Conventional Treatments Of Ulcers by Aaron Boyer

          As we further investigate peptic and digestive ulcers, it is important to understand what the common conventional treatments for the condition are. Today in the United States the most common treatments are through “Conventional Medicine”, which is the most abundant and common theoretical practice of western medicine. In other words, the majority of the time that you go to see your physician for your ulcer, he will usually recommend or prescribe a medicine or drug to treat it. The physician will do so by following western medicine or allopathic guidelines as opposed to homeopathic which will be talked about later. The allopathic drugs prescribed are usually of a synthetic blend and non-organic, and are used as active agents or physical interventions to treat or suppress symptoms for pathophysiological processes of diseases or conditions.

            In more detail, the most common conventional treatments are usually prescribed drugs. These drugs could either be utilized as an antibiotic for H. Pylori, a condition that is known major cause for ulcers; or could be used for shutting down acid production in the stomach, creating a better environment for ulcer healing.  Here are some examples of common treatments and interventions for peptic and digestive ulcers.

-Antibiotic meds to kill H. Pylori: A non-common bacterium that dwells in your digestive tract can be killed by a combination of antibiotics such as amoxicillin, clarithromycin (Biaxin), metronidazole (flagy) and tetracycline.

-Medications that block acid production: They call this class of drugs “proton pump inhibitors”. They work by blocking the parts on the cells that produce acid in the stomach and help promote healing of the ulcer. Some names of these drugs include omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex), esomeprazole (Nexium) and pantoprazole (Protonix). Although it is said that overuse of these types of drugs can extract a significant amount of calcium from the bone, and therefore, the one taking the drug can become more susceptible to skeletal fractures.

-Antacids that neutralize stomach acid: Theses drugs are usually found over the counter and used as an instant acid reducer in the stomach. They work by neutralizing stomach acid, which will provide instant relief of ulcers. Some include TUMS & Rolaids.

-Medications that protect the lining of your stomach:  They call this class of drugs “cytoprotective agents”. It is used to protect epithelial tissue especially the intricate lining of the stomach and intestines from strong acids attacking or creating any ulcers. These drugs include prescription medications such as sucralfate (Carafate) and misoprostol (Cytotec). A usual non-prescription cytoprotective agent is bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).

            There are some who may or may not agree with conventional medicine and have found other alternative treatments. Today, these drugs, medications and other interventions are used as the mainstream allopathic intervention to treat ulcers in the United States.

References                                                                                                                                                     

“H. pylori and peptic ulcers.” National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Web 27 October 2011 http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hpylori/index.htm.

“Peptic Ulcer: Treatment and drugs” Mayo Clinic Online Medical Education and Research. Web 27 October 2011
  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pepticulcer/DS00242/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs 

“Allopathic medicine emerges as the primary western medical model” The New Medicine. Web 27 October 2011 http://www.thenewmedicine.org/timeline/allopathy

“Peptic Ulcer: Medications” University of Maryland Medical Center Online Reference. Web 27 October 2011 http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peptic-ulcer-000125.htm

Rare Symptoms of Ulcers by Jon Fisher

     As was mentioned in the last article, there are many people who suffer from ulcers,
both gastric and duodenal. One could assume that apart from the more common and
well known symptoms, there could be less common symptoms as well. While these
symptoms might be less common, for the most part, they are also more dangerous.


     The first that I would like to talk about isn't so much a symptom of ulcers but rather a rare underlying cause of ulcers. It is estimated that about one million people every year begin having ulcers that are actually caused by a tumor growing in either the pancreas or the duodenum. This is a condition known as ZES. The tumor forces extra production of the hormone gastrin, which stimulates the production of excess gastric acid. The only way to treat is for a doctor to recognize that the ulcer is caused by a tumor, and have it removed. Once the tumor is removed, the ulcer can be treated using any normal ulcer treatments. Nowadays, most doctors screen for cancer when diagnosing the ulcer.


     One very dangerous symptom, that is extremely rare is, ironically, to have no symptoms of ulcers. This is know as a silent ulcer. As you might expect due to the lack of symptoms, it is very hard to catch this. Scientists do not know why no typical symptoms occur such as heart burn or lack of appetite, but they seem to be more common among the elderly who frequently take NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) who have been treated in the past for ulcers. If not noticed accidentally, or by routine endoscopic examination, it usually ends up being the cause of death.


     The last uncommon symptom I will talk about is having blood in your stool. This is usually a sign that the ulcer is in the duodenum and is larger than normal. This usually happens if the ulcer goes untreated for a long period of time. Treatment for this symptom would be the usual treatment of a normal ulcer.


     The key to avoid these more serious symptoms is to have the symptoms diagnosed by a doctor and then to promptly treat the ulcer. Also it is important to be screened for ulcers regularly after the ulcer goes away, as those who have had an ulcer in the past are more likely to get another one.




References                                                                                                                                                     

Zollinger RM, Ellison EH (1955). "Primary peptic ulcerations of the jejunum associated with islet cell tumors of the pancreas". Ann. Surg. 142(4): 709–23; discussion, 724–8

Pounder R, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, Academic Department of Medicine,
London, United Kingdom (1989). “Silent peptic ulceration: deadly silence or golden silence?” Gastroenterology. 1989 Feb;96(2 Pt 2 Suppl):626-31. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2642448


"Peptic Ulcer: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." National Library of Medicine -
National Institutes of Health. Ed. George F. Longstreth. Web. 06 Oct. 2011.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000206.htm

Common Symptoms of Ulcer by Paymon Mirzaakbari

      In the United States, it is estimated that 17.7 million adults have been diagnosed with some type of ulcer.  That is about 7.8% of all adults in the United states. That is nearly one in every ten adults! With those numbers in mind, acquiring basic knowledge about the common symptoms of ulcers is essential. The two most common areas where ulcers are found are the stomach (gastric ulcer), and the duodenal region of the small intestine (duodenal ulcer); these two types of ulcers collectively are called peptic ulcers.  Dealing with ulcers can be very frustrating if you neglect the signs of your body. The majority of people have usually experienced one of the common symptoms that are linked with peptic ulcer disease.  Diagnosing peptic ulcers at an early stage is necessary in order to prevent further development and to prevent more serious complications that can be caused.

Common Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer Disease

Stomach irritability: This is the most common symptom for patients who suffer from peptic ulcers. This is because ulcers are most likely to be located in the stomach or the duodenal region of the small intestine, which is connected to the stomach. This pain is usually most felt when you have an empty stomach.

Water retention:  It is very difficult to drink the amount of water your body needs when you have an ulcer.  This causes your body to hold on to as much water as it can, which causes bloating. 

Loss of appetite: When dealing with duodenal ulcer, discomfort is usually felt one to two hours after eating or drinking.  Whereas with gastric ulcer, discomfort comes immediately after eating or drinking.

Heartburn: When you eat food, it travels through your mouth to the esophagus before transferring the globs of food to the stomach.  In order for the food to be dropped off into the stomach, the end of the esophagus opens at the same time as the stomach.  Normally, the opening closes as soon as the food is transferred, but sometimes acid from the stomach can make its way to the esophagus which ultimately causes heartburn.

Vomiting: This is a method used for your body to rid itself of anything that feels out of the ordinary.  For example, if your body detects that there is more acid in the stomach than is needed, the stomach will contract and attempt to expel the excess acid. 

           

            Although these are the most common symptoms that correlate with peptic ulcer disease, there are other signals that each individual might experience.  In general, living a healthy lifestyle, not smoking or drinking alcohol, and catching the symptoms early will assist in suppressing the effect of ulcers   If symptoms persist, be sure to contact your doctor.

References                                                                                                                                                  

"Peptic Ulcer: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. Ed. George F. Longstreth. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000206.htm

"Understanding Peptic Ulcer Disease • AGA." Home • American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). Web. 06 Oct. 2011.

<http://www.gastro.org/patient-center/digestive-conditions/peptic-ulcer-disease>.

"FASTSTATS - Digestive Diseases." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/digestiv.htm>.

"Peptic Ulcers." NetDoctor.co.uk - The UK's Leading Independent Health Website. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. <http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/pepticulcer.htm>.

"Heartburn -- Familydoctor.org." Health Information for the Whole Family -- Familydoctor.org. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/disorders/087.html

Causes of Ulcers by Carly Dobitz

      Innumerable people have heard or said phrases such as, “I’m so stressed that I think I might be getting an ulcer” or “too much spicy food can give you an ulcer”, but realistically, an ulcer is not a funny tale. Numerous people think that stomach pain is from something that they ate or from stress, but if the pain worsens and is prolonged for days, a check up may be required. An ulcer can be very painful and may get worse if not taken care of correctly.

      Ulcers are most commonly found in the stomach, but can also be found elsewhere in the body such as the duodenal, mouth, or esophagus. An ulcer can be defined as a sore on the skin or a mucous membrane, accompanied by the disintegration of tissue, the formation of pus, etc. (Dictionary.com). According to the article “Ulcer Myth and Facts” written by Eleanor Roberts, PhD, she states, before 1982, the cause of an ulcer had been studied for several years, but the reason for its occurrence was unknown. Doctors connected spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, and server to mild stress to be related to the causes of an ulcer (par 1).


       NobelPrize.org shares that in 1982, Robin Warren and Barry Marshall, both from Australia, discovered a bacterium that has been discovered in the stomach, esophagus and the duodenal, Helicobacter Pylori. “Helicobacter Pylori is a spiral-shaped Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the stomach in about 50% of all humans” (par 7). H. Pylori can affect babies as well. The infection can be transferred from mother to child, if present in the mother, and the child will live with the infection for the rest of his or her life (par 8). For their studies and research, both Warren and Marshall received the Nobel Prize. Both scientists have found some causes of this bacterium, but other scientists are finding their own causes of this infectious bacterium.


        During an episode of The Doctors, a television show that gives free medical advise about different medical topics to its viewers, Liz Vaccariello, editor and chief of Prevention Magazine and a guest on the show, tells the audience, “ulcers are not connected to stress or spicy foods in any way, although when one has an ulcer, stress may make symptoms worse than they already are”. “Milk can only worsen the ulcer, so when an ulcer is present, avoid consuming dairy, especially milk. Alcohol and smoking can cause the ulcer to worsen and prevent any healing process” (Roberts par 3).


        Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, are another common cause. Rarely, cancerous or noncancerous tumors in the stomach, duodenum, or pancreas cause ulcers (H. Pylori and Peptic Ulcers, par 4). “When taking non-inflammatory medicines to ease the pain, you can cause an ulcer to occur, but if one is already present, it may only worsen the rupture or make the healing process much more difficult” says Liz.


       Doctors all around the world are diagnosing several patients with ulcers. The discovery of the H. Pylori bacterium was a breakthrough for both patients and doctors, because now the healing process can be quickly determined. Since 1982, studies have become more insightful about how this infectious bacterium behaves and how to treat it.


References:                                                                                                                                               


Crowe, Shelia., Peura, D. H. Pylori and Peptic Ulcers. (2010, April) Retrieved from      http://digestive.niddk.nig.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hpylori/index.aspx#2


“Health Hearsay: Stress and Ulcers. “ The Doctors”: Liz Vaccariello. Hollywood, CA.
13, June 2010. Television. Retrieved September 29, 2011.                    http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videolib/init/11080>.


“Press Release: The 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine”. Nobelprize.org. Sep 2011. Date retrieved September 29, 2011. Retrieved from       http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2005/press.html


Roberts, E. (2009, August 12). Ulcer Myths and Facts. Retrieved from       http://www.everydayhealth.com/ulcer/ulcer-myths.aspx


Watts, G. (2005, October 05). Nobel Prize is Awarded to Doctors Who Discovered
H Pylori. Retrieved from
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http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ulcer