Peptic Ulcer Disease
Posted by Emy | Under Uncategorized Thursday Sep 22, 2011Peptic ulcer – also known as peptic ulcer disease – is a relatively common disease affecting about ten percent of all individuals in the United States. Although these diseases were once mainly due to the consumption of spicy foods or stress, researchers and medical experts have decided that the most common cause of stomach ulcers is a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori.
Although these symptoms often resolve without treatment, they have the potential to cause serious complications, and a person who think they have ulcers should always get a medical evaluation for a correct diagnosis.
The types and the common symptoms of peptic ulcers
There are three types of stomach ulcers that can be diagnosed from this site. An ulcer that develops in the stomach, gastric ulcer. Duodenal ulcer is one that develops in the duodenum or the beginning of the small intestine.
Once an ulcer develops in the esophagus it is called an ulcer of the esophagus and is usually found in the esophagus. The most common symptom associated with any type of ulcer is a burning pain due to stomach acid coming into contact with sores and can be felt in the region of the navy up to your chest or sternum.
This pain can last several minutes or several hours can occur and sometimes worse when the stomach is empty. Often the pain may be temporarily relieved by eating certain foods that can protect the stomach acid or taking over-the-counter antacids to reduce stomach acid levels.
Often, the symptoms of peptic ulcer pain worse at night. Sometimes the pain will disappear for days or weeks before returning. In severe cases, ulcers may cause nausea or vomiting and bleeding that appear in the stool or vomit. Changes in appetite or weight loss can not be explained can also be a symptom of peptic ulcer disease.
Common causes of peptic ulcer
The most common cause of peptic ulcer is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori. H. pylori is a gastrointestinal infection that is very common, affecting one in every five people under the age of thirty and fifty percent of people over sixty in the United States.
H. pylori in the mucous layer of the stomach and intestines, where it survives and multiplies, and often no problem, but it can affect the mucus layer and make the lining of the stomach or small intestine to become inflamed , which in turn lead to the development of ulcers.
While the bacteria Helicobacter pylori is usually the cause of ulcers, other substances or conditions that can cause its development. Excessive consumption of alcohol and snuff were also asked to contribute to the development of significant emotional stress ulcers.
Some over-the-counter or prescription painkillers known as NSAIDs, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can irritate or inflame the lining of the stomach and small intestine and causes the development of peptic ulcer.
If you have symptoms associated with ulcers, it is important that you consult your physician for a diagnosis and not try to treat this condition alone, as over-the-counter drugs would bring only temporary relief and some injuries can cause serious complications if left untreated.