Ulcers are very common today. Any age group can suffer from gastric and duodenal ulcers. Consumption of poorly cooked unhygienic food, processed food or fast food could be the reasons for the formation of an ulcer. Burning, abdominal pain is all the symptoms of an ulcer. Let’s try and understand what are ulcers, their types, causes, symptoms and treatments.
What are Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers ?
Peptic ulcers are the sores that are found in the inner lining of the intestine or on the stomach. These sores can cause great pain when they come in contact with the acids and the enzymes in the stomach. The ulcers that form in the intestine are called duodenal ulcers while the ulcers that are formed in the stomach are called gastric ulcers. The ulcers that form in the oesophagus are called as oesophageal ulcers.
What are the symptoms ?
The most common symptom is the pain in the navel, breast bone and in the back. The others include :
- Vomiting blood
- A bloated tummy
- Nausea after eating
- Black stools
- Pain that keeps coming and going
If you experience the above symptoms, we suggest you should visit our gastroenterologist, who would do a physical exam and put you through tests to check for an H.Pylori infection.
Endoscopy would also show if you have an ulcer and the infection.
What are the risks associated for gastric and duodenal ulcers ?
Certain factors attribute to the ulcerous conditions and these risks include :
- Smoking
- Consuming too much of alcohol
- Taking non-steroidal or anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen
- Spicy foods, caffeine too can add on to the formation of ulcer
What are the risks that you cannot control but needs to be diagnosed and treated ?
Conditions that are developed inside your body and not in your control include :
- H.Pylori infection
- A severe injury or trauma
- A hyper secretory condition where the stomach acids are produced in excess
- A hereditary condition
What are the different tests that determine the gastric and duodenal ulcers ?
If the symptoms persist visit our gastroenterologist would rule out a condition called H.Pylori infection or any stomach cancers. Hence, you may be advised to take up few tests which include :
- Helicobacter Pylori : All ulcers will not have H.Pylori infections. Yet, in order to be sure this test is essential. Your blood, breath, stool, tissue from your digestive tract is taken and sent to the lab to test for H. Pylori bacteria.
- Endoscopy : An endoscopy is conducted to check the inside of the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine. This is done when you are experiencing the symptoms repeatedly. Hence, an endoscopy would help determine ulcer or stomach cancer.
- Faecal Occult Blood Test : It is abbreviated as FOBT in short. This test is done to see the blood in the stools. If the tests are positive then you may be suffering from an ulcerous condition or even sever such as colon cancer. It is not a very significant test to diagnose the ulcerous condition yet it can show if the ulcer is bleeding.
- Complete Blood Count (C.B.C) : A bleeding ulcer can make you anaemic. This is one of the tests that show you probably have an ulcer.
- Upper GI Series : It is not as much used for the diagnosis of ulcers: it is an examination of the oesophagus and stomach that diagnoses the ulcerous condition through the images taken from x-rays.
The ulcers can be treated and healed eventually. But when they tend to repeat and in case you do not receive any treatment then you are prone to severe complications such as a hole in the walls of the intestine and stomach.
What are the preventive measures that you can take to avoid the formation of ulcers ?
There are ways where you can be careful and prevent the formation of ulcers. It includes :
- Taking prescribed medicines on time
- Making certain lifestyle changes such as consuming healthy and homemade food that’s tasty and less spicy. Restricting your alcohol intake.
- Quitting smoking
- Avoiding non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
What are the medications prescribed for the Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers ?
Medications for the treatment of Gastric and Duodenal ulcers include :
- Medicines that reduces the production of acids in the stomach.
- To kill the H.Pylori bacteria as they will kill the lining of the stomach
- Medicines to protect the stomach and intestinal lining from getting depleted due to the consumption of other medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen
When does a surgery become essential ?
Surgery becomes essential if the ulcers do not heal. These ulcers are called as intractable peptic ulcers. If the ulcers are causing severe complications such as bleeding, perforation, obstruction then your physician will recommend a surgery to improve your condition.
What does the surgery involve ?
The surgery may be conducted through different procedures depending on the condition of the peptic ulcers. It includes :
Vagotomy: This procedure involves the cutting of one or more nerves of the stomach to treat ulcers
Pyloroplasty : It is yet another procedure to treat the peptic ulcers. It involves the widening and the opening of the bottom of the stomach
Partial Gastrectomy : This involves the removal of a part of the stomach.
However, most of the peptic ulcers can be treated through medications and can be healed. As discussed earlier make certain lifestyle changes once you have been diagnosed with peptic ulcers or even before. Quit smoking. Have a healthy balanced diet that includes plenty of food and vegetables. Keep you salt and spice intake at the minimum. Take your medications and complete the course of antibiotics as prescribed by your gastroenterologist.
Why KIMS ?
KIMS provides the best duodenal ulcer treatments in Hyderabad for they have the most experienced gastroenterologists who with their expertise are able to identify the peptic ulcerous conditions through the right diagnosis. A right diagnosis makes way for an appropriate treatment and thereby a speedy recovery. The lab at KIMS is well equipped with the latest tests and techniques that save the time for the patient and the surgeon in helping them determine the medical condition or the disease. The diagnosis and the treatments at KIMS are cost effective so that the common man can reach to the best medical facilities available.