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Peptic Ulcer

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Stomach (gastric) ulcers and small bowel (duodenal) ulcers are collectively known as peptic ulcers. Duodenal ulcers are more common.

Stomach ulcers usually affect people between the ages of 40 and 80, and duodenal ulcers affect people aged 20 to 60. Peptic ulcers are more common in women than men.

The size of peptic ulcers can vary from one millimetre to several centimetres across. They look similar to mouth ulcers.

Symptoms of Peptic Ulcers

You may not have any symptoms at all. However, many people have pain in their abdomen (tummy), usually just below the breastbone (sternum). This pain is often described as burning or gnawing and may extend to your back. It usually comes on after eating - 15 to 20 minutes after eating if you have a stomach ulcer and one to three hours after a meal if the ulcer is in your small bowel. The pain may also wake you at night.

Other symptoms may include:

• heartburn
• a bitter taste in your mouth
• feeling sick or vomiting
• regurgitating food

Complications of Peptic Ulcers

Most people who have a peptic ulcer don't have any complications. However, possible complications include the following. Bleeding Occasionally ulcers can cause the lining of your stomach or small bowel to bleed. If this happens suddenly, symptoms may include:

• vomiting blood - it may be bright red or like coffee grains (dark brown bits of clotted blood)
• dark faeces that look black or like tar - this is because the blood from the bleeding ulcer will have been partially broken down as it makes its way through the bowel

Causes of Peptic Ulcers

The most common cause of peptic ulcers is a stomach infection caused by a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This infection is quite common - about half of the world's population is infected with the bacterium but it doesn't always cause illness.

H. pylori can cause inflammation in the lining of the stomach. Inflammation is when part of the body reacts to an infection or injury causing it to become swollen, hot, red and/or painful. The inflammation reduces the layer of mucus that protects the stomach and small bowel from the stomach acid and causes an ulcer. If the H. Pylori infection is in the upper part of your stomach, it can cause more acid to be produced. This can overload the protective layer of mucus and cause an ulcer.

The second most common cause of peptic ulcers is a type of medicine called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Examples of these medicines include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac. Most people can take these safely but sometimes if you take NSAIDs over a long period of time, they can damage the mucus lining in your stomach and cause a peptic ulcer.

You're more likely to get peptic ulcers if you smoke. You may also be more at risk if other people in your family have had ulcers.

It used to be thought that stress could cause a peptic ulcer. However, stress is now only considered to be important if it's a result of a major operation or trauma.

Treatment of peptic ulcers

Self-help
There are lifestyle changes that you can make to help your ulcers heal and prevent them coming back. These include:

• not having food and drink that give you more severe symptoms, such as spicy foods and alcohol
• stopping smoking
• not taking painkillers that are likely to cause ulcers in the future

Homeopathic treatment
homeopathy has great scope in treating peptic ulcer. disease is a outwordly menifestation of internal derangement.homeopathy improve life naturally and its helps in psychological factor which is major problem in developing peptic ulcer.its also arrest disease process and prevent complication.