepcid®, Zantac® and Axid®.
Antibiotics: These medications kill bacteria. Doctors use them to treat H. pylori.
Protective medications: Like a liquid bandage, these medications cover the ulcer in a protective layer to prevent further damage from digestive acids and enzymes. Doctors commonly recommend Carafate® or Pepto-Bismol®.

When To See The Doctor

Bleeding Ulcer Symptoms And Causes – How To Know If You Have A Bleeding Stomach Ulcer

Peptic ulcers will get worse if theyre not treated, so contact your doctor if you have symptoms or any signs that you could have one. Unfortunately, a lot of the time the way people find out they have an ulcer is by developing bleedstheyre taking a lot of aspirin or NSAIDS and they either start vomiting blood or have black tarry stool, says Marcus.

Your doctor may be able to diagnose a peptic ulcer by talking with you about your symptoms. Be sure to disclose the frequency of NSAID use.

However, some tests are usually used to confirm the diagnosis. For instance, to see if you have an H. pylori infection, your doctor will test your blood, breath or stool. They may also look inside your stomach and duodenum by doing an endoscopy or X-ray. An endoscopy is a procedure where a lighted tube is inserted through the throat and into the stomach to check for abnormalities.

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How Common Are Stomach Ulcers

It’s 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.

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, cigarette smoking, 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
Cigarette smoking
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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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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How Can I Prevent Ulcers

You may be able to prevent ulcers from forming if you:

Talk to your doctor about alternatives to NSAID medications to relieve pain.
Discuss protective measures with your doctor, if you cant stop taking an NSAID.
Opt for the lowest effective dose of NSAID and take it with a meal.
Quit smoking.
Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.

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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What Are The Symptoms Of Peptic Ulcers

Each persons symptoms may vary. In some cases ulcers dont cause any symptoms.

The most common ulcer symptom is a dull or burning pain in your belly between your breastbone and your belly button . This pain often occurs around meal times and may wake you up at night. It can last from a few minutes to a few hours.

Less common ulcer symptoms may include:

Feeling full after eating a small amount of food
Burping
Bloody or black stool
Vomiting blood

Peptic ulcer symptoms may look like other health problems. Always see your healthcare provider to be sure.

Things I Learned About Ulcers

What Do You Need To Know About Stomach Ulcers?

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By Catherine Saint Louis

Halfway through February, I could no longer sleep through the night. At 2 a.m., Id find myself chugging milk from the carton to extinguish a fire at the top of my rib cage. The gnawing feeling high in my stomach alternated with nausea so arresting I kept a bucket next to my laptop and considered taking a pregnancy test, even though I was 99 percent sure I wasnt expecting.

One day on the subway platform, I doubled over and let out a groan so pathetic it prompted a complete stranger to ask, Are you all right? Then I knew it was time to seek medical attention. New Yorkers dont address strangers on the subway, I told myself.Its like breaking the fourth wall.

The next day, my primary care doctor told me I probably had an ulcer, a raw spot or sore in the lining of the stomach or small intestine. Here are some of the things I learned about ulcers during the odyssey that followed.

Anyone can get an ulcer. Back in the 1980s, when doctors and most everyone else thought psychological stress or spicy foods led to ulcers, two Australian scientists discovered that the main culprit was actually a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. That discovery eventually won them a Nobel Prize in 2005, and ushered in an era of using antibiotics to cure ulcers.

Maddeningly, I wasnt sure which foods might be safe to eat until I tried them. For instance, why did a seemingly innocuous bag of salted peanuts lead to agony?

Symptoms Location And Timing

Your symptoms, the site and character of your discomfort, and symptom timing are important factors your doctor will consider in differentiating acid reflux versus an ulcer. Burning pain behind the breastbone and possibly into the throat that occurs after meals points toward acid reflux. This discomfort often worsens when you lie down or bend over. Ulcer pain is commonly described as gnawing or boring discomfort located toward the bottom of the rib cage. Ulcer pain usually occurs on an empty stomach and is relieved by eating. Unintentional weight loss may point toward an ulcer, whereas difficulty swallowing or a chronic cough makes acid reflux more likely.

Your symptoms, the site and character of your discomfort, and symptom timing are important factors your doctor will consider in differentiating acid reflux versus an ulcer.
Ulcer pain is commonly described as gnawing or boring discomfort located toward the bottom of the rib cage.

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.

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.

How Do You Know That Your Ulceris Healed

11 Signs You Have a Stomach Ulcer & Natural Remedies ...

Some peoplewith peptic ulcers may not seek medical help until the symptoms become verybothersome. The symptoms may come and go. Interestingly, sometimes the diseaseheals on its own. But this doesnt mean that you can ignore it! Treatment isnecessary even though the disease hasnt caused any symptoms.

Thedisease may turn into serious if left untreated. Even with treatment, sometimesit returns. In worse scenario, the disease becomes resistant or fails to heal.

Thefollowing are some reasons that may lead to a refractory ulcer :

Ifyoure a smoker and continue smoking during or after treatment. Its thoughtthat tobacco smoke might also have a role to irritate the tissues that coverthe stomach and intestines.

Nottaking your medications as you have been told. For example, its important totake the entire course of antibiotics. If you stop taking your antibioticsearly, this may cause antibiotic resistance and the infection is not completelyhealed.

Ifyou doesnt discontinue or reduce particular pain medications that increasethe risk of developing an ulcer.

Inless common cases, a persistent ulcer may be a consequence of an infectiousreason other than H-pylori, Crohns disease , stomach cancer, or something else.

Whatsmore?

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