How does peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum arise?
Excessive accumulated gastric juice, instead of digesting food, aggressively affects the mucous membrane.
If this occurs for a long time, gradually formed ulcers appear densified edges, and it does not heal. Penetrating deep into the mucous membrane, the ulcer “eats” its tissue layer by layer, creating a traumatic hole. Masses that were inside the stomach or intestines pour into the abdominal cavity. So perforation occurs.
Small ulcers can heal during treatment. But if the ulcer was extensive or deep, a scar from the degenerated tissue will remain in its place, and this is already dangerous because of a possible tumor.
Among the causes of peptic ulcer are heredity, the influence of congenital factors, poor nutrition. One cigarette on an empty stomach causes more damage to the mucous membrane than continuous smoking on a full stomach.
An ulcer occurs against a background of nervous and mental factors: overwork, poor sleep, and heavy feelings.
Without complications, it lasts for many years, calming down and flashing again. Such a wave-like course gives out, most often, a duodenal ulcer.
Patients with an ulcer should be constantly monitored by a doctor. During remissions (periods of calm) it is strictly necessary to follow a sparing diet. The mucous membranes of the intestine and stomach should not receive mechanical and chemical irritations.
Forbidden: coarse vegetable fiber - for example, coarse flour with black bread made from it; products of sinewy meat and it is itself; all types of cucumbers, radishes, radishes, mushrooms, unripe sour apples, pears, fried foods, smoked meats, spices.
Recommended: all types of non-sour dairy products, vegetable purees, jelly, porridge.
The pain in chronic peptic ulcer is not so strong as to require medication. Most often, pain occurs within one to two hours after eating. In the left hypochondrium, they are burning or drilling and amplified by physical exertion.
The duodenum with an ulcer gives “hungry pain”, which disappears after eating, even if there was very little food.
Patients with an ulcer after two to three hours after eating are often tormented by heartburn, sour belching, nausea and vomiting - moreover, vomiting brings relief. If a peptic ulcer has corroded a network of blood vessels, vomiting of blood is observed.
Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum is not life threatening if it is not complicated. But exacerbations can be expected at any time.
The main complications of an ulcer:
- Cases of inflammation of the peritoneum;
- The phenomena of gastric or intestinal bleeding;
- Perforated ulcer;
- Narrow (narrowed) pylorus of the stomach ;
- Cases of cancerous degeneration of an ulcer.
Signs of a complicated ulcer:
- Pain on the right under the rib;
- Lack of appetite;
- The phenomena of heartburn and belching;
- The phenomena of nausea and constipation;
- Refusal of food due to pain (fear of pain).
When these signs appear, a perforated ulcer can occur immediately, without new symptoms.
Diagnosed with peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum using modern ultrasound and endoscopic examination devices (internal examination), as well as by testing in the laboratory.
If perforation occurs, the patient feels a sharp, knife-like (“dagger”) pain, which is concentrated in the upper abdomen. Pallor, cold sweat appears. The patient instinctively wants to fall with his legs pressed to his stomach. Next, the pain captures the entire stomach, there is a rise in temperature. Need urgent hospitalization. Before the arrival of the ambulance, the patient should not leave the bed. Lie with a cold compress on your stomach.
Another dangerous complication caused by peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum is cases of gastric and intestinal bleeding.
Vomiting occurs, the masses of which resemble coffee grounds. The chair becomes like tar.
In this condition, the patient may die.
He should be put to bed immediately. Cover the area on the left under the spoon with a cold compress. Immediately, urgently call an ambulance.
The treatment of stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers is well developed in modern medicine. There are a large number of effective medications. Preventive monitoring and taking medications during remissions is very important. This is the course of stomach and duodenal ulcer: its treatment is much more difficult than prevention.
In case the drugs do not help, as well as with exacerbations, surgical intervention is indicated. In modern surgery, ulcer removal operations are safe and bring minimal harm.
It is important to know that an ulcer is a psychosomatic illness. The factor of suggestion and self-suggestion in this disease plays an important role. During treatment, the patient needs constant psychological support, which should be provided to him by relatives and friends.
Careful adherence to the doctor’s instructions, diet, accurate medication and faith in recovery will ensure success of the treatment.
But if at least one of these factors is left unattended, it will be much more difficult to overcome the disease.