A peptic ulcer is an inflammation that develops in the lining of the stomach, the lower part of the esophagus and upper portion of the small intestine. It is a gastroenterological condition and thus, treated by gastroenterologists. They are open lesions and mainly of three types based on their location as follows:

• Gastric (stomach) ulcer: Ulcers that occur in the stomach.

• Esophageal ulcer: Ulcers that happen in the esophagus.

• Duodenal ulcer: Ulcers that develop in the upper portion of the small intestine.

It is important to know why peptic ulcer happens in the first place. The primary reason behind the occurrence is when the stomach acids responsible for digestion damages the lining of the stomach and sometimes even travel to the esophagus causing esophageal ulcer. The bacteria Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) also contributes by inflaming the lining of the stomach. Surely, other causes are present as well which you’ll find below:

• Smoking

• Overuse of over-the-counter drugs

• Infection from H. Pylori bacteria due to consuming contaminated food, water, using uncleaned utensils etc.

• Overconsumption of alcohol.

Let’s now focus on the symptoms of a peptic ulcer.

• Indigestion

• Heartburn or acid reflux

• Vomiting or regurgitation

• Bloating and burping

• Belching

• Black stools

• Nausea

• Fatigue

• Unintentional or unexpected weight loss

• Loss of appetite

• Pain in the abdomen and chest

• Facing difficulties in breathing.

A diagnosis is always needed to confirm any medical condition. Apart from the mandatory physical examination in which the doctor check for bloating and pain, certain other crucial diagnostic tests can also be prescribed by the medical professional for an accurate diagnosis. They include:

• Blood test – to determine the presence of H. Pylori bacteria.

• H. Pylori stool antigen test – to look for H. Pylori infection.

• Urea breath test or H. Pylori breath test – to conduct this test, the patient is asked to consume something with radioactive carbon (either in pill or liquid form) and then the breath samples are taken for lab testing procedure which accurately confirms the existence of the bacteria.

• Gastroscopy – an endoscope is anaesthetically inserted inside the patient’s mouth to view the stomach, duodenum and esophagus for ulcers.

• Endoscopy biopsy – the same as gastroscopy and in case of an ulcer detection, the samples are taken for clinical purposes.

The treatment options are as follows:

1. Antibiotics (to kill the bacteria, H. Pylori)

2. Antacids (to neutralize the stomach acid)

3. Cytoprotective drugs (to protect the mucous lining of the stomach)

4. Surgical treatment (if the above method fails and the ulcer recurs)

Get accurate diagnosis and treatment for peptic ulcer only from ILS Hospitals, one of the best hospitals in Kolkata and Agartala.