Peptic ulcers are open and painful sores that are present in the inside lining of your esophagus, stomach and the upper portion of your small intestine called as duodenum. Abdominal pain is the most common sign of peptic ulcer.
It can be divided into three different types namely gastric, esophageal and duodenal which are characterized with their occurrence in those organs or body parts. For example, gastric ulcer occur on the inside of stomach, esophageal ulcer occur in the esophageal tube that carries food from throat to stomach while the duodenal ulcer is characterized with its occurrence in the duodenum.
What Are The Causes Of Peptic Ulcer?
The basic reason behind the peptic ulcer is an imbalance between digestive fluids of stomach and duodenum. Other varied reasons include; bacterial infection caused due to H. pylori, painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen, and health conditions like gastrinomas or tumors of the acid producing cells of the stomach.
Those with family history of peptic ulcer or those having liver, lung or kidney diseases are at the risk of developing this ulcer. Moreover, regular heavy drinkers or elder people with more than 50 years of age also develop ulcer symptoms prevalently.
Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer:
Noticeable symptoms may or may not occur early but the most common symptom is the burning pain in the ulcerated area, more specifically middle or upper stomach. It is generally experienced between meals or at night. Other symptoms include;
- Heartburn
- Bloating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blood in the stools
- Unexplained weight loss
- Changes in appetite
- Severe abdominal pain
Though ulcers are not that serious and most of the times heal on their own, you shouldn't neglect the above signs and carry out a proper diagnosis by consulting with your doctor. Some of the complications if left undiagnosed and untreated may include; bleeding, perforation or gastric outlet obstruction.
Natural Remedies To Treat Peptic Ulcer:
Classical treatments for peptic ulcer include proton pump inhibitors (PPI), antibiotics, upper endoscopy or surgery. But natural ways are also quite effective in curing this ulcer.
- Diet and lifestyle modifications: Eat fresh fruits and vegetables to get plenty of vitamins and minerals as they are helpful in fast and better healing. Abolish the substances and bad habits that can cause ulcers. Don't drink too much alcoholic beverages and quit smoking. Alcohol and cigarette use can disrupt the stomach lining leading to increased stomach acid, bleeding and inflammation.
- Herbal Supplements: Herbs such as Yashtimadhu or licorice contain active compound glycyrrhizin which is a good gastro-protective agent. Herbal extract is been found to decrease gastric acid secretion and hinders the formation of peptic ulcers.