Ulcer

Ulcer

        The stomach ulcer, also called gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, which is formed in the duodenum (first part of the small intestine) are somewhat open, superficial or deep wounds in the mucosa. It is usually accompanied by abdominal pain. The pain from the contact between the acid secreted by the stomach and wounds, it may be compared with the application of an alcohol on a scratch. These lesions are often accompanied by inflammation of the mucosa. The term "peptic ulcer" includes, due to the similarity of their events, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. Approximately 10% of the population in industrialized countries is likely to suffer one day or another from ulcer. Persons aged 40 and older are most affected. Duodenal ulcers are 10 times more common than gastric ulcers.

Ulcer symptoms

        In pregnant women, the symptoms tend to disappear, because the stomach is less acid during pregnancy. However, burning sensations may occur late in pregnancy.
General ulcer symptoms:

• A recurrent burning sensation in the upper abdomen. In cases of stomach ulcer pain is aggravated by eating or drinking. In case of duodenal ulcer: the pain subsides during meals, but grows from 1 pm to 3 pm and after eating when the stomach is empty (during the night, for example).
• The feeling of being quickly satiated.
• Belching and bloating, but these symptoms are not specific. Indeed, esophagitis (inflammation of the lower esophagus) and gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), 2 other common disorders, cause the same symptoms.

Ulcer symptoms - ulcer worsening signs

• You vomit blood.
• You vomit food eaten hours or days earlier.
• You have moisty skin and you're cold.
• You feel weak and dizzy.
• You see blood in your stools.
• You have persistent nausea or repeated vomiting.
• You feel a sudden sharp pain.
• You continue to lose weight.
• Pain does not disappear when you take your medication.
• You feel pain in your back.
• You have no appetite.
• You have difficulty swallowing.
• You have new ulcer symptoms

Ulcer pictures

Digestive ulcer

        Digetive ulcer ussualy affects the stomach or duodenum. Ulcer usually involves a small bacterium in the gastrointestinal mucosa, called Helicobacter pylori. But other factors facilitate the occurrence such as stress or medication. The specific term is digestive ulcers. It defines, in effect, the existence of a localized destruction of the mucous membrane lining the inside of the digestive tract. The organs most commonly affected are the stomach and the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum. In most cases the ulcer seats in the lower part of the stomach or duodenum in the initial portion of the bulb.

Ulcer medical treatment

        Usually, medical treatment of the ulcer is no different from the treatment of gastric ulcer. It must be treated aggressively once the diagnosis is made. To allow the ulcers to heal and eliminate pain, it is important to reduce stomach acid. The treatment also aims to eradicate the bacteria H. pylori and to prevent ulcer recurrence. Before treatment, the physician must determine if the ulcer is stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer. To do this, we proceed a barium meal followed by a radiograph of the abdomen to see the ulcer, or a gastroscopy. The gastroscopy is inserted through the mouth, a long flexible tube with a mini-camera to observe the walls of the stomach. Duodenal ulcer, meanwhile, is almost always benign.

Ulcer surgery and ulcer complications

        The indication for surgical treatment outside the emergency became exceptional, like in duodenal ulcers that are not controlled by proper medical treatment and patients become unable to undergo this treatment. When complications appear surgery should be performed.

Differences between duodenal ulcer and gastric ulcer

        Be aware that duodenal ulcer and gastric ulcer have not the same mechanisms and does not pose quite the same problems. The duodenal or gastric ulcer is caused by an imbalance in a specific point of the mucosa, between aggressive factors (acid and peptic secretions) and defensive factors (mucus, epithelium). It is generally accepted that in duodenal ulcer, the dominant factor is the hyperacidity while in gastric ulcer the dominant factor is the alteration of the gastric mucosa.

        Infection with Helicobacter pylori is present in 85% cases of gastric ulcer and in 95% of duodenal ulcer cases, against 30% in the general population. Infection promotes gastric ulcer which is causes gastritis and duodenal ulcer in colonizing areas of antral metaplasia in the duodenum, increasing gastrin and possibly acid secretion.

        Ulcer (duodenal or gastric) reveals an ulcerative syndrome which consists in heartburn or dyspeptic syndrome which consists in vomiting, bleeding, perforation, but it may also be clinically latent. The diagnosis is based on the detection of ulcerative lesions in the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Ulcer causes

        It is believed that ulcers are caused by a variety of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Acid and other fluids from the stomach can burn the lining of the digestive tract and cause the formation of ulcers. This occurs when your body produces too much acid or if the lining of your digestive tract was damaged. Esophagitis and esophageal ulcers occur when stomach acid rises into the lower esophagus. Some people with peptic ulcer eat what they want and thus aggravate their symptoms. Many other foods can cause irritation, excessive production of stomach acid and heartburn. They need to know what is safe for them and what foods to avoid. An ulcer diet should be formulated in order to provide sufficient nutrition for the organism and to neutralize or reduce acid production in the stomach.