Ulcer disease is a chronic disease characterized by the appearance of a defect (ulcer) in the mucosa of the stomach or duodenum.
Factors that can cause the disease include:
– The use of certain medications;
– Excitement, anxiety, stress;
– hormonal disorders;
– irregular and unhealthy diet;
– hereditary predisposition to peptic ulcer disease;
– bad habits;
– stomach burns;
– untreated gastritis for a long time;
– infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.
Statistically, ulcer disease develops in about 10% of the population of each country, which corresponds to epidemic proportions. The disease is diagnosed in both men and women of active age from 30 to 50 years.
The size of mucosal ulcers can range from millimeters to several centimeters in diameter.
Causes of peptic ulcer disease
An imbalance between the protection of the mucosa and aggressive factors leads to its damage. Protective factors in the stomach and 12 duodenum are mucus and the corresponding innervation of the walls. Aggressor factors include hydrochloric acid, bile acids, and the contents of the 12 duodenum being thrown into the stomach cavity.
Causing an imbalance between the two can:
H.pylori infection – despite the fact that almost 80% of the world’s population is infected with this microorganism, not everyone develops mucosal damage. Not the least of these is the state of local defenses.
Heredity – in 35-40% of patients with duodenal ulcer disease there is a hereditary predisposition to the disease transmitted through the male line. This tendency is not observed in peptic ulcer.
Taking medications – nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and glucocorticosteroids block the synthesis of prostaglandins, which play the main protective role of the gastrointestinal tract shell.
Stress situations – disruption of the innervation of the wall of the stomach and duodenum.
Important! The combination of peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum is observed in every fifth patient. And at first the pathology occurs in the wall of the intestine, and only then it develops in the stomach, which later dominates.
Exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease is promoted by:
- improper diet;
- smoking;
- Abuse of strong alcoholic beverages;
- working at night increases the risk of developing the disease almost twofold.
Symptoms of peptic ulcer disease
The disease has a chronic character and proceeds with spring and autumn periods of exacerbation and remission. It is possible to combine the formation of ulcerous defects both in the stomach and in the duodenum. Since the mechanism of ulcer formation is similar regardless of localization in the gastrointestinal tract, it is customary to talk about gastric and duodenal ulcers.
The disease may manifest itself as:
- pain in the upper half of the abdomen – depending on the localization of the ulcer, the pain syndrome may irradiate into the left half of the chest, scapula, thoracic and lumbar spine, left or right subcostal area, other parts of the abdomen;
- dependence of the pain syndrome on the moment of food intake – with localization of the ulcer in the upper parts of the stomach, the pain occurs immediately, with a defect in the middle parts – after an hour and a half, and duodenal ulcers provoke pain 2-3 hours after eating
- “hunger” pains – occur on an empty stomach and disappear after breakfast, or pain that develops at night and passes after a snack
- sleep pain – develops as a result of hyperproduction of hydrochloric acid after dinner;
- nausea and vomiting – develops in 10% of cases;
- tendency to constipation.
How to prevent the emergence of a stomach ulcer?
Of course, there are many factors that influence the onset of this disease, and not all of them we can control, but some of them are in our power and hands. It is clear that it is difficult to influence the hereditary tendency, but most other factors are quite possible. Therefore, we should nofollow some simple rules, namely:
- Eat a rational and balanced diet;
- Give up bad habits;
- Control your emotional state;
- Do not ignore physical activity;
- Do not self-medicate (drugs can be taken after consultation with a specialist);
- have a diet (at least four meals at intervals of no more than 4 hours);
- consume a sufficient amount of water (from 1.5 liters, and in summer – from 2 liters a day);
- Stop eating fast food, chips, candy, fried, spicy, canned and other foods that are considered harmful;
- Have a medical examination once every 1-1.5 years.
And don’t tell me it’s hard. Do you like fried potatoes? No problem – replace it with baked in the oven with vegetables and spices or stewed in water with onions and Italian herbs. Candy can be made with fruit and nuts. Cakes and other sweets can be baked without sugar and flavorings. The main thing is that the diet is varied and the dishes are gastronomically satisfying.
If you are unlucky and you already have an ulcer, you will have to carefully monitor your health for the rest of your life and make an effort to avoid periodic exacerbations. They traditionally occur in the spring and autumn. Then diet alone will not be enough, you will have to use medication as well.
The best remedy for a peptic ulcer can help you with this – phosphalugel usa.
However, in general, you can live with an ulcer just as well as without it.
