Those who suffer from ulcers know too well that the pain can go mild to excruciating in a matter of minutes rendering you unable to walk or even sit still.
An ulcer is an open sore that usually develops on the lining of your stomach or at the opening of the small intestine. There are two types of ulcers namely gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. Due to their pain, they cannot simply be ignored.
With no one defined cause of what brings about ulcers, excessive stomach acid secretion certainly plays a role in the development. According to webMD, recent theory holds that bacterial infection is the primary cause of peptic ulcers. Research conducted since the mid-1980s has shown that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) is present in more than 90% of duodenal ulcers and about 80% of stomach ulcers. However, more recent figures indicate those percentages are declining.
Other factors include overuse of over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, heavy alcohol use, psychological stress and smoking which exacerbate and may promote the development of ulcers especially in someone with H. pylori.
When left untreated, an ulcer can lead to excruciating health damages. It is therefore important to catch it early and treat it.
Here are 8 signs that you may be suffering from ulcers
- Abdominal pain
A common symptom of ulcers is pain in your upper abdomen. The pain is usually in waves of burning and stabbing pain and occurs on the area between the breastbone and the belly button. At first the pain may be light and mild but as the ulcer develops, the pain intensifies.
- Heartburn
Having frequent heartburn no matter what you eat is another sign of ulcers. The heartburn often manifests as an intense chest pain and causes one to burp or hiccup a lot after a meal. Though not advisable, one can take over-the-counter medicine for heartburn but it is only a temporary fix for the problem. Frequent heartburn means the case is more serious and needs to be checked out.
- Iron deficiency anaemia
If you are suffering from ulcers you may suffer from iron deficiency anaemia. This is because the ulcers are slowly bleeding which leads to loss of blood. Make sure you consume the recommended amount of iron in the foods you eat.
- Vomiting blood
Having an ulcer causes a high level of digestive juices in your stomach that will often lead to vomiting. However if you are vomiting blood, it is a sign of a very advanced ulcer and requires immediate treatment.
- Flu-like symptoms
You can often mistake your ulcer symptoms for the flu. These symptoms include fever, nausea, fatigue and general malaise. That is why it is advisable to always get a medical expert’s opinion rather than self-diagnosis.
- Nausea
Having an ulcer alters the chemistry of your digestive juices which will cause you to feel nauseous. This is especially so in the morning when you are still on an empty stomach. Having a tiny bite of something can help you reduce the nausea.
- Bloating
You might dismiss a bloated stomach as gas but it might be more serious than that. However if your bloating comes coupled with pain in your midsection, it might be a sign of ulcers and should be checked out. Bloating is one of the earliest signs of ulcers.
- Discoloured stool
One of the underlying issues behind blood in your stool could that you are suffering from an ulcer. In this case your stool will appear black and will often be accompanied by nausea and abdominal pain.
Those who suffer from ulcers know too well that the pain can go mild to excruciating in a matter of minutes rendering you unable to walk or even sit still.
An ulcer is an open sore that usually develops on the lining of your stomach or at the opening of the small intestine. There are two types of ulcers namely gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. Due to their pain, they cannot simply be ignored.
With no one defined cause of what brings about ulcers, excessive stomach acid secretion certainly plays a role in the development. According to webMD, recent theory holds that bacterial infection is the primary cause of peptic ulcers. Research conducted since the mid-1980s has shown that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) is present in more than 90% of duodenal ulcers and about 80% of stomach ulcers. However, more recent figures indicate those percentages are declining.
Other factors include overuse of over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, heavy alcohol use, psychological stress and smoking which exacerbate and may promote the development of ulcers especially in someone with H. pylori.
When left untreated, an ulcer can lead to excruciating health damages. It is therefore important to catch it early and treat it.
Here are 8 signs that you may be suffering from ulcers
- Abdominal pain
A common symptom of ulcers is pain in your upper abdomen. The pain is usually in waves of burning and stabbing pain and occurs on the area between the breastbone and the belly button. At first the pain may be light and mild but as the ulcer develops, the pain intensifies.
- Heartburn
Having frequent heartburn no matter what you eat is another sign of ulcers. The heartburn often manifests as an intense chest pain and causes one to burp or hiccup a lot after a meal. Though not advisable, one can take over-the-counter medicine for heartburn but it is only a temporary fix for the problem. Frequent heartburn means the case is more serious and needs to be checked out.
- Iron deficiency anaemia
If you are suffering from ulcers you may suffer from iron deficiency anaemia. This is because the ulcers are slowly bleeding which leads to loss of blood. Make sure you consume the recommended amount of iron in the foods you eat.
- Vomiting blood
Having an ulcer causes a high level of digestive juices in your stomach that will often lead to vomiting. However if you are vomiting blood, it is a sign of a very advanced ulcer and requires immediate treatment.
- Flu-like symptoms
You can often mistake your ulcer symptoms for the flu. These symptoms include fever, nausea, fatigue and general malaise. That is why it is advisable to always get a medical expert’s opinion rather than self-diagnosis.
- Nausea
Having an ulcer alters the chemistry of your digestive juices which will cause you to feel nauseous. This is especially so in the morning when you are still on an empty stomach. Having a tiny bite of something can help you reduce the nausea.
- Bloating
You might dismiss a bloated stomach as gas but it might be more serious than that. However if your bloating comes coupled with pain in your midsection, it might be a sign of ulcers and should be checked out. Bloating is one of the earliest signs of ulcers.
- Discoloured stool
One of the underlying issues behind blood in your stool could that you are suffering from an ulcer. In this case your stool will appear black and will often be accompanied by nausea and abdominal pain.
