Stress and Peptic Ulcer Disease
Peptic Ulcer is quite a common ailment the world over. Under its umbrella, there are two different ulcers: gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers.
It frequently presents with dyspepsia, abdominal discomfort, and nausea. Complications include perforation, hemorrhage, and gastric outlet obstruction-unexplained weight loss, indigestion, vomiting, and at times chest pain.
Erosion vs Ulcer
Erosion- A superficial break within the epithelium or mucosal surface Ulcer- A deep break through the full thickness of the epithelium or mucosal surface.
Aetiology (Etiology) is the study of causation or origination
- The most common factor is H Pylori infection.
- NSAIDs used by patients, including Ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, and others. Also, Steroids, Anticoagulants, Actonel, etc.
- Many other rare diseases like Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are also implicated.
Upper endoscopy is used to diagnose condition along with other tests including E.G, breath and stool test etc.
Incidence
Gastric ulcers — increase with age, and the percentage is higher in males than females, though it seems to be equalizing over the last few decades.
Duodenal ulcer: develop in the upper part of the small intestine called the Duodenum. 70–90% are due to H Pylori infection.
In the USA, 4.6 million people are affected each year.
Addition causes may be:
- Smoking
- Excess Alcohol Intake
- Radiation Therapy
- Stomach Cancer
Treatment depends on the underlying cause.
- For H Pylori, a combination of medicines include Antibiotics and Proton pump inhibitors to help reduce stomach acid.
- In the absence of H Pylori over the counter PPI (like Prilosec) or (Prevacid) can help reduce stomach acid. There are many other remedies available these days to help treat ulcers.
Complications of Peptic ulcer
Left untreated it can get worse and lead to complications!
- Perforation of the stomach lining.
- Internal bleeding causing Anemia
- Black stool etc.
- Scar tissue from the ulcer can make it difficult for food to pass through.
- Also may be associated with vomiting and weight loss.
Outlook for peptic ulcer
Most ulcers will heal if properly treated. It helps to stop using alcohol, stop smoking, reduce the use of nonsteroidal pain relievers during the course of treatment.
Prevention:
- Moderation in drinking-Men two drinks and Women one drink.
- Limited use of pain relievers
- Maintaining good personal hygiene
- Quitting smoking and use of tobacco
- Eating a well-balanced diet
Now about the Stress factor — There is no uncontroversial proof that stress in itself causes ulcers. Several good studies claim stress and the mental health of a person do play a role in its causation: psychological stress, the stress of severe injury, burns, admission to ICU.
Stress increases stomach acid. It can make ulcer symptoms worse and Psychological stress can trigger an ulcer.
Myth or Fact: The question of stress as a cause of ulcers is is not resolved. Major work is ongoing in the USA, Korea, and several other medical centers worldwide, and a final and definitive verdict is still awaited.
The reason I chose to blog on this subject:
I sincerely hope members have a strong mindset and not let glitches cause them to have issues and problems such as ulcers.
I read Discord posts every day of many people going through several different kinds of hardships, medical issues, family bereavement, etc. There seems to be a great deal of hope in the Compumatrix world. And I understand it is very stressful for all the members. On the other hand, I realize that all the admin and Devs are working 24/7 to bring everything to fruition. Without a doubt, I have complete trust in the leadership bringing this dream to a reality.
Let’s Engage, Enrich, and Enhance the lives of our fellow man the world over!!
Originally published at https://www.compumatrix.ph on March 25, 2021.by Bharat Kapoor
