Ulcers generally are sores that are slow in healing or keep returning after it has been treated. They can appear both on the inside as well as outside of the body taking different forms, depending on the conditions the body was exposed.
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ToggleInjuries or diseases, even infections can cause you to have an ulcer. Their appearance depends on whether it is on the outside or inside your body and the cause behind you getting them. While some may not require much attention and go away on their own, others can create severe health problems if you don’t treat them in time.
What is a stomach ulcer?
Stomach ulcers, also commonly known as gastric ulcers, are open and painful sores that develop on the stomach’s lining.
Stomach ulcers come under the category of peptic ulcer disease. Peptic ulcers are trouble for both the stomach and small intestines. These are also known as duodenal ulcers.
When the digestive acids start to eat away the tissues that line and protect the stomach, that is when it causes an ulcer to occur. It usually happens when the thick layer of mucous protecting the stomach is stripped off or reduced, allowing the digestive acids to flow into the tissues.
Stomach ulcers are usually easily curable. However, if ignored or failed to seek proper treatment for it, they can cause severe damage to your health and body.
Causes of Stomach Ulcer
- A bacterium: A bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori bacteria can cause Ulcers by provoking inflammation in the stomach’s inner lining. The Helicobacter pylori infection may be transmitted from person to person in close contact, such as exchange of saliva in any situation, shared eatables and even drinking water.
- Regular use of specific pain relievers: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause inflammation in the lining of your stomach and the small intestine. Peptic Ulcers are widely common among adults who take medications for pain reduction frequently.
- Other Drugs: Some other medications such as steroids, anticoagulants, low-dose aspirin can also be the cause for Ulcers.
Symptoms of stomach ulcers
Several numbers of symptoms are linked with stomach ulcers. The severity of the symptoms depends on the seriousness of how bad the ulcer is.
The most common symptom that people experience when they suffer from a stomach ulcer is a burning sensation or pain in the centre of your abdomen from your chest to the belly button. Typically, the pain is considered to intensify when your stomach is empty and known to last for a few minutes to even several hours.
Other common signs and symptoms of ulcers include:
- dull and throbbing pain in the stomach
- Losing weight
- Loss of appetite due to pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bloating
- Feeling full without consuming anything
- Burping and Acid Reflux
- Heartburn, or burning sensation near the chest
- Pain that aggravates when you eat, drink, or take antacids
- Anaemia, in which symptoms include feeling exhausted, shortness of breath, and skin getting paler
- dark, tarry stool excretion
- Blood in vomit or clots appearing dark brown in the vomit
It is crucial to see a doctor if you have any symptoms of a stomach ulcer. Though discomfort may be mild at the start, ulcers can worsen over time if they aren’t treated. Bleeding ulcers can also become life-threatening.
Complications from an Ulcer
Complications from stomach ulcers are relatively uncommon, but they can lead to severe and probably life-threatening conditions, if not treated on time.
The complications include:
- Bleeding at the situation of the Ulcer.
- The stomach lining splitting open due to damage from the Ulcer (perforation).
- Movement of food through the digestive system is obstructed due to the Ulcer (gastric obstruction).
How to prevent Ulcers
Here is a list of a few helpful tips and advice that can help you prevent ulcers.
- Avoid foods that are too spicy, citrus, fatty, etc. These food items can act as irritants for your stomach. Apart from this, if you closely observe that specific type of foods or preservatives upset your stomach, it is best to avoid them altogether.
- Smoking is yet another contributing factor for duodenal ulcers. Quitting smoking can help you keep the risk of ulcers at bay.
- Improve your life quality by incorporating habits such as daily exercise, stress-releasing activities, yoga, etc., in your everyday routine.
- Heavy consumption of alcohol can cause ulcers. Researchers have proved that alcohol contributes to ulcers’ development, so it is an excellent call to reduce your alcohol consumption.
- Opting for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may help decrease your risk of irritating your stomach’s lining and therefore preventing the development of any Ulcers.
- It might be unusual to believe, but stress can also act as one factor contributing to ulcers. Managing your stress levels would help you prevent ulcers. Mind relaxation techniques, such as yoga and meditation, could work best.
- Germs are also one of the reasons for ulcers to appear. Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, consume clean and thoroughly cooked food, avoid eatables that are not made in safe and hygienic conditions. These are some of the practical and effective ways to prevent ulcers.
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