Gastric Ulcer Pain

Gastric ulcers are a round or oval sore, where the stomach lining or the lining of the duodenum has been destroyed by the acids in the stomach and the digestive juices. More often than not it is seen, that what people call stomach ulcers are actually duodenal ulcers. These ulcers are located in the duodenum, which is the first part of the intestine. These ulcers are known as duodenal ulcers, whereas the ulcers located in the stomach are known as gastric ulcers, while the ulcers located in the esophagus are called esophageal ulcers. One of the prominent symptom of gastric ulcer is burning sensation in the stomach. More often than not, the symptoms are similar to varied digestive conditions.

Causes of Gastric Ulcer

Previously the causes of gastric ulcer injury were said to be lifestyle factors. But, latest research has proved, that stomach acids, namely hydrochloric acid and pepsin are the factors, which contribute to the formation of gastric ulcers. Acid and stomach juices burn the lining of the digestive tract. This happens, when the stomach produces too much of acid, which in turn burns the digestive tract. However, the role of lifestyle factors like stress or eating food with high acid content cannot be neglected. Many times, it is seen, that although ulcers may not be caused by lifestyle factors, they often aggravate the condition. At the same time, infections are also one of the stomach ulcer causes. It is the bacterial infection, which is widely responsible for the infections. Along with all the above mentioned causes, excessive use of anti-inflammatory medicines can also give rise to gastric ulcers. These medicines damage the stomach lining, which causes ulcer. There are certain medicines for arthritis as well, which may also cause the said problem.

Symptoms

Indigestion and heartburn in the middle of the upper abdomen is a stomach ulcer symptom and sign. Due to indigestion, the person may burp, belch or hiccup very frequently. In some cases, the person may also suffer from choking sensation, due to a bout of indigestion. Many times, it is seen, that this symptom is often confused with gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

Nausea accompanied by loss of appetite is a gastric ulcer symptom. A lot of people suffer from pain or discomfort in the abdomen. The pain in some cases can be burning, gnawing or aching. The pain is oftentimes located beneath the rib cage on the left side of the body, which may eventually also spread to the back. A lot of times, this pain can be very similar to hunger pangs. A lot of people, who suffer from gastric ulcer feel better after eating something, hence, they try to eat more often, which leads to weight gain. On the other hand, there are some people, who suffer from stomach ulcer pain, either about two to three hours after their meals or at night on an empty stomach.

Other signs of stomach ulcer include headache, dizziness, fatigue, light-headedness, etc. In some severe cases of gastric ulcer, there may be a scar tissue, which obstructs the passage of food in the digestive tract, due to which the person may vomit frequently or may feel full even after eating a small quantity of food. On the other hand, there are people, who complain of bloating sensation after eating.

A person is said to be suffering from bleeding stomach ulcer, when the person vomits blood or passes stools, which contain dark red blood or are tar black in color is a severe symptom of gastric ulcer. These are potentially serious symptoms, hence the patient may want to schedule an appointment with a doctor as the earliest.

Treating Gastric Ulcer

The measures to be taken for relief from gastric ulcer pain, depend on the causes of the problem. Antacids may be taken to treat the condition, however they provide only temporary relief.

• Consumption of cold milk, ice creams, etc. help in bringing stomach ulcer relief.
• If the ulcer is caused by bacteria, then measures will have to be taken to get rid of bacteria, causing the problem. Antibiotics are used in combination with other medicines to get rid of bacteria.
• If stomach ulcer is caused by the stomach acids, then drugs which inhibit the production of stomach acid are prescribed. These drugs also promote healing of peptic ulcers.
• More often than not, patients are asked to have a bland diet and keep away from spicy, fatty or acidic foods, which helps in the healing process and also reduce the production of stomach acids.
• Keeping the irritants like alcohol, nicotine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, etc. at bay is an important part of stomach ulcer treatment.
• Following gastric ulcer diet will help in treating the condition faster.
• Stomach ulcer remedies also include sufficient amount of rest.

It is important to note, that gastric ulcer pain often has a tendency to come back. Therefore, it is important, that one follows the doctor's instructions and take all the prescribed medicines on time as directed.