Peptic Ulcer - Causes and Symptoms

Eating junk food which spicy and causes acidity gives you one more thing other then taste and acidity-Peptic Ulcer. Peptic ulcer is one of the most common ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, which is usually acidic and makes ulcer very painful. Prolonged use of spicy food and alcohol makes it worse and hence fatal. There are many causes of peptic ulcer like:

• Smoking, alcohol, anti-inflammatory medication and aspirin increase the risk of developing ulcers.
• Helicobacter pylorus is a bacterium that is frequently found in the stomach is a major cause.
• Shift Work and Other Causes of Interrupted Sleep. People who work the night shift have a significantly higher incidence of ulcers than day workers.
• Under rare conditions Radiation treatment can also cause peptic ulcer.

People with peptic ulcers can have a wide variety of symptoms and signs; it can be completely symptom-free or, much less commonly, can also develop potentially life-threatening complications such as bleeding. Signs and symptoms of ulcers include:

• Abdominal pain, generally epigastria with severity relating to mealtimes, after around three hours of taking a meal. Duodenal ulcers are usually relieved by food, while gastric ulcers are exacerbated by it;
• Bloating and abdominal fullness;
• Water brash, that is rush of saliva after an episode of regurgitation to dilute the acid in esophagus - although this is more associated with gastro esophageal reflux disease;
• Nausea, and copious vomiting;
• Loss of appetite and weight loss;
• Hematemesis or vomiting of blood; this can occur due to bleeding directly from a gastric ulcer, or from damage to the esophagus from severe/continuing vomiting.
• Melena or tarry, foul-smelling feces due to oxidized iron from hemoglobin;
• Rarely, an ulcer can lead to a gastric or duodenal perforation, which leads to acute peritonitis. This is extremely painful and requires immediate surgery.

Peptic ulcer generally occurs in duodenum, stomach, and oesophagus but on a rare occasion or condition, a peptic ulcer in the stomach, duodenum or oesophagus-may penetrate into the liver. But an ulcer in the liver is more correctly known as a liver abscess-is a more serious condition that requires medical intervention to prevent possible sepsis and death. Those who are vulnerable to liver ulcers need to be aware of the symptoms so they can begin treatment as soon as possible.

For a peptic ulcer that has extended into the liver, gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common symptom. With a liver abscess, patients may experience pain in the upper abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and unexpected weight loss. Other signs include dark urine, chalk-colored stool and jaundice, or yellow-tinted skin. Patients may also have weakness and fever or chills.

Peptic ulcer in gastrointestinal tract are treated by a stomach specialist who are better known as gastroenterologist but peptic ulcer and liver abscess are treated by Hepatologist, who is a liver disorder specialist. There are around 50 gastroenterologist and Hepatologist in Delhi.