Much like the skin of a body can become perforated and suffer from sores, so too can the insides of a person. Ulcers are a common sore that forms in various locations throughout the body. Ulcers are open sores that tend to show as holes in the lining of tissues. The most common forms of ulcers occur in the stomach and small intestine.
Ulcers in the stomach are common and can cause a large amount of pain for various reasons. Anyone showing signs of an ulcer should speak to their doctor quickly. Preventative actions and lifestyle changes can reduce the pain caused by ulcers. Many people feel that ulcers are caused by choices like eating very spicy foods or by severe stress. Are these common assumptions true?
Causes of Ulcers
There’s several ways that ulcers can be caused. The first is bacteria. There are many different bacteria that live in the stomach and small intestine. Some of it (helicobacter pylori bacteria specifically) is usually mundane. In some cases, it can instead cause inflammation and an ulcer. Many over the counter pain medications are great for reducing pain. However, taking them consistently can actually result in the creation of an ulcer. Some other medications may also greatly increase the risk of getting an ulcer.
Now, when it comes to spicy foods and stress, they don’t cause ulcers. So why are they linked to them? There’s two reasons. The first is that these can increase the chance of developing an ulcer from actual causes. People who drink alcohol should also be included in this group. The other reason they are linked is that these risk factors can also increase the severity of symptoms. Stress, alcohol and spicy foods can increase the pain that people are feeling due to the ulcer, making them obvious problems.
Signs of an Ulcer
People who are developing an ulcer often know it pretty quickly. The main sign of an ulcer is not subtle. Burning stomach pain is the most common form. This symptom is often due to the amount of stomach acid within the stomach. Food that causes more acid cause more pain. Having a completely empty stomach can also increase the pain. There are also some secondary symptoms. These include:
- Feeling Full
- Heartburn
- Feeling Nauseous
- Bloating and Belching
- Vomiting
- Blood in Stool
- Nausea
- Issues With Breathing
- Unexpected Weight Loss
- Loss of Appetite
- Feeling Faint
It should be noted that many people may suffer from stomach ulcers without actually knowing about them. If they are living the right lifestyle, it may not cause pain at first until the ulcer develops further. These people can go with zero symptoms.
Getting Treatment
There’s a lot of issues and complications that can result if ulcers aren’t treated. Ulcers may eventually eat through the tissue and create holes in the organs. This can result in internal bleeding, anemia, peritonitis and gastric cancer. They can also become an obstruction in the digestive system.
Prevention is a good choice. Staying away from infections is important and using pain relievers in moderation is important. When prevention fails, then there are medical treatments. Some medications are chosen to try to eliminate the bacteria causing an ulcer. Others can be taken to try to keep stomach acid production down, so that it’s not causing more pain. Ulcers can heal when they get treated.
If an ulcer is unable to be treated, or if someone is worried about them coming back, lifestyle changes are necessary. Quitting smoking and reducing or removing alcohol consumption is a great place to start. Cutting out the pain relievers that can cause ulcers is a necessary choice. There can be some other options that work. Managing stress is crucial. This can come in multiple forms like exercise, meditation, yoga or simply being social with friends and family.