A Guide To Gastric Ulcer Disease Gastric ulcers are open sores in the inside lining of stomach, and the

most common symptom of gastric ulcer disease is the abdominal pain. Some of the other symptoms of gastric ulcer disease are pain anywhere from your navel to the breastbone, pain getting worse when stomach is empty, pain lasting from few minutes to several hours, there are flares at night, and the relief comes from eating certain foods or taking acid-reducing medications. In severe cases, there may be vomiting of blood, nausea and passing dark blood in stools, tarry or black stools, appetite changes and unexplained weight loss. Ulcers must be treated with doctors help, but over-thecounter acid blockers and antacids can relieve the gnawing pain temporarily. This relief however is short-lived. Ulcers Causes And Cures Of Gastric Ulcer Disease Gastric ulcer develops when stomach digestive juices and acids injure the lining of protective mucus of the stomach. NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen are the most common causes of gastric ulcer disease. Presence of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori may also cause gastric ulcers. Other factors causing this disease are disorders due to imbalance in secretion of stomach juices, increased production of gastric acids and infection and decreased resistance of stomachs lining to gastric acids. Gastric ulcer disease diagnosis requires examination by the doctor, and he may perform the imaging studies and endoscopy to determine the presence of ulcer. Endoscopy is the best procedure to take the stomach tissue samples for biopsies and diagnose the gastric ulcers. A slender, tube-shaped instrument allows doctors to have a look at the tissue, lining the duodenum and stomach. Several lifestyle changes can help prevent the recurrence of gastric ulcer disease. These changes include giving up smoking, avoiding unnecessary use of NSAIDs, cutting down on coffee, sodas and tea, minimizing stress, avoiding spicy food, getting plenty of rest, eating well-balanced diet, and exercising regularly. In order to avoid the recurrence of gastric ulcer disease, the doctor

may also prescribe eliminating the H. pylori by using the combination of bismuth subsalicylate, tetracycline and metronidazole. If timely treatment is not given for gastric ulcer disease, it can lead to bleeding ulcer, a perforated ulcer or obstruction or narrowing of intestinal opening that prevents food from leaving the stomach and getting into the small intestine. In rare cases, the gastric ulcer disease needs surgery, and most common types of surgeries are antrectomy, pyloroplasty and vagotomy. If you are suffering from gastric ulcer, talk to your doctor regarding location of ulcer, its severity, best antacids, best diet, foods to be avoided, reoccurrence, and possible treatment.

A Guide To Gastric Ulcer Gastric ulcer or stomach ulcer is eroded, raw area in the stomach lining. Gastric ulcer is more common among males in the age group of 55-70 years. It is more also common in people who take anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen, smoke tobacco, drink alcohol, often feel stressed, or have high caffeine intake. Causes and Symptoms of Gastric Ulcer Gastric ulcer is caused when digestive juices and stomach acids injure the lining of the stomach. These ulcers are also caused by anti-inflammatory drugs, from the presence of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, certain medications, increased production of gastric acids and infection, decreased resistance of stomach lining to gastric acids and disorders causing over secretion of stomach juices. Heartburn in the middle of upper abdomen, indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, repeated episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding and weight loss are some of the most common symptoms of gastric ulcer. Many patients awake in the night due to severe pain, and this ulcers pain is relieved by taking antacids. If there is internal bleeding, there might be vomiting with digested or bright red blood and also have tarry, black bowel movements. Diagnosis Of Gastric Ulcer Doctors diagnose gastric ulcer by examining the patient, and having a look at the medical history. Based on the risk factors such as age, gender, history of using medications, location of pain, hemoglobin level, history of smoking and history of alcohol use, the doctor may suspect gastric ulcer. The doctor may then do the endoscopy and imaging studies to verify the presence of the ulcer. There are certain non-invasive tests as well, including breath test and blood test for immune response.

Doctors prescribe the drugs to reduce the rate of stomach acid secretion in stomach lining of mucous tissues to treat the gastric ulcer. Surgical ulcers treatment is prescribed only if doctor suspects malignancies and complications. If ulcer is left untreated, there can be perforation of stomach wall, hemorrhaging and obstruction that prevents passage of food. There are certain lifestyle changes that patients can make to prevent the recurrence of gastric ulcer. Some of the self-care methods include avoiding unnecessary use of aspirin, cutting down on alcohol, giving up smoking, and avoiding caffeine and sodas. Patients should also try to eat nutritious, well-balanced meals, and learn to manage stress. Get daily dose of exercise, and sleep well. Some people suffering from gastric ulcer diet can eat whatever they like, but for others, certain foods can cause excessive acid production, causing irritation and heartburn. It is essential for them to follow the gastric ulcer diet that mainly consists of breads, whole grains, vegetables, fruits and milk and dairy products. If you are an ulcer patient, there are lists of things you can eat and what you should not. There are many ulcer-friendly recipes that can help cure and prevent the gastric ulcers.

A Guide To Gastric Ulcer Symptoms Gastric ulcer is a lesion or open sore in the mucous membrane part of the stomach, and there are certain gastric ulcer symptoms that can help you understand if you are suffering from it. To prevent the gastric ulcer, it is essential to understand its causes. The most common cause of gastric ulcers is bacterium Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori. There are few other causes as well including use of various drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs. It has also been proved that ones lifestyle and stress can also cause gastric ulcer. Common Gastric Ulcer Symptoms Gastric ulcer symptoms are similar to those of other ulcers, but for proper diagnosis, get the medical evaluation done by your doctor. Based on the evaluation, medical history and reports, the doctor can give the correct medication. Heartburn is one of the most common gastric ulcer symptoms, and you can feel the pain as a burning sensation behind your breastbone. The other symptoms include unintentional weight loss, fatigue, nausea, abdominal digestion, blood in the stools, tarry stools and black or loose bowels. In addition to these gastric ulcer symptoms, you may also feel abdominal pains sometimes that will wake you up from the sleep. This sharp pain usually lasts between half an hour to three hours and is also termed as indigestion or heartburn. The pain is usually experienced in the upper

abdomen, but may also occur just under the breastbone. The pain is relieved with antacid or milk. The gastric ulcer symptoms become worse 3-4 hours after the last meal in the night because excess stomach acid secretions cause ulcers pain to the gastric ulcers when the stomach becomes empty. It is however important to note that the gastric ulcer symptoms vary from person to person. Some people experience pain immediately after eating. If the stomach ulcer causes lots of inflammation, it can cause blockages. Some of the complications can be anemia, cancer, stomach or intestinal rupture, stomach or intestinal bleeding, inflammation of Pancreas, bile ducts or liver, and bowel obstruction or blockage. To deal with gastric ulcer symptoms, it is important to make some changes in the lifestyles and dietary patterns. Never starve yourself, and take 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Avoid caffeine, fatty foods and alcohol. There are certain medications available for gastric ulcer treatment, but you can also try some home remedies such as avoiding stressful situations, drinking freshly made cabbage juice everyday, not smoking, eating small, frequent, easily digestible foods, and taking herbal amalgamations like PLS II. Stomach ulcer is neither cancerous nor contagious by nature, but they have the tendency to become potent.

A Guide To Gastric Ulcer Treatment Gastric ulcer is a weakness in the walls of intestines or stomach, causing discomfort and ulcers pain. In some cases, it can also tear open, bleed or cause the blockage. Though it is possible to treat this ulcer with the help of medication and self-care at home, in rare cases, surgery might be required. Gastric ulcer is more common in older age groups, and there are many factors that lead to development of ulcers. Some of the most common symptoms of gastric ulcers include pain in the upper, central part of the abdomen, dull-ache, sharp, gas-like, throbbing, cramping etc. But, you may get pain in any part of the abdomen. Gastric Ulcer Treatment In normal stomach, there is a balance between many protective factors such as bicarbonate and mucus secretion, pepsin and acid secretion. When aggressive factors overcome the protective mechanisms, the imbalance leads to gastric ulcers. Diet plays the most important role in gastric ulcer treatment, and it should be arranged in a way to provide the adequate nutrition. The ideal diet for gastric ulcer treatment should provide rest to the disturbed organs so that the continuous neutralization of the gastric acids is maintained. The diet must also reduce the irritation of the stomach ulcer by providing a coating to the lining.

Too much alcohol, stress, hot spicy food and smoking are most likely ulcers causes of gastric ulcers. If right treatment is given on time, the gastric ulcers can be totally cured within three months after diagnosis. But if gastric ulcer treatment is delayed, it can lead to intestinal bleeding and many other complications. If you have been diagnosed with the gastric ulcer, you can either try the ulcer medications, or go for other means of gastric ulcer treatment such as ayurvedic diet. This diet recommends drinking a glass of milk and eating a banana after every meal, as these both have the tendency to neutralize the acidity. Other foods that help in gastric ulcer treatment include eating raw and boiled vegetables, cream, butter, calcium enriched products and other fruits. There are certain ayurvedic massages that can be used for gastric ulcer treatment. Having a regular massage can help you de-stress, and can do wonders to your personal sense of balance. H2 blockers reduce the amount of acid made by stomach, and proton pump inhibitors modify the production of acid by the stomach by stopping the acid pump. Mucosal protective agents protect the mucous lining of the stomach from the acid, and gastric ulcer can also be treated with the help of antibiotics. If you have perforated gastric ulcer, it requires immediate medical attention. Doctor will take the X-ray of the stomach area, and immediate surgery might be required.