Ulcer Treatment: 10 Foods You Must To Treat Stomach Ulcers
Stomach ulcers are open sores within the lining of the stomach. They are a type of peptic ulcer, meaning having to do with acid. Because of the amount of acid present in the stomach and the damage that can occur, they are often extremely painful.
The most common cause of stomach ulcers is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori.
Ulcers may also be caused by overuse of painkillers, such as aspirin , and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories , such as ibuprofen or naproxen .
Stomach ulcers are treated with antibiotics and medications to reduce and block stomach acid.
In addition to this well-proven treatment plan, research has shown that there are also some natural home remedies that may be useful in managing a stomach ulcer.
You May Like: What Foods To Eat To Lose Stomach Fat
What Are The Symptoms Of A Stomach Ulcer
Symptoms vary from person to person, and some people may have no symptoms at all. Abdominal pain is common, and that associated with stomach ulcers tends to worsen after food. Other common symptoms include:
- Bloating or belching
Symptoms such as vomiting, severe pain or blood in the stools are rare with stomach ulcers and should be reported to your doctor.
Most ulcers occur in the first layer of the inner lining. A hole that goes all the way through is called a perforation and will cause severe pain and bleeding. It is a medical emergency.
Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes
VLUs remain an unmet clinical need. Numerous guidelines showcase that a consensus between different specialties from various countries has not been reached. Despite this, there have been some attempts at analyzing the quality and consistency of the published literature. These efforts also demonstrate that an interprofessional team approach is fundamental for a thorough evaluation and treatment strategy. Primary prevention is one crucial strategy in which nurses and general practitioners should be actively participating.
Patients with limb-threatening disease, severe infections, who are unable to care for themselves should be immediately admitted to the hospital for advanced management and vascular surgery consultation. Mild to moderate cases can be treated in ambulatory wound care facilities. Physiotherapists should also participate in the treatment plan, as a systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated improved healing with both aerobic and anaerobic activity .
Finally, nutrition specialists can help malnourished and overweight patients with specific guidance on how to improve their overall health, although weight management outcomes remain unclear for VLUs healing.
Contributed by Adriana del Carmen Rodriguez-Mena, MD
Article Details
You May Like: What Are Infusions For Ulcerative Colitis
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.
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. Don’t 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.
Don’t Miss: Crohn’s Disease And Mouth Ulcers
Foods To Avoid With An Ulcer
When you have an ulcer, it is important to avoid foods that can worsen it or cause increased pain. Common examples include:
- Herbs and spices
- Probiotic-rich foods
Coffee has long been believed to make ulcers worse. Because coffee is acidic, it may exacerbate the pain caused by an ulcer. Talk with your healthcare provider about coffee and ask if there is a safe amount to enjoy while the ulcer heals.
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.
You May Like: Foods To Avoid If You Have A Stomach Ulcer
What Should I Do If I Think I Have A Stomach Ulcer
Always seek medical care for a stomach ulcer. While you may be able to manage symptoms temporarily with over-the-counter medications, these wont heal the ulcer. You need to identify and treat the underlying cause. An untreated ulcer can lead to serious complications, even if your symptoms are mild. The major cause of stomach ulcers, H. pylori infection, can also lead to other complications.
Can Vascular Ulcers Be Cured
In many cases, its possible to heal a vascular ulcer. However, the likelihood of healing the ulcer depends on how severe it has become, so early treatment of vascular ulcers is critical to a good outcome.
Its also essential to address the underlying problem that caused the ulcer. Your provider will likely recommend not just care for the ulcer but also for underlying health problems you have. Some of their recommendations will involve lifestyle changes that will help reduce your risk of another ulcer. The changes should also help improve your quality of life overall.
Read Also: Foods For Ulcers And Gastritis
What Are The Symptoms Of A Peptic Ulcer Does It Cause Pain
Ulcers do not always cause symptoms. Sometimes, a serious complication such as bleeding or a sudden, bad upper abdominal pain is the first sign of an ulcer.
The most common symptom of peptic ulcers is abdominal pain.
- The pain is usually in the upper middle part of the abdomen, above the belly button and below the breastbone.
- The ulcer pain can feel like burning, or gnawing, and it may go through to the back.
- Pain often comes several hours after a meal when the stomach is empty.
- The pain is often worse at night and early morning.
- It can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.
- The ulcer pain may be relieved by food, antacids, or vomiting.
Other symptoms of peptic ulcers include the following:
- Loss of appetite
Severe ulcers may cause bleeding in the stomach or duodenum. Bleeding is sometimes the only symptom of an ulcer. This bleeding can be fast or slow. Fast bleeding reveals itself in one of the following ways:
- Vomiting of blood or dark material that looks something like coffee grounds: This is an emergency and warrants an immediate visit to an emergency department.
- Blood in the stool or black, tarry, sticky-looking stools
Slow bleeding is often more difficult to detect, because it has no dramatic symptoms.
- The usual result is low blood cell count .
- The symptoms of anemia are tiredness , lack of energy , weakness, rapid heartbeat , and pale skin .
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 .
Also Check: Is Smoking Good For Ulcerative Colitis
How Is A Duodenal Ulcer Diagnosed
To help diagnose a duodenal ulcer, your doctor will ask you what medications you take or have been taking, and if you have had peptic ulcers or any other relevant condition in the past. Make sure you mention all the medications you are taking, especially NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, or ketorolac.
Your doctor will also conduct a physical examination, to check for bloating or lumps within your abdomen, and to listen for bowel sounds. Make sure you mention any areas of pain or tenderness.
Blood may also be taken to test for infection or anemia and testing may also be conducted for Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium commonly associated with peptic ulcers. Testing usually involves either a breath test, stool sample, or biopsy. To get a clear picture of the inside of your stomach and small intestines, doctors may use an endoscope , a series of X-rays and/or a CT scan.
What Is A Peptic Ulcer
A peptic ulcer is a sore or hole that forms in the lining of the stomach or intestine.
The word “peptic” refers to the digestive tract. An ulcer in the lining of the stomach is a gastric ulcer. An ulcer in the first part of the small intestine is a duodenal ulcer.
The lining of the stomach is a layer of special cells and mucous. Mucous prevents the stomach and duodenum from being damaged by acid and digestive enzymes.
If there is a break in the lining , the tissue under the lining can be damaged by the enzymes and corrosive acid. If the ulcer is small, there may be few symptoms. The wound can heal on its own.
If the ulcer is deep, it can cause serious pain or bleeding. Rarely, acids in the digestive juices may eat completely through the stomach or duodenum wall.
Peptic ulcers are very common. They become more common as people age.
The bacterium Helicobacter pylori is believed to cause most peptic ulcers. This bacteria causes inflammation in the stomach lining. This probably makes the lining vulnerable. But only a minority of people infected with H. pylori develop ulcers.
Another common cause of ulcers is the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . Examples of NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen .
NSAIDs block the formation of some prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are chemicals that normally help protect against ulcers. With less prostaglandins, ulcers are more likely to form.
- Excessive alcohol use
Also Check: What Is Peptic Ulcer Pain Like
How Are Stomach Ulcers Treated
Ulcers can heal if they are given a rest from the factors that created them. Healthcare providers treat uncomplicated ulcers with a combination of medicines to reduce stomach acid, coat and protect the ulcer during healing and kill any bacterial infection that may be involved. Medicines may include:
- Antibiotics. If H. pylori was found in your digestive tract, your healthcare provider will prescribe some combination of antibiotics to kill the bacteria, based on your medical history and condition. Commonly prescribed antibiotics include tetracycline, metronidazole, clarithromycin and amoxicillin.
- Proton pump inhibitors . These drugs help reduce stomach acid and protect your stomach lining. PPIs include esomeprazole,dexlansoprazole,lansoprazole, omeprazole,pantoprazole and rabeprazole.
- Histamine receptor blockers . These reduce stomach acid by blocking the chemical that tells your body to produce it . H2 blockers include famotidine, cimetidine and nizatidine.
- Antacids. These common over-the-counter medicines help to neutralize stomach acid. They may bring some symptom relief, but they arent enough to heal your ulcer. They also might interfere with some antibiotics.
- Cytoprotective agents. These medicines help to coat and protect your stomach lining. They include sucralfate and misoprostol.
- Bismuth Subsalicylate. This over-the-counter medicine, commonly found as Pepto-Bismol, can help coat and protect your ulcer from stomach acid.
Can Ulcers Cause Death
Some people thought that they were also responsible for causing deaths, but in reality, they were not. If ulcers turn out to be cancerous, there is a possibility you will suffer from it, but otherwise, there is no such episode reported that has also killed any person.
Here we will discuss the bleeding ulcer in detail and hope you are aware of it. Well, if you are suffering from this condition, do reach out to the best doctor around. If you are searching for a doctor, you can simply visit Jaipur and fix an appointment with Dr. Shankar Dhaka. He is the best gastroenterologist in Jaipur, having years of experience.
When you approach him for ulcer bleeding treatment in Jaipur, he will analyze the condition and, after having clear reports, let you know whether the condition is curable or not. He will not put you on unnecessary medications until and unless its important. If there is a requirement for you to change your schedule, he will suggest you do the same.
Recommended Reading: What Is The First Sign Of Stomach Ulcer
Supplements For Stomach Ulcers
Taking certain supplements can be helpful to help manage the symptoms of a stomach ulcer. Unlike the most common traditional stomach ulcer treatments that can come with unwanted side effects, natural treatments are generally more gentle and come with less side effects. Some of the most important supplements you can take for a stomach ulcer include:
- Deglycyrrhizinated licorice. DGL may help the stomach produce more mucus, providing a layer of protection for the ulcer. It is available in different forms, including chewable tablets, capsules, and liquid supplements.
- Mastic gum. Mastic gum is harvested as the resin of a tree, and has been used for many years to aid in digestion. Mastic gum is most commonly used in tablet or capsule form.
- Probiotics. A probiotic supplement can be very helpful in balancing the gut microbiome. Various strains of certain types of bacteria can be used to treat certain health conditions. Taking a good quality probiotic that addresses your specific needs can help the body replenish its good bacteria.
Will Surgery Cure A Peptic Ulcer
Medical therapy works in most people with peptic ulcers. Sometimes, medical therapy does not work, or a person can’t take the therapy for some reason. Surgery is an alternative to medical therapy for these people.
Surgical operations often used in peptic ulcers include the following:
- Vagotomy: Cutting the vagus nerve, which transmits messages from the brain to the stomach, can reduce acid secretion. However, this can also interfere with other functions of the stomach. A newer operation cuts only the part of the nerve that affects acid secretion.
- Antrectomy: This is often done in conjunction with a vagotomy. It involves removing the lower part of the stomach . This part of the stomach produces a hormone that increases production of stomach acid. Adjacent parts of the stomach may also be removed.
- Pyloroplasty: This procedure also is sometimes done with vagotomy. It enlarges the opening between the stomach and duodenum to encourage passage of partially digested food. Once the food has passed, acid production normally stops.
- Tying off an artery: If bleeding is a problem, cutting off the blood supply to the ulcer can stop the bleeding.
Recommended Reading: What Will Help Stomach Ulcer Pain
A Comparison Of The Efficacy And Cost Of Different Venous Leg Ulcer Dressings: A Retrospective Cohort Study
1North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cumberland Infirmary, Newtown Road, Carlisle, Cumbria CA2 7HY, UK
Abstract
Objective. To compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of simple nonadherent dressings with other more expensive dressing types in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. Study Design. Retrospective cohort study. Location. The leg ulcer clinic at the University Hospital of South Manchester. Subjects and Methods. The healing rates of twelve leg ulcer patients treated with simple nonadherent dressings were compared with an equal number of patients treated with modern dressings to determine differences in healing rates and cost. Main Outcome Measures. Rate of healing as determined by reduction in ulcer area over a specified period of time and total cost of dressing per patient. Results. Simple nonadherent dressings had a mean healing rate of 0.353cm2/week compared with a mean of 0.415cm2/week for more expensive dressings. This resulted in a one-tailed value of 0.251 and a two-tailed value of 0.508. Multiple regression analysis gave a significance of 0.8134. . The results indicate that the difference in healing rate between simple and modern dressings is not statistically significant. Therefore, the cost of dressing type should be an important factor influencing dressing selection.
1. Introduction
2.2. Alternative Hypothesis
Duration Of Peptic Ulcers
Ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori heal when the bacteria is killed. The typical course of treatment includes two weeks of antibiotics along with acid-suppressing medicine. This is followed by an additional four to eight weeks of the acid-suppressing medicine alone.
Its possible for an ulcer to heal temporarily without antibiotics, but it will likely recur or another one will form nearby if the bacteria is not killed.
Peptic ulcers caused by medication usually heal shortly after you stop taking the medication. Doctors typically recommend taking antacids for two to six weeks to assist with healing and relieve pain.
Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Baby Fat In The Stomach
You May Like: Can Urgent Care Diagnose A Stomach Ulcer
Other Causes And Factors
Other causes are rare. For example, some viral infections can cause a stomach ulcer. Crohn’s 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.
Very rarely, stomach ulcers can be caused by Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. In this condition, tumours in the duodenum or pancreas cause your stomach to make too much acid, leading to severe and recurrent stomach ulcers that are often resistant to treatment.
Is There A Peptic Ulcer Diet Plan
No particular diet is helpful for people with peptic ulcers. At one time, a bland diet and avoidance of spicy or greasy foods was recommended. Milk and dairy food have been used in the past for ulcer symptoms, but have not been proven to be effective. We now know diet has little effect on ulcers. In some people, however, certain foods seem to aggravate stomach ulcer symptoms. Keep a food diary with your intake and the resulting symptoms and avoid eating any foods that aggravate symptoms.
Read Also: Milk Of Magnesia For Mouth Ulcers