When To Contact A Doctor
Anyone who thinks they may have an ulcer in their stomach should consult a doctor. Any stomach symptoms that last for more than a few days or keep happening need evaluation and treatment.
Symptoms of anemia, such as tiredness and breathlessness, may signal a slow-bleeding ulcer. More serious bleeding is an urgent medical problem, as people may vomit up blood, or stools are black and sticky.
Perforation 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.
How Is A Peptic Ulcer Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, whether you take NSAIDs and other drugs, and medical history. Theyâll also check you for bloating in the belly and pain. That may be enough to make a diagnosis.
The only way your doctor can tell for sure if you have an ulcer is to look. They may use a series of X-rays or a test called an endoscopy. This test allows them to pass a thin, bendy tube down your throat and into your stomach and small intestine. The tube has a camera at the end so they can check the lining for ulcers. They may also take a small piece of the lining to test for H. pylori. Blood, breath, and stool sample tests also can screen for the bacteria.
How Are Duodenal Ulcers Treated
If your ulcer is caused by H pylori, the usual treatment is ‘triple therapy’. This involves taking 2 antibiotics and a medicine. The antibiotics kill the bacteria, while the medicine reduces the acid made by your stomach.
If you don’t have an H. pylori infection, and you have been using anti-inflammatory drugs, you will need to stop taking them . You will also need to start taking a drug to reduce the acid production in your stomach.
You can make some other changes to improve your symptoms, such as:
- taking antacids
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Understanding Ulcer Medication For Horses
When it comes to treating Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, several good options exist, but the specific type of drug/medication and length of treatment your veterinarian prescribes will likely depend on the exact location in the stomach, as well as the severity of ulceration.
Latsons business partner, equine internal medicine veterinary specialist, Dr. Robert Franklin, explains that the horses stomach is divided into two halves: the top, which is called non-glandular and the bottom, referred to as glandular.
The non-glandular region is typically the area affected by ulceration, says Franklin. This region typically responds well to treatment.
GastroGard and UlcerGard, which both contain the active ingredient omeprazole, are the two main drugs veterinarians tend to use for non-glandular ulcers.
They work about 80% of the time in a 4-week treatment period, notes Franklin.
However, Franklin goes on to explain that a glandular ulcer does not heal nearly as easily and doesnt always respond to the typical treatments, so veterinarians often have to rely on a different strategy when treating these types of ulcers.
Weve used sucralfate in combination with omeprazole to manage glandular ulcers. Some more recent studies have shown that another drug called misoprostol is likely the best treatment for this type.
Alternative Therapy For Peptic Ulcer
The usage of medicinal plants in healing numerous diseases is as old as human beings, and well-known as phytotherapy. Moreover, in the past few years, there has been a rising interest in alternative therapies and the usage of herbal products, in particular, those produced from medicinal plants . Also, due to appearance of various side effects by usage of conventional drugs for numerous diseases, medicinal plants are considered the major reservoir of potentially new drugs. Plant extracts and their crude are the most significant sources of new drugs, and have been shown to cause promising results in the treatment of gastric ulcer as well . It is known that numerous pharmaceutical agents such as proton pump inhibitors, anticholinergics, antacids, antimicrobial agents, H2-receptor antagonists, sucralfate, and bismuth are not fully effective, and produce numerous adverse effects such as impotence, arrhythmia, hematopoietic alterations, hypersensitivity, and gynecomastia . Due to that, investigations of the new pharmacologically active agents through the screening of different plant extracts led to the discovery of effective and safe drugs with gastroprotective activity. Especially, plants with antioxidant capability as the main mechanism are used as the herbal reservoir for the treatment of ulcer disease .
Finally, the Ayurvedic knowledge and modern medicine could generate preferable antiulcer drugs derived from medicinal plants with less side effects .
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What Is A Duodenal Ulcer
Duodenal ulcers are a common cause of abdominal pain. Once treated, they usually get better in a matter of weeks.
A duodenal ulcer is a sore that forms in the lining of the duodenum. Your duodenum is the first part of your small intestine. This is the part of your digestive system that food travels through, after it leaves your stomach.
You can get an ulcer in your stomach as well as in your duodenum. Stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers are both types of peptic ulcers. If you have either of these, you have what’s called ‘peptic ulcer disease’.
Other Causes And Factors
Other causes are rare. For example, some viral infections can cause a stomach ulcer. Crohns 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.
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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:
Why Dont All Doctors Automatically Check For H Pylori
Changing medical belief and practice takes time. For nearly 100 years, scientists and doctors thought that ulcers were caused by stress, spicy food, and alcohol. Treatment involved bed rest and a bland diet. Later, researchers added stomach acid to the list of causes and began treating ulcers with antacids.Since H. pylori was discovered in 1982, studies conducted around the world have shown that using antibiotics to destroy H. pylori cured peptic ulcers. The National Institutes of Health released a consensus statement in 1994 confirming that H. pylori causes peptic ulcers. Despite the evidence, however, the medical community continues to debate H. pyloris role in peptic ulcers. If you have a peptic ulcer and have not been tested for H. pylori infection, talk to your doctor.
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How Can I Look After Myself If I Have A Peptic Ulcer
As well as seeking help from a healthcare professional, there are things you can do to care for yourself:
- Eat a well-balanced diet and have regular meals.
- Eat smaller meals and eat your evening meal 34 hours before going to bed.
- Identify and avoid food and drinks that make the pain worse
- Antacids can offer short term relief and may help protect the lining of the stomach. You can buy antacids from your local pharmacy.
Home Remedies For Peptic Ulcer
Pursuing conventional way of treating ulcer problems which leads to further complications in the digestive system we can take the route of homemade remedies mentioned below and lead a healthy life.
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What Is A Stomach Ulcer
A stomach ulcer is considered to be a wound that is present inside the walls of the stomach. Ulcers are known to be open wounds, and they are said to mostly develop in and lead to damage of the inside lining of the stomach. They are mostly sore and can cause a lot of pain. Stomach ulcers are usually found in the small intestine or in the lining of the stomach, as mentioned earlier. These ulcers are a possible sign of a medical condition known as peptic ulcer. Such ulcers tend to develop when hydrochloric acid makes its way through the mucus defenses and digests the stomach lining. This leads to an open wound. Since the stomach is said to be always in motion due to the fact that it grinds food, the wound thus always remains open, and this causes intense pain in the stomach.
Stomach ulcers are known to occur when the thick layer of mucus that protects the stomach from any digestive juices is reduced, which in turn enables the digestive acid to eat away at the lining tissues of the stomach. Stomach ulcers cause burning pain in the stomach, relieved by eating food. The food present in the stomach is known to partially dissolve the acid, but the discomfort will often start again when the stomach becomes empty. The presence of stomach ulcers can also lead to a feeling of being bloated, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and intolerance to certain fatty foods.
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.
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Ulcers According To Western Medicine
Western medicine believes that digestive ulcers can be caused by a variety of symptoms including an H. pylori infection, improper diet , pharmaceutical drugs and too much stomach acids. Heliobacter pylori is a gram negative bacteria that causes an infection in the digestive tract. Interestingly, many people have an H. pylori infection yet they never develop symptoms or any type of ulcer.
What Causes Stomach Ulcers
Stomach ulcers occur when the layer protecting the stomach lining from stomach acid breaks down. This allows the stomach lining to become damaged.
This is usually caused by:
- an infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria
- taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen or aspirin particularly if they’re taken for a long time or at high doses
There’s little evidence that stress or certain foods causes stomach ulcers.
More about the causes of stomach ulcers
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What Causes 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 tracts 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
- 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.
Causes Of Ulcers Include:
- an infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria
- long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines and ibuprofen
Stress and spicy food can also exacerbate the symptoms of an ulcer. Although they do not cause ulcers, they can make the situation worse by increasing the amount of stomach acid produced.
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How Do I Know If I Have An Ulcer
Describing your symptoms may lead your doctor to suspect that you have a peptic ulcer, but it wonât likely help determine the type, because the symptoms of stomach and duodenal ulcers are so similar. The doctor will do tests like these to figure out which specific type of ulcer you have:
- Endoscopy. This is the most accurate diagnostic test to diagnose a peptic ulcer. The doctor puts a flexible tube down your throat to see inside your esophagus , stomach, and duodenum. This allows the doctor to see the cause of bleeding and test for any bacterial infection. During this exam, your doctor may also do a biopsy to check for cancer.
- Barium swallow. If you cant have an endoscopy, this test, also called an upper GI series of X-rays, can help your doctor identify and locate the ulcer and determine its type and severity. The test requires you to drink a barium milkshake, which has a liquid that will show up on an X-ray. They may ask you to eat only bland, easy-to-digest foods for 2-3 days before the test. After drinking the chalky liquid, you lie down on a tilting exam table. This evenly spreads the barium around your upper digestive tract and lets the X-ray take pictures at different angles.
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How Can I Prevent A Stomach Ulcer From Occurring Or Returning
- Reduce NSAID use, if possible. Consider whether acetaminophen might substitute. If you take NSAIDs for medical reasons, talk to your doctor about reducing your dosage or switching your medication. Your doctor may also prescribe another medicine to take with NSAIDs to protect your stomach lining.
- Reduce other irritants that may contribute to too much stomach acid or erode your stomach lining, including smoking and alcohol use.
- Take an H. pylori breath test to find out if you have an overgrowth of the bacteria.
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Carrot And Cabbage Juice
Cabbage has many properties that can help with a stomach ulcer. It contains a good amount of vitamin C, which can help with your stomachs healing process. Cabbage also contains an amino acid that can help to increase blood flow to the stomach, which can also help stimulate healing. While carrot juice, on the other hand, contains vitamin U which has anti-peptic properties.
Chop half a cabbage and two carrots and place them into a blender or juicer and extract the juice. Drink a half cup of this juice before each meal and before bed. You may have to repeat this daily for a few weeks.
Are There Foods I Should Avoid If I Have A Stomach Ulcer
Interestingly, there is no specific diet that a person with ulcers needs to follow. The current recommendations are less about the foods you should avoid and more about foods that will help you lessen the risk of developing an ulcer in the first place.
If youve developed a stomach ulcer or are at risk of developing one, you should include more of these foods in your diet:
- Fruits and vegetables that are full of antioxidants that are anti-inflammatory
- Nuts, halibut, and yellowfin tuna, which all have selenium to enhance your ability to heal
- Probiotics that have active bacterial properties, such as yogurt, to improve digestion
- Spinach, oysters, and beef, which contain zinc to help you maintain a healthy immune system
Plenty of water, leafy greens, and fermented probiotic foods have all clinically been shown to help lessen your risk of developing ulcers. During the holiday season, you will want to take additional care of yourself and pay attention to your stress levels. Talk with your doctor about whether adding a probiotic supplement could also help you.
On the other hand, if you have acid reflux in addition to a stomach ulcer, there are foods that may trigger your acid reflux. In these instances, its a good idea to avoid alcohol and coffee, as well as spicy and acidic foods, which could cause your discomfort to increase.
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