Info about Ulcers
Peptic Ulcers
Millions of people suffer from severe stomach pain, often caused by holes in the stomach or colon lining, which we all know are called ulcers.
The term peptic ulcer is generally used to describe both stomach and intestinal ulcers. Fortunately, there are a number of treatments that relieve the discomfort associated with ulcers and, in most cases, ulcers do heal. Learning how your ulcer may have developed and understanding what irritates it and keeps it from healing will help you to work with your physician in establishing the most effective treatment plan.
• Stress and Other Causes
Most experts still believe that stress is a major cause of stomach ulcers. That’s because stress causes your stomach to secret digestive acids, even when there is no food in your stomach to digest.
On the other hand, many people with duodenal ulcers have normal or even below-normal amounts of stomach acid. Medical researchers, therefore, believe that poor resistance of the protective mucous membrane that lines both the stomach and duodenum may contribute to the development of a peptic ulcer.
• Symptoms
Duodenal ulcers tend to produce pain in a small area between the breastbone and navel. The pain may vary from a hunger pain to a continuous gnawing or burning sensation. Sometimes, the pain is felt during sleep and may be strong enough to awaken the ulcer sufferer in the middle of the night. Usually, however, the pain of a duodenal ulcer occurs two or three hours after eating, when the stomach is empty.
Other common symptoms include a bloated feeling immediately after eating and weight gain due to the tendency to relieve pain and discomfort by overeating. Gastric ulcer pain may be felt in the same place as the pain of cluodenal ulcer or slightly higher up. There may also be sensations of feeling full, indigestion, and heartburn. Sometimes, pain occurs when the stomach is full, causing a loss of appetite and weight. The pain of both types of ulcer tends to be relieved by medications that neutralize stomach acid or prevent its secretion.
• Treatment
Although most ulcers will heal on their own if given time, others require specific treatment, It is important for you to make every effort to contribute to this process. Smoking cigarettes has consistently been found to slow down the healing of an ulcer.
Avoidance of alcohol, aspirin, and other inflammation- reducing drugs is also advisable, especially during a flare- up, because these substances weaken the stomach lining and make it vulnerable to damage by stomach acid.
• Milk Not the Answer
Milk and other creamy food were once widely thought to be good for ulcers, but this is no longer so. Today, the main dietary rule is to eat regular, nutritious meals, low in fat and grease, and high in easy to digest vegetables that are high in fiber. Also avoid spicey food, especially those containing pepper.
• Drugs
Today many drugs that were once prescription drugs are on the shelf for you to buy any time. They include Tagamet, Pepsid AD, and others. Use them. They work.
Your doctor will prescribe these medications based on your symptoms and medical history and the type of ulcer you have. If a specific antacid was prescribed, do not switch brands without your doctor’s knowledge; you may end up taking a product that does not contain sufficient acid-neutralizing potency.
Do not become discouraged if you do not see immediate changes in your condition; it often takes time.