Get Rid of Peptic Ulcers in Orlando, FL
Peptic Ulcer (Stomach & Intestine) Relief for Orlando Patients
A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of the stomach, esophagus (food pipe), or duodenum (the beginning of the small intestine). Peptic ulcers are common: One in 10 Americans develops an ulcer at some time in his or her life.
A peptic ulcer in the stomach is also called a gastric ulcer; in the small intestine, it’s called a duodenal ulcer. The physicians at Orlando Gastroenterology will be able to identify if you have an ulcer and where it is located.
What causes ulcers?
One cause of peptic ulcers is a bacterial infection, and some ulcers are caused by long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as aspirin and ibuprofen. In a few cases, cancerous tumors in the stomach or pancreas can cause peptic ulcers.
Peptic ulcers are not caused by stress, eating spicy food, drinking alcohol, or smoking cigarettes. However, these factors can aggravate ulcers and keep them from healing well.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of bacteria. Researchers believe that H. pylori is responsible for most peptic ulcers. They are not certain how people contract H. pylori, but they think it may be through food or water.
H.pylori weakens the protective mucous coating of the stomach and duodenum, which allows acid to get through to the sensitive lining beneath. Both the acid and the bacteria irritate the lining and cause a sore, or ulcer.
What are the symptoms of an ulcer?
One cause of peptic ulcers is a bacterial infection, and some ulcers are caused by long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as aspirin and ibuprofen. In a few cases, cancerous tumors in the stomach or pancreas can cause peptic ulcers.
Peptic ulcers are not caused by stress, eating spicy food, drinking alcohol, or smoking cigarettes. However, these factors can aggravate ulcers and keep them from healing well.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of bacteria. Researchers believe that H. pylori is responsible for most peptic ulcers. They are not certain how people contract H. pylori, but they think it may be through food or water.
H.pylori weakens the protective mucous coating of the stomach and duodenum, which allows acid to get through to the sensitive lining beneath. Both the acid and the bacteria irritate the lining and cause a sore, or ulcer.
Abdominal discomfort is the most common symptom of an ulcer. Characteristics of the discomfort include:
- dull, gnawing ache
- comes and goes for several days or weeks
- occurs two to three hours after a meal
- occurs in the middle of the night when the stomach is empty
- is relieved by eating
- is relieved by antacid medications
Other peptic ulcer symptoms include:
- weight loss
- poor appetite
- bloating
- burping
- nausea
- vomiting
Emergency Symptoms
If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away:
- sharp, sudden, persistent stomach pain
- bloody or black stools
- bloody vomit or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
These could be signs of a serious problem, such as perforation, when the ulcer eats through the stomach or duodenal wall; bleeding, when acid in the ulcer breaks a blood vessel; or obstruction, when the ulcer blocks the path of food trying to leave the stomach.
How is a peptic ulcer diagnosed?
Diagnosing an ulcer
To see if symptoms are caused by an ulcer, an Orlando Gastroenterology doctor may do an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series or an endoscopy. An upper GI series is an x-ray of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
An endoscopy is an exam in which a doctor uses an endoscope, a thin, lighted tube with a tiny camera, that allows the doctor to see the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
If an ulcer is found, the doctor will test the patient for H. pylori. This test is important because treatment for an ulcer caused by H. pylori is different from that for an ulcer caused by aspirin or ibuprofen.
How are peptic ulcers treated?
H.pylori peptic ulcers are treated with drugs that kill the bacteria, reduce stomach acid, and protect the stomach lining. Antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria.
Treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics, acid suppressors, and stomach protectors.
Points to Remember
- A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of the stomach or duodenum.
- Most peptic ulcers are caused by the H. pylori bacterium. None are caused by spicy food or stress.
- pylori may be transmitted from person to person through close contact and exposure to vomit.
- A combination of antibiotics and other drugs is the most effective treatment for H. pylori peptic ulcers.
The above information comes from The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To ensure that you’re viewing the most up-to-date information, we recommend visiting the H. pylori entry at the NIDDK website.
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Peptic Ulcer (Stomach & Intestine) Relief for Orlando Patients
A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of the stomach, esophagus (food pipe), or duodenum (the beginning of the small intestine). Peptic ulcers are common: One in 10 Americans develops an ulcer at some time in his or her life.
A peptic ulcer in the stomach is also called a gastric ulcer; in the small intestine, it’s called a duodenal ulcer. The physicians at Orlando Gastroenterology will be able to identify if you have an ulcer and where it is located.
What causes ulcers?
One cause of peptic ulcers is a bacterial infection, and some ulcers are caused by long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as aspirin and ibuprofen. In a few cases, cancerous tumors in the stomach or pancreas can cause peptic ulcers.
Peptic ulcers are not caused by stress, eating spicy food, drinking alcohol, or smoking cigarettes. However, these factors can aggravate ulcers and keep them from healing well.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of bacteria. Researchers believe that H. pylori is responsible for most peptic ulcers. They are not certain how people contract H. pylori, but they think it may be through food or water.
H.pylori weakens the protective mucous coating of the stomach and duodenum, which allows acid to get through to the sensitive lining beneath. Both the acid and the bacteria irritate the lining and cause a sore, or ulcer.
What are the symptoms of an ulcer?
One cause of peptic ulcers is a bacterial infection, and some ulcers are caused by long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as aspirin and ibuprofen. In a few cases, cancerous tumors in the stomach or pancreas can cause peptic ulcers.
Peptic ulcers are not caused by stress, eating spicy food, drinking alcohol, or smoking cigarettes. However, these factors can aggravate ulcers and keep them from healing well.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of bacteria. Researchers believe that H. pylori is responsible for most peptic ulcers. They are not certain how people contract H. pylori, but they think it may be through food or water.
H.pylori weakens the protective mucous coating of the stomach and duodenum, which allows acid to get through to the sensitive lining beneath. Both the acid and the bacteria irritate the lining and cause a sore, or ulcer.
Abdominal discomfort is the most common symptom of an ulcer. Characteristics of the discomfort include:
- dull, gnawing ache
- comes and goes for several days or weeks
- occurs two to three hours after a meal
- occurs in the middle of the night when the stomach is empty
- is relieved by eating
- is relieved by antacid medications
Other peptic ulcer symptoms include:
- weight loss
- poor appetite
- bloating
- burping
- nausea
- vomiting
Emergency Symptoms
If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away:
- sharp, sudden, persistent stomach pain
- bloody or black stools
- bloody vomit or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
These could be signs of a serious problem, such as perforation, when the ulcer eats through the stomach or duodenal wall; bleeding, when acid in the ulcer breaks a blood vessel; or obstruction, when the ulcer blocks the path of food trying to leave the stomach.
How is a peptic ulcer diagnosed?
Diagnosing an ulcer
To see if symptoms are caused by an ulcer, an Orlando Gastroenterology doctor may do an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series or an endoscopy. An upper GI series is an x-ray of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
An endoscopy is an exam in which a doctor uses an endoscope, a thin, lighted tube with a tiny camera, that allows the doctor to see the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
If an ulcer is found, the doctor will test the patient for H. pylori. This test is important because treatment for an ulcer caused by H. pylori is different from that for an ulcer caused by aspirin or ibuprofen.
How are peptic ulcers treated?
H.pylori peptic ulcers are treated with drugs that kill the bacteria, reduce stomach acid, and protect the stomach lining. Antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria.
Treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics, acid suppressors, and stomach protectors.
Points to Remember
- A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of the stomach or duodenum.
- Most peptic ulcers are caused by the H. pylori bacterium. None are caused by spicy food or stress.
- pylori may be transmitted from person to person through close contact and exposure to vomit.
- A combination of antibiotics and other drugs is the most effective treatment for H. pylori peptic ulcers.
The above information comes from The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To ensure that you’re viewing the most up-to-date information, we recommend visiting the H. pylori entry at the NIDDK website.