Alnatural Health

PEPTIC ULCERS

What is Peptic Ulcer?

Have you ever seen or had an ulcer on you skin? If you have you will notice it is very red, i.e. inflamed, the skin is broken and it looks like a hole being eaten into the flesh. The area is literally being eaten away. This is basically what a Peptic Ulcer is, but it is on the lining of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). If it is in the stomach, it is referred to as a Gastric Ulcer, if in the Duodenum (the next section of the GIT after the stomach). It is called a Duodenal Ulcer.

 What are the symptoms of Peptic Ulcers?

The classic symptoms are pain or gnawing in the abdominal area 1 to 3 hours after eating. If untreated it usually starts bleeding, if there is sufficient blood loss, dark stools may be seen. Occult (hidden) blood can be found in a laboratory examination of the stools. This can result in anaemia, weakness, and general degradation of health due to blood loss and nutritional deficiencies resulting from poor digestion and extra demand as the body tries to heal and repair. If the condition exists for long enough, it can eat all the way through and result I perforation causing the medical emergency, peritonitis.

What causes Peptic ulcers?

Peptic Ulcers can occur anywhere that this lining is exposed to pepsin, the enzyme that digests protein because the lining of the GIT is not present for some reason. Hence the lining is being digested because the GIT is basically a tube of muscle. Muscle is protein, as is other body tissue.

            It is generally believed that the GIT damage is caused by a spiral shaped bacteria called Campylobacter. However researchers are beginning to reconsider. Researchers in Finders Medical Centre South Australia have found this organism in only 56% of gastric ulcers. They also found it in people with healthy stomach linings. It would appear that it is an opportunistic organism; it takes advantage of you when you are down in health. Kicks you when you