Stomach Ulcers Information

Ulcers are sores in the lining of the stomach. They are caused by bacterial infection from the organism H. pylori. The bacterium embeds into the stomach lining and allows acid to burn holes in the stomach since the membrane is destroyed from infection. Ulcers can also be caused by anti-inflammatory medication and blood thinners like aspirin.

Symptoms

• The most common symptom is severe abdominal pain. As ulcers are allowed to grow, the pain becomes worse.

Primary Cause

• The bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the organism that lives in your stomach. It infects a majority of people without causing any symptoms. However, occasionally the organism destroys the lining in the stomach and causes acid to irritate and create sores.

Other Causes

• Smoking increases the production of acid, which increases the chance of stomach ulcers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) irritate the stomach lining. These include over-the-counter forms of ibuprofen (such as Advil) and naproxen (such as Aleve). Alcohol also irritates the stomach lining.

Treatment

• Treatments are given to reduce stomach acid and remove the bacteria from the body. Antibiotics are given along with proton pump inhibitors to inhibit acid production.

Diagnosis

• Testing is done in several ways, including blood tests, acid tests taken from the mouth and endoscopy, a procedure that uses a camera to view the stomach.