What is Ulcer?
Ulcer is the inflammation and lesion of skin and mucous membrane of various organs of our body. Ulcer is a result of tissue necrosis or cell death.
What is Peptic Ulcer?
Peptic ulcer refers to duodenal and stomach ulcer. When we take any food it has to pass through esophagus to stomach and then from stomach to the small intestine. Our small intestine is divided into three parts namely duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. As duodenum lies at the close proximity to the stomach, it is prone to ulcer like stomach.
How Do You Know You Have Ulcer?
You you have peptic ulcer, whether duodenal or stomach ulcer, you will feel stomach discomfort it not pain. There will also gas formation. In stomach ulcer, discomfort increases with consumption of foods but in duodenal ulcer, if you ingest any food, your discomfort will go away. In gastric ulcer, you will loose weight, but in duodenal ulcer you gain weight due to excessive food consumption to relieve from stomach discomfort.
How You Will Confirm You Have Ulcer?
The signs and symptoms of ulcers can be also due to temporary gastric acid formation or gas formation. You will not know for sure unless you go through the confirmatory test of ulcer. So far, the most effective confirmatory test for peptic ulcer is endoscopy. By endoscopy, damage of tissue of the gut and duodenal part of small intestine can be detected. All the tissue erosions can be visualized.
How Will You Treat Ulcer?
It is recommended that you consult a physician who is specialized in gastroenterology. He might prescribe you some medicines or antiulcerant agents. You might be also asked to change your food habit. To get rid of ulcer, it is recommended to take foods with regular intervals. You should not be in empty stomach for a long time. There are mainly three groups of drugs that are prescribed to a ulcer patient. These drugs are:
a) Antacids: Antacids are frequently used anti-ulcer drugs. Antacids are basic drugs and used to neutralize the acidic environment of the stomach. The typical antacids used are Magnesium Oxide, Aluminium Oxide, Simethicone etc. Magnesium Oxide is laxative in nature and Aluminium Oxide is constipative. So, they are often used together in antacid suspensions or tablets.
b) H2 receptor blocker: There are H2 histamine receptors in stomach. They binds with endogenous histamine which is produced in our body and is associated with gastric acid secretion. H2 receptor blockers block these histamine receptors and prevent acid secretion to some extent.
c) Proton Pump Inhibitor: Proton pump inhibitors are most effective in the treatment of ulcer. It stops acid secretion completely and irreversibly. Proton pump inhibitors should be used in severe cases.
Helicobacter pylori Eradication
Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria present in the stomach and responsible for gastric acid formation. Our stomach is protected by a mucosa membrane barrier which protect it from self digestion by hydrochloric acid. Helibacter pylori uses this stomach barrier for its own protection against gastric acid environment and damages the stomach tissue. If this is the reason for stomach ulcer, Helicobacter pylori eradication procedure can result in to permanent relief from peptic ulcer disease.
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