What is a stomach ulcer?
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Stomach ulcers, which are also known as gastric ulcers, are painful sores in the stomach lining. Stomach ulcers are a type of peptic ulcer disease. Peptic ulcers are any ulcers that affect both the stomach and small intestines.
Stomach ulcers occur when the thick layer of mucus that protects your stomach from digestive juices is reduced. This allows the digestive acids to eat away at the tissues that line the stomach, causing an ulcer.
Stomach ulcers may be easily cured, but they can become severe without proper treatment.
Stomach ulcers are almost always caused by one of the following:
- an infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)
- long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen
Rarely, a condition known as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers by increasing the body’s production of acid. This syndrome is suspected to cause less than 1 percent of all peptic ulcers.
A number of symptoms are associated with stomach ulcers. The severity of the symptoms depends on the severity of the ulcer.
The most common symptom is a burning sensation or pain in the middle of your abdomen between your chest and belly button. Typically, the pain will be more intense when your stomach is empty, and it can last for a few minutes to several hours.
Other common signs and symptoms of ulcers include:
- dull pain in the stomach
- weight loss
- not wanting to eat because of pain
- nausea or vomiting
- bloating
- feeling easily full
- burping or acid reflux
- heartburn, which is a burning sensation in the chest)
- pain that may improve when you eat, drink, or take antacids
- anemia, whose symptoms can include tiredness, shortness of breath, or paler skin
- dark, tarry stools
- vomit that’s bloody or looks like coffee grounds
Talk to your doctor if you have any symptoms of a stomach ulcer. Even though discomfort may be mild, ulcers can worsen if they aren’t treated. Bleeding ulcers can become life-threatening.
Diagnosis and treatment will depend on your symptoms and the severity of your ulcer. To diagnose a stomach ulcer, your doctor will review your medical history along with your symptoms and any prescription or over-the-counter medications you’re taking.
To rule out H. pylori infection, a blood, stool, or breath test may be ordered. With a breath test, you’ll be instructed to drink a clear liquid and breathe into a bag, which is then sealed. If H. pylori is present, the breath sample will contain higher-than-normal levels of carbon dioxide.
Other tests and procedures used to diagnose stomach ulcers include:
- Barium swallow: You drink a thick white liquid (barium) that coats your upper gastrointestinal tract and helps your doctor see your stomach and small intestine on X-rays.
- Endoscopy (EGD): A thin, lighted tube is inserted through your mouth and into the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. This test is used to look for ulcers, bleeding, and any tissue that looks abnormal.
- Endoscopic biopsy: A piece of stomach tissue is removed so it can be analyzed in a lab.
Explore the interactive 3-D diagram below to learn more about stomach ulcers.
Treatment will vary depending on the cause of your ulcer. Most ulcers can be treated with a prescription from your doctor, but in rare cases, surgery may be required.
It’s important to promptly treat an ulcer. Talk to your doctor to discuss a treatment plan. If you have an actively bleeding ulcer, you’ll likely be hospitalized for intensive treatment with endoscopy and IV ulcer medications. You may also require a blood transfusion.
Nonsurgical treatment
If your stomach ulcer is the result of H. pylori, you’ll need antibiotics and drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). PPIs block the stomach cells that produce acid.
In addition to these treatments, your doctor may also recommend:
- H2 receptor blockers (drugs that also block acid production)
- stopping use of all NSAIDs
- follow-up endoscopy
- probiotics (useful bacteria that may have a role in killing off H. pylori)
- bismuth supplement
Symptoms of an ulcer may subside quickly with treatment. But even if your symptoms disappear, you should continue to take any medication prescribed by your doctor. This is especially important with H. pylori infections, to make sure that all bacteria are eliminated.
Side effects of medications used to treat stomach ulcers can include:
- nausea
- dizziness
- headaches
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
These side effects are typically temporary. If any of these side effects cause extreme discomfort, talk to your doctor about changing your medication.
Surgical treatment
In very rare cases, a complicated stomach ulcer will require surgery. This may be the case for ulcers that:
- continue to return
- don’t heal
- bleed
- tear through the stomach
- keep food from flowing out of the stomach into the small intestine
Surgery may include:
- removal of the entire ulcer
- taking tissue from another part of the intestines and patching it over the ulcer site
- tying off a bleeding artery
- cutting off the nerve supply to the stomach to reduce the production of stomach acid
In the past, it was thought that diet could cause ulcers. We know now this isn’t true. We also know that while the foods you eat won’t cause or cure a stomach ulcer, eating a healthful diet can benefit your intestinal tract and overall health.
In general, it’s a good idea to eat a diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and fiber.
That said, it’s possible that some foods play a role in eliminating H. pylori. Foods that may help fight off H. pylori or boost the body’s own healthy bacteria include:
- broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and radishes
- leafy greens, such as spinach and kale
- probiotic-rich foods, such as sauerkraut, miso, kombucha, yogurt (especially with lactobacillus and Sacharomyces)
- apples
- blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries
- olive oil
Additionally, since people with stomach ulcers may have accompanying acid reflux disease, it is a good idea to stay away from spicy and sour foods while an ulcer is healing.
In addition to eating healthy foods, the following items may help reduce the effects of H. pylori, the bacteria responsible for many stomach ulcers. However, these supplements are not intended to replace prescription medication or your current treatment plan. They include:
- probiotics
- honey
- glutamine (food sources include chicken, fish, eggs, spinach, and cabbage)
Your doctor may also have suggestions for things you can do at home to relieve discomfort from your ulcer. Consider talking to your doctor about these natural and home remedies for ulcers.
If you think you have a stomach ulcer, call your doctor. Together you can discuss your symptoms and treatment options. If you don’t already have a physician, you can use the Healthline FindCare tool to find a provider near you.
It’s important to get a stomach ulcer taken care of because without treatment, ulcers and H. pylori can cause:
- bleeding from the ulcer site that can become life-threatening
- penetration, which occurs when the ulcer goes through the wall of the digestive tract and into another organ, such as the pancreas
- perforation, which occurs when the ulcer creates a hole in the wall of the digestive tract
- obstruction (blockage) in the digestive tract, which is due to swelling of inflamed tissues
- stomach cancer, specifically
non-cardia gastric cancer
Symptoms of these complications can include those listed below. If you have any of these symptoms, be sure to call you doctor right away:
- weakness
- trouble breathing
- red or black vomit or stools
- sudden, sharp pain in your abdomen that doesn’t go away
To prevent the spread of bacteria that might cause a stomach ulcer, wash your hands with soap and water on a regular basis. Also, be sure to properly clean all of your food and to cook it thoroughly as needed.
To prevent ulcers caused by NSAIDs, stop using these medications (if possible) or limit their use. If you need to take NSAIDs, be sure to follow the recommended dosage and avoid alcohol while taking these medications. And always take these medications with food and adequate liquids.
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Stomach cancer versus stomach ulcer: what you need to know
Stomach cancer and Stomach ulcer are two distinct conditions that affect the same organ, the stomach. While some of the symptoms associated with these conditions are similar, there are a few that are quite different. But before we discuss these similarities and differences, let’s take a quick look at what Stomach Ulcer and Stomach cancer are.
What is Stomach Cancer?
Stomach cancer is a unique type of cancer that originates from the stomach. The most common type of stomach cancer is adenocarcinoma, which develops from the innermost lining of the stomach (the mucosa). The cancerous growth spreads through the lining of the stomach wall and from there it moves to the organs closest to it (Spleen and pancreas) and the lymph nodes. It is equally capable of spreading through the entire lymph system and getting as far as organs like the liver, bones, and lungs.
What is Peptic Ulcer or Stomach Ulcer?
This is usually an open sore in the upper of the digestive tract. Stomach ulcer is mostly of two types; gastric ulcer, which is formed in the lining of the stomach, and duodenal ulcer, which is formed in the upper part of the intestine.
STOMACH CANCER VS STOMACH ULCER, SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Stomach Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Early symptoms of stomach cancer are not definitive and are most times vague. However, you need to seek medical help if you notice that you exhibit any of the symptoms enumerated below.
- A feeling of satisfaction after consuming a small quantity if food.
- Mild upper abdominal discomfort associated with loss of appetite and nausea.
- Difficulty swallowing food because if a tumor in the upper part of the stomach close to the esophagus.
The symptoms below, however, may indicate advanced cancer.
- Iron deficiency anemia.
- Severe nausea and vomiting-a late stage symptom brought about by the blockage of the stomach drainage by the enlarging cancer.
- Chronic weight loss
- Constant fatigue
- Overt Blood loss-vomiting blood or a substance that looks like coffee grounds.
- Passing out black stool.
Gastric and Duodenal Ulcer Signs and Symptoms
Stomach ulcers do not usually cause symptoms. Sudden bleeding or bad upper abdominal pain is the first indication of stomach ulcer. The most common symptom of gastric ulcer is abdominal pain. Others include stomach ulcer pain:
- Usually in the mid part of the abdomen, a little above the navel and below the breast bone
- That feels like burning or gnawing that may go all the way to the back.
- Often severe late in the night or in the early hours of the morning.
- Often comes several hours after meals when the stomach was previously empty.
- That can last a few minutes or several long hours.
- That may be relieved by food, vomiting, and antacid.
Nausea, Vomiting, loss of appetite and weight are also subtle signs of stomach ulcer. Severe ulcer on the other hand reveals itself through bleeding in the duodenum or stomach. The bleeding may be fast or slow. Fast bleeding may manifest itself in one of two ways:
- Blood in stool or black, sticky looking stools.
- Vomiting of blood or substance that looks exactly like coffee grounds. This, unlike other symptoms is an emergency and must be treated with utmost urgency in the emergency department of a hospital.
Slow bleeding is difficult to detect and may not have dramatic symptoms like those associated with fast bleeding.
- Slow bleeding may lead to anemia (low blood cell count)
- Symptoms of anemia such as fatigue, lethargy, weakness, rapid heartbeat and pallor (pale skin).
CAUSES OF STOMACH CANCER VS STOMACH ULCER
Stomach Cancer Causes
Stomach cancer is currently the second largest cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. Possible causes of stomach cancer include:
- Old age (not all cases).
- Tobacco consumption (cigarette smoking).
- History of pernicious anemia (severe progressive disease brought about by the inability of the body to absorb vitamin B-12)
- Family history of stomach cancer is a risk factor in the disease.
- People with blood type A are prone to having stomach cancer.
- Having steady diets that are deficient in vegetables, fresh fruits and are rich in salted or smoked fish or meat and poorly preserved foods.
- Recent studies have associated stomach cancer with people who are chronically infected with Helicobacter pylori, a common cause of gastritis and peptic ulcer.
- Stomach cancer is also prevalent among male folks.
Stomach Ulcer Causes
In the past, it was believed that stomach ulcer was caused by poor eating habits, cigarette smoking and accumulated stress. Now, it is understood that people with ulcers tend to have an imbalance between acid and pepsin coupled with the inability of the digestive tract to deal with harsh substances in the stomach like hydrochloric acid. This acid together with pepsin help in the digestion of the food we eat. Partial digestion of food occurs in the stomach before being transferred to the duodenum for further digestion. Peptic ulcers occur when hydrochloric acid alongside enzyme pepsin overcome the defense mechanism of the gastrointestinal tract and goes further to damage the wall of mucosa.
Results of the researches conducted in the 1980s show that stomach ulcer can be caused by bacterial infection (Helicobacter pylori, H pylori). This, however, does not mean that everyone who has ulcer is infected with H pylori. Regular intake of aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs can also cause peptic ulcers. The following factors and substances can equally cause stomach cancer.
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Cigarette
- Radiation therapy used for cancer treatment.
- Stress and physical injuries (burns or major surgery)
- Elderly people with arthritis are especially vulnerable to stomach ulcer
If you take these medications such aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs regularly, it is important to discuss other alternatives with your health care provider. It is even more pressing if heart burn or stomach upset is a side effect of using such drugs.
Stomach Ulcer Spread by Feces
H pylori bacteria which have been found to be one of the causes of peptic ulcer can spread through the stool of an infected person. In settlements and environments where hygiene is extremely poor, this stool is capable of contaminating food and water as well. When these are ingested, the H pylori bacteria find its way into the digestive tract of the individual. This is known as fecal-oral transmission. The bacteria are located in the stomach where they can easily destroy its lining and that of the duodenum. People who are newly infected with the bacteria begin to exhibit symptoms few weeks after being infected.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF STOMACH CANCER?
- If you have burning sensations in the upper region of your stomach that can be relieved by eating or taking antacids ensure that you pay a visit to your health care provider for proper examination. Never conclude on your own that you have ulcer as many other conditions trigger similar symptoms.
- Peptic ulcers may cause severe bleeding which may need blood transfusion or surgery. If you notice that you vomit blood or have other signs of gastro-intestinal bleeding, go immediately to the emergency unit of your hospital.
- Severe pain in the abdomen can also be an indication of perforation or tearing of an ulcer. This condition may also require surgery to fix the hole in your stomach.
- Abdominal pain and vomiting could equally be a sign of obstruction, a peptic ulcer symptom that may require surgery.
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