Tuesday, 26 May 2020

SPECIAL REPORT ON STOMACH ULCERS

WHAT ARE STOMACH ULCERS?

Stomach ulcers, which are also known as gastric ulcers, are painful sores in the stomach lining. Stomach ulcers are a type of peptic ulcer disease. Peptic ulcers are any ulcers that affect both the stomach and small intestines.

Stomach ulcers occurs when the thick layer of the mucus that protects stomach from digestive juices is reduced. This allows the digestive acids to eat away at the tissues that line stomach, causing an ulcer.

Stomach ulcer may be easily cured, but they can become severe without proper treatment.

WHAT CAUSES STOMACH ULCERS?

Stomach ulcers are almost always caused by one of the following:

1.  An infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori)

2.  Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspiring, ibuprofen, or naproxen

Rarely, a condition known as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers by increasing the body's production of acid. This syndrome is suspected to cause less than 1 percent of all peptic ulcers.

SYMTOMS OF STOMACH ULCERS 

A number of symptoms are associated with stomach ulcers. The severity of the symptoms depends on the severity of the ulcer.

The most common symptom is a burning sensation or pain in the middle of your abdomen between your chest and belly button. Typically, the will be more intense when your stomach is empty, and it can last for a few minutes to several hours.

Other common signs and symptoms of ulcers include:

1.  Dull pain in the stomach

2.  Weight loss

3.  Not wanting to eat because of pain

4.  Nausea or vomiting

5.  Bloating

6.  Feeling easily full

7.  Burping or acid reflux

8.  Heartburn, which is a burning sensation in the chest

9.  Pain that may improve when you eat, drink, or take antacids

10.  Anemia, whose symptoms can include tiredness, shortness of breath, or paler skin

11.  Dark, tarry stools

12.  Vomit that's bloody or looks like coffee grounds

Talk to your doctor if you any symptoms of a stomach ulcer.  Although, discomfort may be mild, users can worsen if they aren't treated.  Bleeding ulcers can become life-threatening.

HOW ARE STOMACH ULCERS DIAGNOSED?


Diagnosis and treatment will depend on your symptoms and the severity of your ulcer.  To diagnose a stomach ulcer, your doctor will review your medical history along with your symptoms and any prescription or over-the-counter medications you're taking.

To rule out H.pylori infection, a blood, stool, or breath test may be ordered. With a breath test, you will be instructed to drink a clear liquid a d breathe into a bag, which is then sealed.  If H.pylori is present, the breath sample will contain higher-than-normal levels of carbon dioxide.

Other tests and procedures used to diagnose stomach ulcers include:

1.  Barium swallow:  You drink a thick white liquid (barium) that coats your upper gastrointestinal tract and helps your doctor see your stomach and small intestine on X-rays.

2.  Endoscopy (EGD):  A thin, lighted tube is inserted through your mouth and into the stomach and the first part of the intestine. This test is used to look ulcers, bleeding, and any tissue that looks normal.

3.  Endoscopy  biospy:  A piece of stomach tissue is removed so it can be analyzed in a lab.


TREATING STOMACH ULCERS

Treatment will vary depending on the cause of your ulcer. Most ulcers can be treated with a prescription from your doctor, but in rare cases, surgery may be required.

It's important to promptly treat an ulcer. Talk to your doctor to discuss a treatment plan. If you have an actively bleeding ulcer, you'll likely be hospitalized for intensive treatment with endoscopy and IV ulcer medications.  You may also require a blood transfusion.

NONSURGICAL TREATMENT 

If your stomach ulcer is the result of H.pylori, you'll need antibiotics and drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPLs). Pls bock the stomach cells that produce acid.

In addition to these treatments, your doctor may also recommend:

1.  H2 receptor blockers (drugs that also block acid production)

2.  Stopping use of all NSAIDs

3.  Follow-up endoscopy

4.  Probiotics (useful bacteria that may play a role in killing off H.pylori)

5.  Bismuth supplement

Symptoms of an ulcer may subside quickly with treatment. But even if your symptoms disappear, you should continue to take any medication prescribed your doctor. This is especially important  with H.pylori infections, to make sure that all bacteria are eliminated.

Side effects of medications used to treat stoma h ulcers can include

1.  Nausea

2.  Dizziness

3.  Headaches

4.  Diarrhea

5.  Abdominal pain

These side effects are typically temporary. If any of these side effects cause extreme discomfort, talk to your doctor about changing your medication.

SURGICAL TREATMENT 

In very rare cases, a complicated stomach ulcer will require surgery. This may  be the case for ulcers that:

1.  Continue to return

2.  Don't heal

3.  Bleed

4.  Tear through the stomach

5.  Keep food from flowing out of the stomach into the small intestine

Surgery may include:

1.  Removal of the entire ulcer

2.  Taking tissue from another part of the intestine and patching it over the ulcer site

3.  Tying off a bleeding artery

4.  Cutting off the nerve supply to the stomach to reduce the production of stomach acid

HEALTHFUL DIET

In the past, it was thought that diet could cause ulcers. We also know that while the foods you eat won't cause or cure a stomach ulcer, eating a HEALTHFUL DIET can benefit your intestinal tract and overall health.

In general, it's a good idea to eat a diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and fiber.

That said, it's possible that some foods play a role in eliminating H.pylori. Foods that may help fight off H.pylori or boost the body's own health bacteria include:

1.  Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, a d radishes

2.  Leafy greens, such as spinach, and kale

3.  Probiotic-rich foods, such as sauerkraut, miso, kombucha, yogurt (especially with lactobacillus and Sacharomyces

4.  Apples

5.  Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries

6.  Olive oil

Additionally, since people with stomach ulcers may have accompanying acid reflux disease, it is a good idea to stay away from spicy and sour foods while an ulcer is healing.

PS: 
Pure Honey is one major food needed for the prevention and cure of stomach ulcers.  Beenectar Pure Honey is highly recommended!!!

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