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Gastric ulcer – this is all you need to know

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Most common symptoms of stomach ulcers

Do you suffer from abdominal pain, acid reflux, vomiting and nausea?

Then you may have suffered from stomach ulcers. In most cases, it is harmless and can be remedied with simple treatment – but a bleeding or ruptured stomach ulcer can be life-threatening.

Unlike, for example, gastritis, stomach ulcers can not be caused by habits in your lifestyle but by a bacterial infection. You need to seek medical attention to cure the problem. It is not uncommon, but unpleasant. 

About one in ten adults suffers from stomach ulcers at some point in their lives and it is usually harmless – but if left untreated, the condition can become serious.

Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea and decreased appetite. In the worst case: blood in the vomit and the stool. But what is really happening in the body?

According to a specialist, there used to be an idea that stomach ulcers were due to food and stress. But that is not the case.

– In 95 percent of cases, stomach ulcers are due to a bacterial infection that can be treated away with antibiotics. As the name suggests, a ulcer may have formed in the lining of the stomach. The fact that there have been sores may be due to the corrosive acid present in the gastric juice having entered the tissue under the mucus layer that protects the gastrointestinal tract.

Then you should seek care for stomach ulcers

However, the symptoms can be diffuse and similar to those that occur with gastritis or other stomach problems. And for stomach ulcers, you can not cure yourself by eating better and trying to stress less, as with gastritis. It must be cured with antibiotics.

But how do you know that it is a stomach ulcer you are dealing with? And when should you seek care? Doctor further explains that you should above all be vigilant about how long the symptoms last.

– Above all, you notice that it is a stomach ulcer when the problems do not go away after one or two weeks, as in gastritis. Have you tried to de-stress, eat balanced and fix the problems with tablets from the pharmacy without it helping? Then you should seek care. And if you have severe symptoms such as blood in the stool and vomiting, you should seek medical attention immediately.

In most cases, the stomach ulcer is harmless, says the expert. But there are serious stomach ulcers. An untreated wound can corrode through the entire stomach. Gastric ulcers can also begin to bleed or rupture. It is very serious and can be life-threatening.

Most common symptoms of ruptured or bleeding stomach ulcers

  • Sudden and severe pain in the upper abdomen, feels like hunger pangs.
  • You get a stomach ache at night.
  • The pain is relieved or aggravated by food and drink.
  • You are nauseous and vomit blood. The vomiting may also resemble coffee grounds.
  • Your stool is the answer.
  • You lose weight.
  • You may also become short of breath and tired as a bleeding in the stomach can lead to anemia.

Image Credit: Getty

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