ANSWERS: 1
  • A stomach ulcer, sometimes called a peptic ulcer, is a painful condition in which the lining of the stomach or the small intestine (also called the duodenum) develops sores. Symptoms of a stomach ulcer include pain after eating, as the food in your stomach irritates the sore. Your doctor will be able to diagnose and test you for a stomach ulcer.

    Causes of Stomach Ulcers

    Though no one cause of ulcers has been identified, the result stems from an imbalance in the digestive fluids of the stomach and the small intestine. Some ulcers can be caused by an abundance of helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacteria that is found in the digestive systems of about half the people in the world. Normally, H. pylori causes no symptoms or problems. Ulcers can also be caused by the use of prescription or nonprescription NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.

    Diagnosis

    Your physician can diagnose a stomach ulcer by talking with you about your symptoms. He or she may first recommend that you take medication to block the production of stomach acids, similar to the medications taken to prevent or treat heartburn. If your symptoms improve, the doctor may advise you to change your diet or continue a medication.

    Endoscopy

    If the doctor needs to investigate your symptoms further, or your symptoms are very severe, he or she may schedule an upper endoscopy. This test looks at your stomach lining to see how much ulceration has occurred. A thin tube attached to a tiny camera is inserted in the throat down the esophagus into the stomach. The doctor may take a sample of the stomach lining during an endoscopy to check for cancer or the presence of H. pylori.

    H. Pylori

    Your doctor can take a blood sample to check for the presence of H. pylori in your body. While a simpler test than the endoscopy, a blood test may give a false negative if you have been taking certain medications such as antibiotics. The doctor may choose to use a breath test to check for H. pylori. During this test, you drink a clear radioactive carbon in clear, tasteless liquid. The H. pylori, if present, will break down the radioactive carbon. The doctor will have you exhale into a special bag that will indicate the presence of the bacteria. A stool antigen test evaluates the H. pylori bacteria in your fecal matter. When the doctor has determined the cause of your ulcer, he or she will determine the best course of treatment, which may include further testing.

    Source:

    Mayo Clinic

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