The term 'peptic ulcer' refers to those that occur in either the stomach or the first part of the small intestine that leads out of the stomach, called the duodenum. It was once commonly thought that stress, smoking and diet were the principal causes of stomach ulcers. However, the Helicobacter pylori H. The H. Treatment for stomach ulcers includes the use of antibiotics to kill the infection, and acid-suppressing drugs. The stomach is an organ of the digestive system, located in the abdomen just below the ribs and on the left.
Swallowed food is squeezed down the oesophagus and pushed through a sphincter small muscle ring into the stomach, where it is mixed with powerful gastric juices containing enzymes and hydrochloric acid. The stomach is a muscular bag, so it can churn the food and break it down mechanically as well as chemically. Once the food is the consistency of smooth paste, it is squeezed through a second sphincter into the first part of the small intestine duodenum.
The lining of the stomach — the mucosa or gastric epithelium — is layered with multiple folds. Ulcers occur in this lining. The Helicobacter pylori bacterium H. The discovery of this micro-organism in revolutionised many aspects of gastroenterology, including the treatment of stomach ulcers. It is thought that about one in three people over the age of 40 years is infected with this strain of bacteria in Australia. The germs live in the lining of the stomach and the chemicals they produce cause irritation and inflammation.
Other disorders caused by this infection include inflammation of the stomach gastritis and dyspepsia indigestion. Researchers believe the germ could also play a contributing role in the development of stomach cancers.
The infection is more common among poor or institutionalised people. The mode of transmission is so far unknown, but is thought to include sharing food or utensils, coming into contact with infected vomit, and sharing of water such as well water in undeveloped populations.
This is a serious complication of ulcer disease and is particularly deadly in the elderly or those with multiple medical problems. Bleeding from stomach ulcers is more common in people treated with blood thinning agents, such as warfarin, aspirin or clopidogrel Plavix and those people should also consider using regular anti-ulcer medication to prevent this complication.
A severe, untreated ulcer can sometimes burn through the wall of the stomach, allowing digestive juices and food to leak into the abdominal cavity. This medical emergency is known as a perforated ulcer. Treatment generally requires immediate surgery. Special diets are now known to have very little impact on the prevention or treatment of stomach ulcers. Treatment options can include:. Here are the top five signs you may have an ulcer:. The most common sign of a stomach ulcer is dull, burning pain in the stomach area.
This pain typically appears between meals when your stomach is empty. It may last only a few moments, or it could last for hours. Ulcers can increase the feeling of indigestion or heartburn, a burning feeling near your heart or upper stomach that happens when stomach acid flows up into your esophagus. If you notice increased instances of indigestion or heartburn, a stomach ulcer could be to blame. Stomach ulcers can make you feel sick to your stomach, especially early in the morning after going for a long time without food.
Ulcers trigger an inflammatory response in the stomach, which can cause stomach contractions. If they get strong enough, you may experience vomiting. If you notice your stool looks black, which is the color of digested blood, this could be a sign of a bleeding ulcer. Bleeding ulcers are a serious medical condition and require urgent attention.
Sometimes stomach ulcers create a block in the digestive system due to the inflammation they cause. This can prevent food from moving through your stomach, leading to weight loss and a decrease in appetite. The only way to be sure an ulcer is causing your discomfort is with a medical diagnosis. We will evaluate your medical history and conduct a thorough physical examination. To determine the root cause of your ulcer, we may run blood, stool, or breath tests.
For the most part, the pain is felt from the breastbone to navel and is often worse at night than during the day. On the other hand, if you are someone who frequently skips meals, you may find that you experience this pain much throughout the daytime. Another common clue that you are suffering from a stomach ulcer is vomiting blood.
Seeing as how this is an extremely scary thing to go through, you should go directly to the hospital. While you might expect to see a bright red color to the blood, most often ulcers cause for your vomit to look similar to coffee grinds, meaning they it will likely be dark brown in color.
Clearly if you are vomiting than chances are you are were have already been feeling nauseous for a while. Most often this nausea occurs early in the morning, it will most likely subside once the vomiting episodes begin.
If you think you may have an ulcer, a good way to tell is to look at your stool. If you notice that when you use the restroom your stool is extremely dark in color, or even black, chances are you are right about what is ailing you.
If this is the case, you should absolutely go to the hospital immediately. Another sign that you may have a stomach ulcer is a complete loss of appetite which will likely lead to weight loss. When your stomach lining is damaged, scar tissue forms, causing blockage of the food passageway, as well as potential swelling in the small intestines.
Having a lot of scar tissue in your stomach can also lead to significant bloating. Since your food cannot move through your stomach opening the way it should, gas builds up quite easily in your intestines.
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