Gastric ulcer. What you should know?

Peptic ulcer is a chronic disease, inclined for recurrent development, more often in spring or in autumn, as well as during stress periods. The disease is characterized by ulcer formation on the mucous membrane of the stomach or duodenum. Most ulcers seldom exceed 1 cm in size. At the same time not only the activity of gastrointestinal tract is disturbed, but also indexes of the immune system and neuropsychic sphere decrease.

Reasons of peptic ulcer development:

• Negative emotions, mental overload, and stress situations;
• Disturbance of nutrition rhythm. Consumption of coarse and too hot or too cold food, abuse of spices, etc.;
• Administration of some medicinal preparations (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory preparations, aspirin, reserpine, synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormones);
• Harmful habits (strong alcoholic beverages, and smoking);
• Helicobacter infection;

 The main symptoms

In case of peptic ulcer there are frequent pains (they appear, as a rule, on empty stomach), complaints of dyspeptic character (heartburn, sour eructation, and constipations), and there also may develop complications (hemorrhages, etc.). One of typical symptoms is a pain, which wakes a person from one to two at night. Permanent, mild or moderate pain appears in a certain region – almost always below the breast bone. Milk or other food sometimes relieves the pain, but it usually resumes in 2 or 3 hours.

 About Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori gets into the stomach with sputum, contaminated food, insufficiently sterilized medical instruments. Presence of this microorganism enhances aggressive properties of gastric juice and weakens protective properties of the mucous membrane of the stomach or duodenum. These bacteria, which have the mobility owing to their filaments and the ability to exist under conditions of aggressive gastric medium, were discovered in 1983 by Australian scientists B. Marshall and J. Warren. The bacteria are found in 90-95% of cases of ulcer localization on the mucous membrane of the duodenum and in 70-85% of cases of ulcers on the mucous membrane of the stomach. Infection of the population with Helicobacter pylori in Ukraine is 80%.

 Treatment peptic ulcer

Modern medicine solves the following two main reasons during treatment of peptic ulcer
1) decrease of gastric juice acidity level, which leads to pain relief and ulcer healing;
2)eradication of Helicobacter pylori bacteria.

  The preference in therapy is given to proton pump blockers, Locid® (omeprazole) and Panocid ® (pantoprazole), because they are the most effective preparations for decrease of gastric juice acidity level. Getting into the organism, active substances of these preparations immediately are directed towards the cells of mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum. In these cells they are accumulated and inhibit the production of hydrochloric acid. And, as we know, it is the amount of hydrochloric acid that determines gastric juice acidity. If there is less acid, the mucous is less damaged and it may gradually recover. If the ulcer is conditioned with infection by Helicobacter pylori, two antibacterial preparations are additionally indicated for at least 7 days. Treatment of peptic ulcer should be conducted only under attending doctor’s control. Self-indicated intake of different antacids and other preparations, which decrease gastric juice acidity, may relieve the symptoms of the disease, but this improvement of the state will be only short-term. Only appropriate complex treatment, indicated by the doctor, may lead to complete ulcer healing.

 Nutrition of peptic ulcer patient

After the course of antiulcer treatment and ulcer healing, the patient should follow the diet, indicated by the doctor, for about 2 years. With the concurrence of the doctor it can be sometimes extended, but at the same time it is necessary to respect sparing regimen for the stomach.

One should:

• exclude all oil-fried products from the diet;

• not eat white cabbage, brown bread and rich bouillon;

• on no account consume alcohol, sparkling water, citruses, juices or coffee;

• all food should have medium temperature (it should be neither hot nor cold), because both hot and cold food is negatively perceived by patient’s stomach.