Stomach ulcer: Causes and prevention

Stomach ulcer, also known as gastric ulcer, is a kind of peptic ulcer. It is a painful sore on the stomach lining.

Peptic ulcers were once more common than they are now. The declining trend is noticeable in Bangladesh as well.

From January 2012 to July 2013, a group of researchers used 5,608 subjects from multiple tertiary referral centres of Dhaka city to study prevalence of the disease.

Among them, benign gastric ulcer was found in 184 patients, which is 3.28 percent of the total number, reveals the study published in the Mymensingh Medical Journal.

Cause:

Stress, smoking and unhealthy diet were once thought to be the principal causes of stomach ulcers. However, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is now known to be responsible for 60 percent of stomach ulcers.

Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen can also cause stomach ulcer.

Sometimes, the condition that presents itself as stomach ulcer can actually be stomach cancer, specially, in older people.

Symptoms:

Stomach ulcers can sometimes not show any symptoms. Other times, symptoms include abdominal pain, indigestion, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, bright or altered blood present in vomit or bowel motions, symptoms of anemia etc.

Prevention:

Diagnosis and treatment will depend on your symptoms and the severity of your ulcer. To prevent the spread of bacteria that might cause a stomach ulcer, wash your hands with soap on a regular basis. Make sure to consume well-cleaned and well-cooked food.

If you need to take NSAIDs, the overuse of which can cause stomach ulcer, be sure to follow the recommended dosage. Always take these medications with food and adequate liquids.