A stomach, or gastric, ulcer can be an extremely painful condition. To diagnose the ulcer, a doctor will use a physical examination to determine if there is any pain the abdominal area, blood and stool tests to check for bacteria in the digestive system, and imaging tests such as an MRI or an x-ray to look for the exact location of the gastric ulcer.
Identification
Stomach ulcers are part of the family of peptic ulcers that create holes in the lining of the stomach and intestines. Stomach ulcers can also be referred to as gastric ulcers. The initial hole in the stomach lining is made by a bacterial infection, but it is amplified and expanded by the digestive acids found in the stomach.
Expert Insight
For many years, it was believed that lifestyle was the primary cause of ulcers. Spicy foods, lack of sleep, stress or other factors were normally thought to cause the ulcer by creating an excessive use of digestive acids that eventually ate away at the stomach. According to the Mayo Clinic, recent medical research has determined that this is not the case and that a gastric ulcer is the result of a viral infection that creates a hole in the stomach lining that is expanded by the stomach acids. The Mayo Clinic estimates that a gastric ulcer is so common that at least one out of every 10 Americans will suffer from one at some point in their lives.
Effects
The initial, and most common symptoms, of a gastric ulcer deal primarily in abdominal pain. There is great discomfort, like a burning sensation, that originates in the stomach and can go all the way up to the middle of the chest. This discomfort can vary in severity, and it can last anywhere from several minutes to several hours. It is most noticeable when the stomach is empty, and it is possible to reduce the painful effects of an ulcer by eating certain foods or taking over-the-counter antacids. However, the pain will recur on and off until the condition is properly treated.
Potential
As a gastric ulcer is allowed to develop, there may be more severe symptoms that could occur. These include vomiting red or black blood, stools that are dark red or black from blood and have a tar-like consistency to them, severe nausea and a noticeable loss of appetite that could lead to drastic weight loss. Some of the other advanced symptoms of a gastric ulcer include chronic indigestion that does not go away, strong feelings of hunger only an hour after eating and difficulty sleeping due to pain or persistent hunger pangs.
Prevention/Solution
Treatment for a gastric ulcer is a combination of medications that are designed to kill the bacterial infection, and then lower the amount of acid in the stomach so that the ulcer can properly heal. During the healing process there may be a change in the person's diet to help reduce the amount of acids produced during digestion. Surgery may be used to repair ulcers that do not heal as a result of medication.
Tags: gastric ulcer, bacterial infection, digestive acids, hole stomach, hole stomach lining