Stomach ulcers are sores in the lining of the stomach
or small intestines that can be very painful. Stomach ulcers are usually a sign
of peptic ulcer disease, but they can also occur as a complication of other conditions.
When the layer of mucus that protects the stomach from digestive juices is
reduced it enables the digestive acids to eat away at the lining of the
stomach. Stomach ulcers can be treated, but they can become very severe and
potentially fatal without proper treatment. They should be very closely
monitored.
What causes stomach ulcers?
Stomach ulcers can originate due to several factors,
they are often caused by an infection with the bacterium, long-term use of
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, excess acid in the stomach, and a rare
disease that can make the body produce excess stomach acid. Certain factors and
behaviors can put a person in a higher risk category for developing stomach
ulcers. This includes, smoking, frequent use of steroids to treat asthma, a
family history of ulcers, being over 50 years old or excessive consumption of
alcohol.
Symptoms of stomach ulcers
Common symptoms of stomach ulcers can be a burning
sensation or pain between your chest and belly button. As a general rule when
your stomach is empty the feeling becomes more intense and can last for a few
minutes or several hours. Stomach ulcers are very common, and an estimated 4 million Americans suffer
from peptic ulcer disease. Other common
symptoms of this condition include not eating due to pain, nausea or vomiting,
bloating, burping or acid reflux and heartburn. A doctor should be consulted if
symptoms of peptic ulcers last for more than three days.
Hernias
A hernia is when the protrusion of an organ or tissue
from its normally contained space happens. I hernia is often a piece of bowel
and it intrudes through a weak area in the abdominal wall. It’s not that
uncommon to have this happen especially if you’ve undergone surgery in the
abdomen area.
Areas of the abdomen that have had surgery can have
weak spots which allows a hernia to break through. The most common form of
hernias are groin hernias, which can develop from over straining that
area.
A
45-year-old woman came into the emergency room complaining of stomach pain that
was severe. An examination the physician pushed on her abdomen and found one
area in the center of the stomach to be very sore, protruding more than the
other areas, and was somewhat of a spongy feel. The first guess was correct, a
CT scan confirmed she had a hernia. The following day she had surgery to repair
the hernia, and that evening went home. This particular patient had surgery on
her abdomen three years prior and this was a situation that her abdomen walls
were weak making it easy for hernia to develop.
Hernias
are rarely serious, and are often present in babies. Often an outpatient procedure
is performed and the patient is fine afterwards. Hernias can be more serious on
elderly people. Elderly people may not always notice pain quickly enough, which
is the indication that there is a hernia and that it’s a problem. Some people
can have excessive blood loss during surgery, and of course anytime a person is
put to sleep even for a short period of time there is a risk.
Related: Soothing Tired Feet
Hernias and ulcers are two entirely different
conditions, and yet hernias quite often follow when someone has suffered from
ulcers. This is most likely due to the fact that ulcers eat away at the stomach
lining making for weak areas. If ulcers can be treated the hernia may be
avoidable. Aghast row intestinal physician can properly diagnose a condition
such as ulcers or hernias and provide proper treatment. Over-the-counter
anti-assets can help reduce the symptoms of an ulcer, however taking too many
anti-assets can mask the problem allowing it to worsen.
Anyone suffering from acid indigestion or a burning
sensation in the abdomen should get it checked to rule out a serious
condition. Ulcers used to be considered
a stress-related condition. Stress may
add to a condition, but it is not the cause.
Doctors now know that ulcers develop from a bacterial condition.
However, minimizing your patients’ stress levels is a great way to help them
manage stomach ulcers or related conditions.
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