Peptic ulcer
Peptic ulcer is known as gastric ulcer or ulcer. It can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. If the acid or pepsin affects the stomach or duodenum then known as peptic ulcer. Ulcers can affect the mouth, the esophagus, the small intestine and the large intestine because of any of the reasons like drugs, autoimmune disease, typhoid, radiation, etc.
This ulcer differs from the permanent peptic ulcer. The problem of peptic ulcer is common among the people and it can affect people of any age. Today, the problem of peptic ulcer is common among the youths and the youngsters.
Causes
Lifestyle plays an important role in leading a healthy, safe and secure life. Some of the come problems that people face today depends on the way they live and groom their life. Let us check out causes behind peptic ulcer:
- Common reasons for peptic ulcers are alcohol, smoking, stress, spicy and oily foods. Irregular food habit is another prime cause for peptic ulcer.
- Excess intake of painkillers and the infection by the Helicobacter pylori bacteria are the other causes for this problem.
- In 80 to 90 percent cases, peptic ulcer occurs because of the Helicobacter pylori bacteria and excess intake of painkillers. Moreover, Helicobacter is not only limited to ulcers as it may cause gastric cancer if one skips prompt treatment.
Symptoms
Given below are some of the symptoms of the peptic ulcer. The symptoms may stretch from a few days (temporary) to a few months (extended period).
- Before or after eating one may go through ache or restlessness in the upper region of the tummy. After eating, the ache or restlessness may subsidize or increase.
- Ache in the lower region of the chest, irritation in tummy, indigestion, vomit are its other symptoms.
- Sometimes, blood may come out from the mouth while at other times it may pass through vomit or stool.
- During an emergency, one may go through serious abdominal pain due to deep ulcer.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the first stage before treatment and only proper diagnosis helps in the proper treatment of diseases. Given below are stages of diagnosis of the problems:
- Firstly, doctors may prescribe patients medicines to reduce acidity. It this does not work out, then they may try to detect the problem through special clinical ways.
- Doctors may suggest an endoscopy or gastroscopy to detect the problems. In this process, endoscope passes through the food pipe making it easier to view the intestine for the medical persons. This makes it easier to view the ulcer inside the tummy. Besides, biopsy also helps finding out if Helicobacter pylori bacteria is present in the tummy or if cancer.
- Blood test also helps to find out the H. pylori bacteria infection.
- After the treatment, doctors may recommend patients to do another endoscopy to find out the progress.
Treatment
Treatment is important to get relief from the problem. Some of the ways of treating the problems is given below:
- In minor cases, when the problem is not complex, medicines help to decrease the acid formation in the tummy. One may have to take medicines for four to 10 weeks.
- As soon as the tests detect the H. pylori, doctors prescribe antibiotic drugs. To remove the bacteria one may have to depend on medicines for 10 to 14 days.
- In case of complicated ulcer, the endoscopy process helps to control the bleeding.
- In less than two percent of cases, patients need a surgery. Surgery is required when a patient goes through serious ache in the tummy.