Ulcer

What is Ulcer?

A sore development on the lining of the stomach or small intestine is called ulcer. It is formed when stomach acid damages the line of the digestive tract. Its treatment includes medication to reduce the stomach acid production. If bacteria are the actual cause of ulcer, it must be treated with antibiotics. Medical treatment usually takes 4-8 weeks to suppress the acid and heal the ulcer. It is also known as the gastric ulcer. It may be caused when the lining of the guts are damaged, and tissues underlying are exposed. Peptic ulcers are breaks in the protective lining of the duodenum or the stomach. This can be treated with antibiotics and a reduction in the amount of acid produced by the stomach.

The dangers associated with peptic ulcers are anaemia, profuse bleeding, and stomach cancer. Ulcer should not be neglected, and treated immediately. Ulcer is common disease, and 1 in 10 people in our country is suffering from it. The major cause is the stress of modern life and high consumption of fast food.

Ulcer Symptoms

The symptoms of an ulcer are burning sensation in the stomach and gnawing abdominal pain. The other important symptoms of the disease include:
Pain in the stomach.
Bloating.
Feeling of sickness.
Retching.
Burning sensation in the stomach after meal.

Ulcer causes

The main causes of this disease include:
Infection with the pylori bacteria.
Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin.
Hyperacidity.
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Ulcer Risks

The main risk factors of this disease include:
Bleeding.
Perforation.
Leakage of food and acid into the abdominal cavity.
Severe pain.
Black stool

Ulcer prevention ways

In order to prevent the occurrence of the disease, one should take care of the following:
Washing hands with water and soap regularly.
Cooking food hygienically.
Avoiding alcohol, while taking the medications prescribed by the doctors.
Managing stress properly.
Avoiding tobacco products.

How is it diagnosed?

At Medanta, following are the technologies used to diagnose the disease:

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How is it treated?

At Medanta, the means of treatment to correct the disease include: 

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  • Acid-suppressing treatment

    This treatment continues for 4 to 8 weeks, and may reduce the amount of acid that the stomach produces. Doctors usually advise proton pump inhibitor medicine for stomach ulcer. It works on the cells underlying in the stomach and reduces the production of the acid.

  • Antibiotics to remove H. Pylori germs

    If proper medication is not followed, then the ulcer is likely to return. To remove the H.Pylori germs, the doctor recommends antibiotics for a week. Once H. Pylori bacteria is cleared from the stomach, the chances of return of ulcer are minimized. Along with that, the patient have to take care of his/her diet, exclude all fast food and consume boiled food.

  • Anti- Inflammatory Medicine

    Anti-inflammatory medicines are needed to ease arthritis or other painful conditions to protect against blood clots. The patient can take acid-suppressing medicines every day to reduce the ulcer. This may also help to reduce the great amount of acid in the stomach and reduce the chances of recurrence.

When do I contact the doctor?

One should immediately consult a doctor, if they begin to face symptoms such as bloating, burning sensation, and retching. All these symptoms will be treated just right by our medical experts at Medanta.

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How does Medanta provide care?

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