About Peptic Ulcer

Recently a data revealed that 30% population of the U.S. colonized with the H. pylori i.e. 1 in the 6 will develop Peptic Ulcers. Approximately, 500,000 new cases of Peptic Ulcers are observed every year. About 5 million people in the U.S. are affected by the Peptic Ulcer.

Peptic Ulcer is also called as Gastric Ulcer, which is a sore in the mucous layer of the stomach and small intestine. It shows a common symptom like burning stomach pain. The pain starts between the meals or during the night, the pain stops if you eat or consume antacid, not constant, and it can last for minutes to hours. Basically, the acid in the stomach helps to digest the food, but when this acid damage the walls of the duodenum or stomach leads Gastric Ulcer. Mostly it causes due to a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori.

It can also cause due to longer use of some medicines. Spicy food or stress can make ulcers worse. It gets worse if not treated. Sometimes you need surgery if your ulcers are not healing. Antacids and milk can work for ulcers.

Causes of Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcers occur when acid in the digestive tract eats away at the inner surface of the stomach or small intestine. The acid can create a painful open sore that may bleed.

The digestive tract of the human body is protected with the mucous layer from acid. If the amount of acid is increased or the amount of the mucous decreased, it leads ulcer. That acid gets absorbed by the stomach or small intestine causes a painful open sore, which may bleed.

There are some common factors that can cause Peptic Ulcer. The factors are:

Bacterium: A bacterium named Helicobacter pylori commonly found in the mucous layer of the stomach and small intestine that protects from acid. Generally, the H. pylori bacterium causes inflammation of the stomach or its inner layer, which leads to an ulcer. There is a possibility that this bacterium spread through kissing, food, or water.

The stomach can be set on inflammation because of the regular use of medicines like aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, ketoprofen, and acetaminophen.

It is mostly found in older people, especially people who take medicines for osteoarthritis regularly.

Medications like pain killers or others such as steroids, anticoagulants, low-dose aspirin, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, alendronate, and risedronate, can greatly increase the risk of developing ulcers.

Diagnosis of Peptic Ulcer

Diagnosis of the Peptic Ulcer completely depends on the severity and signs of the condition. Your medical history is necessary to diagnose Peptic Ulcer.

• Test for H. pylori: To identify the infection of the H. pylori you need to check your stools, blood, or breath. The doctor will check it
• Barium swallow: It is used to see clear picture your stomach and small intestine on X-rays
• Endoscopy (EGD): This test is used to find abnormalities in the stomach, ulcers present, bleeding, or any abnormal tissue
• Endoscopic biopsy: It is a laboratory test of your stomach, piece of your stomach is examined in the laboratory for the ulcer

Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer

Due to Peptic Ulcer, you may experience some common symptoms like fatty food intolerance, heartburn, burning stomach, stomach pain, feeling of fullness, bloating, or bleaching, and nausea.

Burning stomach pain is the most common symptoms while there is a Peptic Ulcer. The acid in the stomach maid the pain worsen. This pain gets worse between meals and at night. Most of the people don’t show any symptoms, but often experience vomiting, vomiting blood sometimes appear red or black, dark blood stools, black or tarry stools, fainting, change in appetite, and sudden weight loss or gain.

Treatment for Peptic Ulcer

Famotidine is an H2 blocker that treats ulcers of the stomach and intestines i.e. Peptic Ulcer and prevents from reappearing. It also treats certain stomach and throat problems such as erosive esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease-GERD, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Famotidine medicine decreases the amount of acid in the stomach, relieves symptoms such as consistent cough, stomach pain, heartburn, and difficulty swallowing. One of the popular medicines likes, Pepcid uses Famotidine as an active ingredient in their products. The medicine is available in different colors and dosages such as, Famotidine 20 mg, white and Famotidine 40 mg, orange round conventional tablet and packed as 14 tablets per blister. If you are treating with this medicine, contact the doctor in the case observed serious side effects like heartburn with lightheadedness/sweating/dizziness, chest/jaw/arm/shoulder pain (especially with shortness of breath, unusual sweating), and unexplained weight loss. Seek medical help in the case observed symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, like a rash, itching/swelling especially of the face/tongue/throat, severe dizziness, trouble breathing. Perform medical tests like endoscopy, kidney function tests periodically when you are undergoing treatment with Famotidine. The top manufacturing company like Sun Pharma offers this drug.