Do Ulcers Go Away on Their Own? Treatment, Medication, More

While some stomach ulcers may be able to heal without treatment, most do not get better on their own. To ensure an ulcer heals properly and doesn’t come back, it’s important to treat the root cause effectively.

Stomach ulcers, also known as peptic ulcers, are sores in the lining of the stomach or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine that connects to the stomach).

Ulcers are caused by the acids in the stomach that wear away at the lining, usually as the result of a bacterial infection or from long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

According to research, about 10% of the population deal with a peptic ulcer at some point in their lives.

While some ulcers may be able to heal on their own, many do not. They may worsen without treatment and lead to more serious complications, like internal bleeding and perforation of the stomach wall. Even if a stomach ulcer does get better over time, it’s likely to recur unless the root cause of the stomach ulcer is treated.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what types of treatment can help heal an ulcer, how long it typically takes to heal, and what types of complications can arise without proper treatment.

The best and quickest way to ensure an ulcer is treated properly and heals well is to see your doctor or healthcare professional. They will ask you specific questions, do a physical examination, and run tests to diagnose your stomach ulcer to determine the root cause.

Although there are home remedies you can try and over-the-counter (OTC) medications you can take, many ulcers won’t heal properly unless you address the underlying cause.

Self-care measures

OTC antacids may help ease ulcer pain by neutralizing the acids in your stomach so they don’t irritate the sore.

Avoiding spicy and acidic foods and other triggers, like alcohol and coffee, may also help ease discomfort and pain.

Home treatments mostly help ease the pain. They do not treat the ulcer itself or address the cause. If your symptoms persist, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor.

Depending on what your diagnosis is, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments for your stomach ulcer.

Antibiotics

Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat a stomach ulcer caused by the H. pylori bacterium. These types of antibiotic medications typically include:

• amoxicillin
• clarithromycin
• metronidazole

If you’re prescribed antibiotics, it’s important to take your medication exactly as your doctor prescribes and to complete the entire course, even if you start feeling better. If you stop taking your antibiotics before the course is complete, some of the H. pylori bacteria may survive in your stomach. As a result, your ulcer may not heal properly and is likely to come back again.

Around 4 weeks after completing your course of antibiotics, you’ll need to be tested to make sure there isn’t any H. pylori left behind in your stomach. If this bacteria is still present, your doctor will prescribe a different course of antibiotics for you.

In many cases, your doctor will prescribe both antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors to treat a stomach ulcer.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

PPIs can treat ulcers caused by H. pylori infection as well as ulcers caused by NSAID use. This medication, available over the counter and by prescription, works by lowering the acid content in your stomach to allow ulcers to heal.

PPIs that you can buy over the counter include:

• lansoprazole (Prevacid 24 HR)
• esomeprazole (Nexium)
• omeprazole (Prilosec)

Lansoprazole and omeprazole are also available in prescription strength. Other prescription PPIs include:

• pantoprazole (Protonix)
• dexlansoprazole (Dexilant, Kapidex)
• rabeprazole (Aciphex)

Your doctor will likely prescribe a PPI along with an antibiotic medication to treat your ulcer.

h3-receptor antagonists

Like PPIs, h3-receptor blockers have the ability to significantly reduce stomach acid to help ulcers heal. Although PPIs are stronger and reduce stomach acids faster, h3 receptor blockers specifically work at reducing the amount of stomach acid that’s released in the evening. This type of medication is most often used with ulcers in the duodenum.

h3 receptor blockers are available over the counter and by prescription. Some common types of h3 receptor blockers include:

• famotidine (Pepcid, Pepcid AC)
• cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB)
• nizatidine (Axid)

Doctors typically don’t recommend taking an h3 receptor blocker and a PPI at the same time. This is because h3 receptor blockers can interfere with the effectiveness of PPIs.

In some cases, it’s possible for stomach ulcers to heal on their own. However, it’s more common to experience ulcer symptoms for weeks and months that do not improve.

Stomach ulcers that are not properly diagnosed and treated are also more likely to return. This is particularly true with stomach ulcers caused by a bacterial infection or where treatment, such as antibiotic medication, is stopped before the end of the treatment course.

What are the symptoms of a stomach ulcer?

• abdominal pain between your belly button and breastbone is the most common symptom
• feeling full shortly after beginning a meal
• feeling uncomfortably full after eating
• abdominal bloating
• nausea
• vomiting
• frequent burping
• acid reflux (GERD)
• diarrhea

Some people don’t have any symptoms of an ulcer. They may only notice symptoms once the ulcer has progressed and is causing more severe problems, such as:

• bloody stools
• vomit that contains blood
• sudden or severe abdominal pain that doesn’t go away
• feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• signs of shock

If you have symptoms of an ulcer, consider making an appointment to see your doctor, especially if you notice your symptoms aren’t getting better or are getting worse. Without the right treatment, stomach ulcers can lead to more serious complications.

Was this helpful?

Even with medical treatment, stomach ulcers can take several weeks or months to heal. Most ulcers heal in 4 to 8 weeks.

Take all medications as directed. For example, PPIs do not work effectively unless you eat 30 to 60 minutes after taking them. It’s also important to take a full course of antibiotics and not stop early, even if you feel better and don’t have any symptoms.

Your doctor may recommend testing (via endoscopy) after you complete treatment to ensure the ulcer is gone. If it’s still present, you may need additional treatment.

Pay attention to your symptoms. If they get worse or you develop new issues, it may be a sign that the stomach ulcer has led to complications. Treatment for complications usually involves surgery.

Complications that can arise from an untreated stomach ulcer include:

• gastrointestinal bleeding that may lead to anemia or severe blood loss
• a perforation (a hole) in the lining of the stomach
• gastric outlet obstruction (a blockage) that doesn’t allow food through to the rest of the digestive tract

Stomach ulcers are not caused by stress or eating spicy foods. So, how can you prevent them?

• Protect yourself from H. pylori infection: While experts don’t know exactly how this bacteria spreads, you can reduce your risk of infection by practicing good hand hygiene and cooking foods properly.
• Discuss your use of NSAIDs with your healthcare professional: Try to avoid long-term use of NSAIDS. If possible, try switching to a lower dose or consider using a different pain medication that doesn’t cause ulcers.
• If you must take NSAIDs, take antacids, PPIs, or other acid blockers: These drugs can help protect the lining of your stomach from acid damage caused by some NSAIDS. Ask your doctor what they recommend for you.
• Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages if you take NSAIDS: Alcohol can increase the risk of stomach damage, especially if you take certain pain medications.

While some ulcers may heal without treatment, most do not get better or go away for good on their own. If you think you have an ulcer, make an appointment with your doctor. They can help determine what could be causing your ulcer and recommend appropriate treatments that will help it heal properly.

Home treatments can help with pain management. However, if your pain gets worse or doesn’t go away, and you experience symptoms like bloody stools, bloody vomit, or dizziness, it may be a sign of a more serious complication. It’s important to get medical attention as soon as possible.

Do Ulcers Go Away on Their Own? Treatment, Medication, More

While some stomach ulcers may be able to heal without treatment, most do not get better on their own. To ensure an ulcer heals properly and doesn’t come back, it’s important to treat the root cause effectively.

Stomach ulcers, also known as peptic ulcers, are sores in the lining of the stomach or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine that connects to the stomach).

Ulcers are caused by the acids in the stomach that wear away at the lining, usually as the result of a bacterial infection or from long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

According to research, about 10% of the population deal with a peptic ulcer at some point in their lives.

While some ulcers may be able to heal on their own, many do not. They may worsen without treatment and lead to more serious complications, like internal bleeding and perforation of the stomach wall. Even if a stomach ulcer does get better over time, it’s likely to recur unless the root cause of the stomach ulcer is treated.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what types of treatment can help heal an ulcer, how long it typically takes to heal, and what types of complications can arise without proper treatment.

The best and quickest way to ensure an ulcer is treated properly and heals well is to see your doctor or healthcare professional. They will ask you specific questions, do a physical examination, and run tests to diagnose your stomach ulcer to determine the root cause.

Although there are home remedies you can try and over-the-counter (OTC) medications you can take, many ulcers won’t heal properly unless you address the underlying cause.

Self-care measures

OTC antacids may help ease ulcer pain by neutralizing the acids in your stomach so they don’t irritate the sore.

Avoiding spicy and acidic foods and other triggers, like alcohol and coffee, may also help ease discomfort and pain.

Home treatments mostly help ease the pain. They do not treat the ulcer itself or address the cause. If your symptoms persist, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor.

Depending on what your diagnosis is, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments for your stomach ulcer.

Antibiotics

Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat a stomach ulcer caused by the H. pylori bacterium. These types of antibiotic medications typically include:

• amoxicillin
• clarithromycin
• metronidazole

If you’re prescribed antibiotics, it’s important to take your medication exactly as your doctor prescribes and to complete the entire course, even if you start feeling better. If you stop taking your antibiotics before the course is complete, some of the H. pylori bacteria may survive in your stomach. As a result, your ulcer may not heal properly and is likely to come back again.

Around 4 weeks after completing your course of antibiotics, you’ll need to be tested to make sure there isn’t any H. pylori left behind in your stomach. If this bacteria is still present, your doctor will prescribe a different course of antibiotics for you.

In many cases, your doctor will prescribe both antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors to treat a stomach ulcer.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

PPIs can treat ulcers caused by H. pylori infection as well as ulcers caused by NSAID use. This medication, available over the counter and by prescription, works by lowering the acid content in your stomach to allow ulcers to heal.

PPIs that you can buy over the counter include:

• lansoprazole (Prevacid 24 HR)
• esomeprazole (Nexium)
• omeprazole (Prilosec)

Lansoprazole and omeprazole are also available in prescription strength. Other prescription PPIs include:

• pantoprazole (Protonix)
• dexlansoprazole (Dexilant, Kapidex)
• rabeprazole (Aciphex)

Your doctor will likely prescribe a PPI along with an antibiotic medication to treat your ulcer.

h3-receptor antagonists

Like PPIs, h3-receptor blockers have the ability to significantly reduce stomach acid to help ulcers heal. Although PPIs are stronger and reduce stomach acids faster, h3 receptor blockers specifically work at reducing the amount of stomach acid that’s released in the evening. This type of medication is most often used with ulcers in the duodenum.

h3 receptor blockers are available over the counter and by prescription. Some common types of h3 receptor blockers include:

• famotidine (Pepcid, Pepcid AC)
• cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB)
• nizatidine (Axid)

Doctors typically don’t recommend taking an h3 receptor blocker and a PPI at the same time. This is because h3 receptor blockers can interfere with the effectiveness of PPIs.

In some cases, it’s possible for stomach ulcers to heal on their own. However, it’s more common to experience ulcer symptoms for weeks and months that do not improve.

Stomach ulcers that are not properly diagnosed and treated are also more likely to return. This is particularly true with stomach ulcers caused by a bacterial infection or where treatment, such as antibiotic medication, is stopped before the end of the treatment course.

What are the symptoms of a stomach ulcer?

• abdominal pain between your belly button and breastbone is the most common symptom
• feeling full shortly after beginning a meal
• feeling uncomfortably full after eating
• abdominal bloating
• nausea
• vomiting
• frequent burping
• acid reflux (GERD)
• diarrhea

Some people don’t have any symptoms of an ulcer. They may only notice symptoms once the ulcer has progressed and is causing more severe problems, such as:

• bloody stools
• vomit that contains blood
• sudden or severe abdominal pain that doesn’t go away
• feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• signs of shock

If you have symptoms of an ulcer, consider making an appointment to see your doctor, especially if you notice your symptoms aren’t getting better or are getting worse. Without the right treatment, stomach ulcers can lead to more serious complications.

Was this helpful?

Even with medical treatment, stomach ulcers can take several weeks or months to heal. Most ulcers heal in 4 to 8 weeks.

Take all medications as directed. For example, PPIs do not work effectively unless you eat 30 to 60 minutes after taking them. It’s also important to take a full course of antibiotics and not stop early, even if you feel better and don’t have any symptoms.

Your doctor may recommend testing (via endoscopy) after you complete treatment to ensure the ulcer is gone. If it’s still present, you may need additional treatment.

Pay attention to your symptoms. If they get worse or you develop new issues, it may be a sign that the stomach ulcer has led to complications. Treatment for complications usually involves surgery.

Complications that can arise from an untreated stomach ulcer include:

• gastrointestinal bleeding that may lead to anemia or severe blood loss
• a perforation (a hole) in the lining of the stomach
• gastric outlet obstruction (a blockage) that doesn’t allow food through to the rest of the digestive tract

Stomach ulcers are not caused by stress or eating spicy foods. So, how can you prevent them?

• Protect yourself from H. pylori infection: While experts don’t know exactly how this bacteria spreads, you can reduce your risk of infection by practicing good hand hygiene and cooking foods properly.
• Discuss your use of NSAIDs with your healthcare professional: Try to avoid long-term use of NSAIDS. If possible, try switching to a lower dose or consider using a different pain medication that doesn’t cause ulcers.
• If you must take NSAIDs, take antacids, PPIs, or other acid blockers: These drugs can help protect the lining of your stomach from acid damage caused by some NSAIDS. Ask your doctor what they recommend for you.
• Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages if you take NSAIDS: Alcohol can increase the risk of stomach damage, especially if you take certain pain medications.

While some ulcers may heal without treatment, most do not get better or go away for good on their own. If you think you have an ulcer, make an appointment with your doctor. They can help determine what could be causing your ulcer and recommend appropriate treatments that will help it heal properly.

Home treatments can help with pain management. However, if your pain gets worse or doesn’t go away, and you experience symptoms like bloody stools, bloody vomit, or dizziness, it may be a sign of a more serious complication. It’s important to get medical attention as soon as possible.

Doctors have discovered the cause of a stomach ulcer

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Society 90 003

06/26/2013 23:23

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How to avoid the most common stomach disease?

Tatyana Volodina

Stomach and duodenal ulcer is the most common pathology among diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. And if earlier older men usually suffered from this disease, today it more and more often affects young people and even children.

The scientist checked on himself

It turned out that an ulcer is an infectious disease, moreover, one of the most common on Earth. The bacterium that causes it is found in the stomachs of more than half of the world’s population. Its prevalence directly depends on the level of socio-economic development: in developed countries it is less (30-40%) than in third world countries, where almost everyone is susceptible to infection (up to 90%). The hereditary nature of the disease is also traced, while in each subsequent generation the disease begins at a younger age and is more severe.

Scientists back in the 19th century suspected that gastritis and peptic ulcer disease were contagious, but it was only recently that the “culprit” was identified. In 1982, Australian researchers Barry Marshall and Robin Warren discovered the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and, after carefully studying its effects on the gastric mucosa, suggested that it causes peptic ulcers. To prove his theory, Barry Marshall even repeated the feat of Louis Pasteur and conducted an experiment on self-infection – he drank a culture of Helicobacter. Two weeks later, the young scientist fell ill with severe gastritis, and recovered for a long and difficult time. But the bacterial nature of peptic ulcer has been proven.

Today, doctors say with confidence that 90% of all cases of duodenal ulcers and up to 80% of cases of stomach ulcers are caused by Helicobacter pylori. The remaining 10-20% is usually associated with long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Stress, spicy foods, smoking, alcohol, carbonated drinks and other harmful factors only worsen the patient’s condition, but do not cause an ulcer by themselves.

The discovery of Australian scientists radically changed the approach to treatment. Previously, the emphasis was on diet, now it is obvious that an ulcer is by no means a chronic ailment, but a disease that can be cured by taking antibiotics. As a result, even with advanced peptic ulcer, many patients manage to avoid surgery. The incidence of stomach cancer, which, as it turned out, provokes the same bacterium, has also decreased.

Evil bacteria

The food you eat enters the stomach through the esophagus, where it mixes with gastric juice containing digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid. Helicobacter – almost the only bacterium that gastric juice does not destroy – burrows into the gastric mucosa, disrupting the structure of its tissues and their functions. This potentially leads to inflammation of the gastric mucosa (gastritis), erosions and ulcers.

With weakened immunity and prolonged existence in the body, Helicobacter pylori can spread both to the overlying parts of the stomach and to the duodenal bulb.

Pale, nervous, gloomy

This is a portrait of a man suffering from peptic ulcer. He suffers from heartburn, nausea, sometimes vomiting, pain in the stomach. It can worsen between meals, after meals – immediately or after 2-3 hours.

Most often, pains occur in the epigastric region, but they can radiate under the shoulder blade, to the left side of the sternum (which is why they are often mistaken for heart pain), feel like a feeling of fullness in the stomach, heaviness in the stomach, or resemble a feeling of hunger. It is enough to drink sour juice, coffee, alcohol, take an aspirin tablet to make the pain worse. Antacids or food help relieve discomfort. However, after some time, the torment resumes.

And since digestion is disturbed in peptic ulcer, the intestines also suffer. Belching, heartburn begin. Due to poor digestion of food, iron deficiency in the body and anemia (anemia) develop: a person feels constant fatigue, lethargy. General health is weakened, immunity is reduced.

Dangerous Kiss

Infection affects the lower part of the stomach usually already in early childhood and “lives” in it for many years. The main source of peptic ulcer is an infected person. You can become infected through household contact: it is believed that most often an infant receives a bacterium from an infected mother. It is possible that the bacterium enters the stomach through food and drink. You can catch Helicobacter pylori through shared bedding, towels, dishes, shaking hands and kissing. So be careful even with those who have “mild gastritis”. In no case should you lick the spoons with which you stir the dishes. It is unacceptable to take baby nipples in your mouth.

Citizens suffer from gastric and duodenal ulcers 2 times more often than rural residents, and men (often young) – 3-4 times more often than women. Smokers and drinkers are more at risk. As a rule, the ulcer worsens in autumn and spring, when immunity is impaired. Helicobacter, like other bacteria, prefers weakened people. Especially irritable: when a person is nervous, his stomach produces hydrochloric acid more than normal. And for the ulcerative bacillus, this is the most suitable environment. In it, it rapidly multiplies.

Do not start!

Thanks to new approaches, 95% of cases of peptic ulcer are amenable to treatment, the number of complications such as perforation of the ulcer and ulcer bleeding is reduced by up to 10 times. Today, in the treatment of this disease, in addition to antacid, astringent, enveloping, antispasmodic drugs, antibiotics and other medicines of the latest generation are used. They must be taken in a course, without interruptions, otherwise the bacterium will remain undefeated and the ulcer cannot be cured. Do not self-medicate!

In advanced forms, large ulcers may develop, which do not heal for a long time and are not amenable to conservative treatment. And then you need an operation to remove part of the stomach.

Unfortunately, our country holds an unhonorable leading place in the world in terms of the number of operations for complicated peptic ulcer. This is due to the lack of a general sanitary culture of the population and the low standard of living. Our people often start the disease extremely, try to be treated with “grandmother’s remedies” and end up in the hospital in a very serious condition, when not just treatment is required, but saving their lives.

You can’t do without a diet

If you have a stomach ulcer, it is advisable to completely exclude certain foods from the diet. First of all… milk. Although it was once believed that a glass of milk is enough to relieve pain during an exacerbation of an ulcer. Alas, this was a misleading notion, because milk, as doctors found out, increases the amount of stomach acids, and does not neutralize them. In addition, any spicy and spicy food is included in the list of prohibited foods for stomach ulcers – it increases pain, irritating the tissues of already formed ulcers on the walls of the stomach. You will have to give up rich meat, mushroom, fish broths, fried, pickled, canned, sour foods and black bread. Coffee, alcohol and soda are also excluded – their digestion requires a large amount of stomach acids, and their formation provokes the occurrence of peptic ulcer.

Smoking on an empty stomach is generally harmful, but with ulcers and gastritis it is simply dangerous. Chewing gum is no less harmful – especially on an empty stomach, it provokes the release of hydrochloric acid, gastric juice … But since food has not been received, the stomach will digest its own mucous membrane. For the same reason, fasting is extremely harmful. You need to eat a little, but 4-5 times a day. It is useful to drink a glass of mineral water half an hour before meals. Mucous decoctions help, especially kissels, cereals – oatmeal, rice.

Specifically

Who should be tested for Helicobacter pylori

Any of the following symptoms of “gastric distress” should be a reason to visit a gastroenterologist or therapist:

• ulcers ),
• occurrence or intensification of heartburn,
• feeling of heaviness in the stomach,
• rejection of meat food (up to vomiting).
• And remember: 95% of cases of peptic ulcer can be treated.

Rossiyskaya gazeta – Week – Federal issue: №138(6114)

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An ulcer is a local defect in the mucous membrane of the stomach or duodenum. The first type of peptic ulcer is more common among the elderly, the second – in young people.

Causes

The most common cause of peptic ulcer is infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pilory. It can be contracted through saliva through close contact with another person. In patients with a duodenal ulcer, helicobacter is found in 90% of cases, with a stomach ulcer, the figure is 50-60%.

In addition to bacteria, stress, improper diet and long-term use of nonsteroidal drugs can become a provoking factor. Many people think that peptic ulcer is a complication of gastritis, but this is not true: these are different diseases and gastritis does not develop into a peptic ulcer.

Symptoms

Symptoms of the disease are heartburn, pain and heaviness after eating, night pains. But in some cases it is asymptomatic. For example, this happens if it was provoked by nonsteroidal drugs. Patients taking such drugs do not feel pain, so the disease in them is already manifested by complications: bleeding or perforation (a hole in the wall of the stomach).

Treatment

Treatment depends on whether helicobacter is found in the patient’s body or not. In the first case, the doctor prescribes two types of antibiotics, because one does not kill her, as well as drugs that create unfavorable conditions for the life of bacteria. Sometimes, after the destruction of the bacterium, the ulcer itself does not heal, then the patient is prescribed drugs that reduce secretion and improve tissue trophism. If helicobacter is not found, antibiotics are not prescribed.

The course of treatment usually lasts 14 days, in certain cases more time is required. So, a callous ulcer (large, neglected, with a diameter of more than 5 cm) can heal for 2-3 months. Usually, the defect grows to this size in older people who have been drinking nonsteroidal drugs for years and do not check the stomach. First of all, for its healing, the doctor cancels the medicines that cause peptic ulcer.

Operation

Treatment of peptic ulcer rarely requires surgery. It is necessary only in case of complications. For example, a perforated (perforated) ulcer can only be cured with the help of surgery. Also, the operation is performed with massive bleeding, when it cannot be stopped conservatively, and with spinosis (narrowing of the duodenum).

Power supply

For the healing of the defect, in addition to treatment with drugs, it is necessary to follow a diet. It consists in observing the diet: a person should eat small portions 4-5 times a day, excluding spicy, salty, fried, smoked foods. All food must be boiled or steamed. When the ulcer heals, it is no longer necessary to follow a diet, but it is still not worth abusing spicy, fried, smoked and salty foods. It is also important to eat regularly, without skipping meals, to prevent flare-ups. Alcohol is contraindicated in any gastrointestinal disease. Products that are better to refuse: rich pastries, black bread, tomatoes, coffee, strong tea, lard, mutton fat, margarine, chocolate. The diet can include: dried wheat or yesterday’s bread, crackers, unbread cookies, milk soups, beef, chicken, pike perch, pike, perch, cereals on the water with the addition of milk (semolina, buckwheat, oatmeal, pearl barley, rice).