▪️ An ulcer is an open sore that develops on the lining of the stomach or the upper part of the duodenum. This article summarizes the two types of ulcers we have, that is, Gastric ulcers that occurs in the stomach and Duodenal ulcer that occurs in the upper first part of the small intestine.
First, let's look at the anatomy of the stomach:
Location: Upper abdomen on the left side of the body
Size: Varies between people since the stomach expands when full and deflates when empty.
Structure: The stomach has 4 layers namely:- mucosa (inner lining containing rugae), sub mucosa (protects the mucosa), Muscularis externa (the primary muscle), and Serosa(membrane layer covering the stomach)
📌The stomach is a muscular organ that digests the food it receives through the esophagus. The stomach is a part of the gastrointestinal tract( GI tract), which refers to a long passage that starts at the mouth and runs up to the anus. This means that the tract facilitates food intake, digestion and even elimination of the waste.
📌The stomach produces enzymes and acids which help in the breakdown of foods before they move into the small intestine. Normally, gastric acid/juice, which has a high concentration of HCL(Hydrochloric acid), is a digestive fluid formed within the stomach lining. It has several functions such as killing bacteria in food and help in break down of food into very small nutrients that can be absorbed.
▪️ However, the stomach lining can develop sores once irritated. Ulcers occur when there's an imbalance between the digestive juices produced by the stomach and the other factors such as food and drinks.
It is also important to note that H. Pylori infection is the most common cause of ulcers. The bacteria is called Helicobacter pylori. It works by causing the sores to be more open and painful, hence severe cases of cancer causes bleeding, blood vomiting, and even holes called perforations in the stomach.
Other contributing causes include:
Diet rich in spices or grease, Stress, Acidic foods, fruits and drinks, Alcohol, Dairy Milk, Caffeine, and Smoking.
Signs and Symptoms of Ulcer Patients include:
Nausea, Heartburn, Feeling pain on the stomach, Fatigue, Bloody vomiting, Bloody stool, and Chest pains.
Remedies involve:
Correction according to causes, use of plant based milk and other alternatives, use of herbs and spices like basil, cloves and cinnamon in our diet, and much bananas and cabbage on the fruit/veggies section, ensuring proper hygiene on foods to prevent bacterial infection triggers, use of protocol treatment to return the stomach to a healthy state, and drinking enough water.
Other stomach complications that may arise from ulcers include:
📍Gastric Cancer:- This occurs when H. Pylori infection is left untreated for a long time.
📍Hole in the stomach:- This is what we call a perforation. It can lead to serious infections to other surrounding organs.
📍Internal bleeding:- This can cause anemia and eventually death.
📍Obstruction:- Once ulcers are inflamed they can block passage of food hence making the patient to vomit it out and lose weight easily.
Ulcers prevention is better than cure, take caution!😊
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