Pathological changes in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract (the stomach and duodenum - the upper part of the small intestine), expressed in the defeat of internal tissues, are called ulcers. This disease occurs when, for some reason, the protective layer of the stomach and intestinal tissues is destroyed, the corrosive digestive juice (containing the proteolytic enzyme-pepsin and HCl-hydrochloric acid) begins to contact the tissues; The esophagus can also develop, part of the digestive tract responsible for ingesting food in the stomach.

Not so long ago, the diagnosis of a stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer meant a heavy, often lifelong struggle with ailment. Currently, treatment methods have been developed and widely used that allow one to restore health in a relatively short time.

Peptic ulcer disease refers to the lesions of the stomach tissues, and the ulcer of the duodenum is formed in the upper part of the small intestine.

Causes and symptoms of stomach and duodenal ulcer Modern medicine calls the two main factors that have a destructive effect on the protective mucous layer and provoke the development of ulcers:.

infection Helicobacter pylori - a spiral-like bacterium that inhabits the intestines and stomach;.

patients with NSAIDs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Among the main symptoms of stomach ulcers should be noted:.

complaints of the patient for regular pain or burning sensation appearing in the area from the lower edge of the chest to the navel, sometimes in the back. The pain is usually permanent, it can last hours or minutes, is observed for several weeks;.

reduction or complete disappearance of pain after taking antacid drugs that reduce the level of acidity in the stomach;.

partial anorexia (decreased appetite), weight loss;.

arising after eating nausea, bouts of vomiting;.

presence in the vomit masses of an admixture of blood or dark clots resembling coffee beans;.

change in stool color (darkening), presence of fecal traces of dark red blood.

Symptoms of duodenal ulcers are similar to the above. The intensity and combination of clinical manifestations can be different; possibly an asymptomatic course of the ulcer.

Methods for diagnosing peptic ulcer The first step in diagnosing a disease is medical examination and making an anamnesis. The available symptoms of stomach ulcers, general health of the patient, received during the examination of primary data are taken into account.

Sometimes a similar clinical picture can be observed with another disease - for example, indigestion. If this situation is suspected, appropriate medical treatment should be performed, and then an analysis should be made for the presence of an ulcer.

If the signs of a stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer are moderate and do not pose a momentary threat, and the patient's age is less than 55 years, the presence of a helicobacter infection can be detected with simple blood tests (feces) or a breath test.

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