Gastric and duodenal ulcers: symptoms, treatment, causes
Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum is a chronic disease that occurs as a result of the formation of one or more ulcers on the gastric mucosa.
The disease is prone to frequent relapses, especially in the fall and spring. A lot of people suffer from stomach ulcers, and it is more common in men than in women. The peak of the disease occurs in humans for the period from 20 to 50 years, that is, for working age.
Since the stomach and duodenum has many unpleasant symptoms and sometimes greatly complicates the habitual way of life of a person, its treatment must be timely and complete.
The stomach of each person functions under the influence of protective and aggressive factors, which have a certain effect on the mucosa. The protective factors include mucus, which forms a layer, a thickness of about 0.6 mm. This layer protects the stomach from the effects of aggressive factors, such as gastric juice and Helicobacter pylori infection.
In the case where aggressive factors predominate over the protective functions of the gastric mucosa, ulcers may occur. In this case, a large role in the development of the disease plays a widespread infection of Helicobacter pylori, it is one of the main reasons why not only the ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, but also gastritis.
According to statistical data, the helicobacter can be found in 80% of the population of Russia. But interesting is the fact that not every infected person begins to suffer from an ulcer. Infection with Helicobacter pylori causes inflammation in the mucosa and its further ulceration under certain conditions.
There is no clear reason why only a small number of infected people get an ulcer as a result of the activity of this microbe. Most likely, the general state of human health and local immunity play a role, protecting the mucosa from the invasion of the infection.
In addition to the infectious factor, other adverse conditions can affect the gastric mucosa. These include:
Gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer is often accompanied by pain. They can be localized in the epigastric region, the waist, the left scapula.
The time of onset of unpleasant sensations is important, since it helps in the diagnosis of the disease. The main signs that the pains in the stomach are caused by an ulcer are their frequency, rhythm and frequency of exacerbations. Very often a stomach ulcer is accompanied by heartburn, which can appear both during a pain attack and precede it.
To non-specific symptoms, gastric and duodenal ulcers also include belching after eating, nausea, vomiting, in some cases constipation and increased appetite. With intense pain, appetite decreases, which leads to loss of body weight.
Diagnosis of a stomach ulcer begins with an accurate description of the pain. The time of their onset allows us to determine the possible affected area. Thus, the pain that appears immediately after ingestion is characteristic of an ulcer of the upper part of the stomach.
Pain occurring several hours after ingestion is characteristic of ulceration of the antral part of the stomach. Sometimes a person can suffer from "hungry" pains that occur with a feeling of hunger, which is typical for pyloric ulcer of the stomach.
Of course, the only study of pain can not give an accurate confirmation of the diagnosis, so many other methods are used. These include:
See also: etiopathogenesis of ulcer.
Depending on the results of diagnosis, a specific treatment is prescribed. Gastric ulcer caused by increased acidity of gastric juice should be treated with drugs that reduce the release of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
A very important dose of such drugs. Overdosing can lead to unpleasant consequences, for example, a violation of normal stomach functions, intestinal dysbiosis and poor digestion of food. And an insufficient number of drugs will not lead to the proper effect. The disease in this case can give complications, which will be more difficult to treat. Therefore, it is very important to select adequate doses of drugs.
In case the disease is caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, the therapy will be directed at its destruction. There are many methods that allow you to completely get rid of the infection. The scheme of treatment is selected by the doctor taking into account the individual characteristics of a person, his state of health, the type of ulcer and its neglect.
Often for the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers, vitamin B5 and vitamin U are prescribed, which have a beneficial effect on the secretion of gastric juice.
nutrition In addition to the drug treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers, a person must adhere to a certain type of food. From the daily diet it is necessary to remove food and liquid, which are supposed to irritate the walls of the stomach. All too spicy, spicy and sour should be replaced with more sparing food or excluded altogether. Do not use strong tea, kvass, soda and alcohol.
Often with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, diet No. 1 is prescribed, which provides excellent nutrition recommendations. So, it prescribes permission for yesterday's 1st grade bread, buns, vegetable and milk soups, steam or boiled dishes from poultry, beef, pork, veal. Perhaps the use of milk, non-acidic cottage cheese and yogurt, various curd dishes.
In addition, preference should be given to rice, buckwheat or oatmeal as a side dish or a separate dish. Vegetables should be cooked for a couple, their use in raw form is unacceptable. Fruits can be taken in baked or grated form. From sweets are allowed honey, marshmallow, pastille, jam.
Despite the fact that the diet is quite strict, a person's diet should be built so that he gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Since a person's ulcer often suffers from "hungry" pain, it takes about five meals a day to eat. It is very important that the portions in this diet are not large and do not overload the stomach.
Compliance with diet is an important condition for the relief of a person's condition during relapse and recovery. In addition, dieting prevents the development of complications.
The most dangerous complication of ulcers of the duodenum and stomach is the rupture of the walls of the stomach as a result of the ulcer reaching the surface shell. The contents of the stomach thus spreads over the peritoneum, causing painful shock and further peritonitis. This is the case when urgent surgical intervention is needed, otherwise human life can be threatened.
Another complication of the ulcer is bleeding of varying severity. It occurs as a result of the destruction of the blood vessel due to ulceration. With bleeding, symptoms can both appear and remain hidden. But the most characteristic and demonstrative in this state is bloody vomiting, tarry stool, poor health of the patient, fatigue, pallor of the face and drop in blood pressure.
In some cases, because of the formation of the scar, the place of the passage of the stomach into the duodenum narrows, which has a negative effect on the process of digestion of food. This is also a rather unpleasant complication of gastric ulcer.
Prevention of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer is a measure aimed at preventing the disease or weakening its manifestations. To such measures carry:
The disease is prone to frequent relapses, especially in the fall and spring. A lot of people suffer from stomach ulcers, and it is more common in men than in women. The peak of the disease occurs in humans for the period from 20 to 50 years, that is, for working age.
Since the stomach and duodenum has many unpleasant symptoms and sometimes greatly complicates the habitual way of life of a person, its treatment must be timely and complete.
Causes of
The stomach of each person functions under the influence of protective and aggressive factors, which have a certain effect on the mucosa. The protective factors include mucus, which forms a layer, a thickness of about 0.6 mm. This layer protects the stomach from the effects of aggressive factors, such as gastric juice and Helicobacter pylori infection.
In the case where aggressive factors predominate over the protective functions of the gastric mucosa, ulcers may occur. In this case, a large role in the development of the disease plays a widespread infection of Helicobacter pylori, it is one of the main reasons why not only the ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, but also gastritis.
According to statistical data, the helicobacter can be found in 80% of the population of Russia. But interesting is the fact that not every infected person begins to suffer from an ulcer. Infection with Helicobacter pylori causes inflammation in the mucosa and its further ulceration under certain conditions.
There is no clear reason why only a small number of infected people get an ulcer as a result of the activity of this microbe. Most likely, the general state of human health and local immunity play a role, protecting the mucosa from the invasion of the infection.
In addition to the infectious factor, other adverse conditions can affect the gastric mucosa. These include:
- alcohol abuse and smoking;
- chronic stress;
- depression and other psychological disorders;
- long acute pain( for example, as a result of a severe burn or fracture);
- improper nutrition( consumption of cheap convenience foods, sweet);
- reception of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs( eg, aspirin);
- various diseases( lymphoma, sarcoma, HIV infection, syphilis, tuberculosis, etc.).
Symptoms of peptic ulcer
Gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer is often accompanied by pain. They can be localized in the epigastric region, the waist, the left scapula.
The time of onset of unpleasant sensations is important, since it helps in the diagnosis of the disease. The main signs that the pains in the stomach are caused by an ulcer are their frequency, rhythm and frequency of exacerbations. Very often a stomach ulcer is accompanied by heartburn, which can appear both during a pain attack and precede it.
To non-specific symptoms, gastric and duodenal ulcers also include belching after eating, nausea, vomiting, in some cases constipation and increased appetite. With intense pain, appetite decreases, which leads to loss of body weight.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of a stomach ulcer begins with an accurate description of the pain. The time of their onset allows us to determine the possible affected area. Thus, the pain that appears immediately after ingestion is characteristic of an ulcer of the upper part of the stomach.
Pain occurring several hours after ingestion is characteristic of ulceration of the antral part of the stomach. Sometimes a person can suffer from "hungry" pains that occur with a feeling of hunger, which is typical for pyloric ulcer of the stomach.
Of course, the only study of pain can not give an accurate confirmation of the diagnosis, so many other methods are used. These include:
- 1) Blood test. It allows you to identify anemia that has occurred as a result of bleeding ulcers, which happens when its condition is neglected. The hemoglobin and erythrocytes in the blood are also determined, the normal value of which will indicate a mild course of the disease.
- 2) Fecal occult blood test. Used to detect hidden bleeding, as well as complaints of a patient for severe constipation.
- 3) Endoscopic examination. At the moment, the most effective study that can diagnose a stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer. Using this method, it is possible to determine the exact location of the ulcer, its magnitude, depth, condition, and also to take the material for histological examination.
- 4) X-ray examination, which reveals the characteristic signs of an ulcer on the relief of the gastric mucosa.
- 5) Study of the acid-forming function of the stomach. It is carried out within the framework of pH-metry, which allows to determine the acidity of gastric juice.
See also: etiopathogenesis of ulcer.
How to treat stomach and duodenal ulcers
Depending on the results of diagnosis, a specific treatment is prescribed. Gastric ulcer caused by increased acidity of gastric juice should be treated with drugs that reduce the release of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
A very important dose of such drugs. Overdosing can lead to unpleasant consequences, for example, a violation of normal stomach functions, intestinal dysbiosis and poor digestion of food. And an insufficient number of drugs will not lead to the proper effect. The disease in this case can give complications, which will be more difficult to treat. Therefore, it is very important to select adequate doses of drugs.
In case the disease is caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, the therapy will be directed at its destruction. There are many methods that allow you to completely get rid of the infection. The scheme of treatment is selected by the doctor taking into account the individual characteristics of a person, his state of health, the type of ulcer and its neglect.
Often for the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers, vitamin B5 and vitamin U are prescribed, which have a beneficial effect on the secretion of gastric juice.
Recommendations on
nutrition In addition to the drug treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers, a person must adhere to a certain type of food. From the daily diet it is necessary to remove food and liquid, which are supposed to irritate the walls of the stomach. All too spicy, spicy and sour should be replaced with more sparing food or excluded altogether. Do not use strong tea, kvass, soda and alcohol.
Often with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, diet No. 1 is prescribed, which provides excellent nutrition recommendations. So, it prescribes permission for yesterday's 1st grade bread, buns, vegetable and milk soups, steam or boiled dishes from poultry, beef, pork, veal. Perhaps the use of milk, non-acidic cottage cheese and yogurt, various curd dishes.
In addition, preference should be given to rice, buckwheat or oatmeal as a side dish or a separate dish. Vegetables should be cooked for a couple, their use in raw form is unacceptable. Fruits can be taken in baked or grated form. From sweets are allowed honey, marshmallow, pastille, jam.
Despite the fact that the diet is quite strict, a person's diet should be built so that he gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Since a person's ulcer often suffers from "hungry" pain, it takes about five meals a day to eat. It is very important that the portions in this diet are not large and do not overload the stomach.
Compliance with diet is an important condition for the relief of a person's condition during relapse and recovery. In addition, dieting prevents the development of complications.
Complications of the disease
The most dangerous complication of ulcers of the duodenum and stomach is the rupture of the walls of the stomach as a result of the ulcer reaching the surface shell. The contents of the stomach thus spreads over the peritoneum, causing painful shock and further peritonitis. This is the case when urgent surgical intervention is needed, otherwise human life can be threatened.
Another complication of the ulcer is bleeding of varying severity. It occurs as a result of the destruction of the blood vessel due to ulceration. With bleeding, symptoms can both appear and remain hidden. But the most characteristic and demonstrative in this state is bloody vomiting, tarry stool, poor health of the patient, fatigue, pallor of the face and drop in blood pressure.
In some cases, because of the formation of the scar, the place of the passage of the stomach into the duodenum narrows, which has a negative effect on the process of digestion of food. This is also a rather unpleasant complication of gastric ulcer.
Prevention of
Prevention of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer is a measure aimed at preventing the disease or weakening its manifestations. To such measures carry:
- refusal of smoking and alcohol intake.
- avoidance of stressful situations.
- a full proper nutrition with observance of a mode of reception of food.
- in case of Helicobacter pylori infection, close contacts with the diseased should be limited.