Stomach ulcer: causes
Scientists have found that the main cause of the development of the disease is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori . Up to 75% of cases of the disease occur due to infection. As a result of the activity of these organisms, the cells of the stomach lining are destroyed, and an ulcerative lesion appears in their place.
IMPORTANT: You can become infected with the Helicobacter pylori bacterium at home: through touching, kissing, medical equipment, food and water, etc.
Other causes of the disease:
- Long-term use of pharmacological drugs, including ibuprofen, aspirin, diclofenac. Risk group - elderly people
- An ulcer that develops due to other ailments, such as diabetes, tuberculosis, lung cancer, hepatitis, syphilis, etc.
- Mechanical damage to the stomach, trauma
- Blood poisoning
- States of shock
- Burns or frostbite over a large area of the body
- Stressful situations. Stress causes increased activity of the nervous system, as a result of which the muscles and blood vessels in the digestive organs contract too intensely. The process of feeding the stomach goes astray, and it begins to poison itself with gastric juice
- Wrong eating habits. In particular, excessive coffee consumption contributes to the development of the disease
- Drinking alcohol and other toxic substances, smoking
- Genetic factor
IMPORTANT: According to statistics, men are more likely to suffer from stomach ulcers. The risk group is males from 20 to 50 years old.
Vitamin complexes for gastrointestinal diseases
When treating such serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, doctors prescribe the intake of beneficial substances. They often affect the production of hydrochloric acid and reduce the vulnerability of the diseased mucosa. For example, vitamins A are aimed at stopping the development of infection, and PP helps avoid diarrhea and optimizes the production of gastric juice. Let's take a closer look at the most important vitamin substances.
Fat soluble
- If you have low stomach acidity, then you are recommended to take Retinol, better known as vitamin A. This substance has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the immune system and normalizes the production of hydrochloric acid. Contained in green peppers, pumpkin (even more than carrots), apricot and milk. To maintain health, it is recommended to consume up to 5000ME per day.
- Vitamin E for gastritis with high acidity has proven its effectiveness. The substance neutralizes the harmful effects of hydrochloric acid and normalizes acidity. This fat-soluble biological compound is also necessary to combat disease in the pancreas and regenerate the gastric mucosa. Contained in dairy and other products: red fish, sunflower and olive oils, flaxseed, nuts, etc. It is recommended to take tocopherol (another name for vitamin E) in capsule form at a dose of 400 units per day.
Water soluble
- With reduced secretion of gastric juice, folic acid is poorly absorbed by the body. But if it is elevated, then the substance fights inflammatory processes in the mucous membrane. It is found in considerable quantities in spinach, cabbage and liver. Not long ago, scientists conducted an experiment in which it was found that people suffering from atrophic gastritis have a significantly reduced absorption of folic acid.
- Regardless of the acidity of the stomach, we recommend consuming B vitamins (in particular, cyanocobalamin, popularly known as B12). The substance is found in oysters, octopus, crabs, cheeses, beef and fish. People with gastritis often have a deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B12. A lack of these components of the vitamin “cocktail” can cause anemia. Taking these biological substances is especially effective for autoimmune gastritis.
- Pyridoxine (known as vitamin B6) can reduce the discomfort of gastritis. For example, relieve nausea and vomiting, reduce pain. This biological compound is known to help control homocysteine levels and improve digestive tract function. Vitamin B6 enters the body with legumes, bread and cereals, nuts, poultry and bananas.
Vitamin C
Separately, I would like to talk about the effect of vitamin C on the human body, not only with gastritis, but also with trophic ulcers. Few people know that these diseases can be triggered by vitamin deficiency of the immune system (for the functioning of which ascorbic acid is responsible). After all, Helicobacter pylori can live in the human gastrointestinal tract for decades and begin to show vigorous activity only when the immune system malfunctions.
Vitamin C is not produced by the body, so it is recommended to enrich the diet with foods that are rich in it: rose hips, sea buckthorn, lettuce peppers, citrus fruits and herbs.
Ascorbic acid is a natural antioxidant, the deficiency of which in the body can lead to the development of scurvy. The vitamin helps the body absorb iron and calcium salts and has a positive effect on the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract.
Iron
In various medical articles you can read conflicting information about whether a person with gastritis needs to consume iron. Most sources tend to believe that iron-containing drugs can be harmful for gastritis. After all, for the development of Helicobacter, iron is needed. Therefore, it is recommended to take drugs with this element for helicobacteriosis only in case of its acute shortage.
In 2008, foreign doctors examined schoolchildren aged 10-15 years with anemia. Experts have found that they are twice as likely to be infected with Helicobacter than children with normal levels of iron in the body.
Vitamin U
This vitamin-like substance, discovered in the 1940s, is sometimes called an “anti-ulcer” compound. It proves its effectiveness in the treatment of gastritis, peptic ulcers (especially localized in the duodenum). In addition, it is useful for frequent attacks of heartburn, therefore it is recommended not only for people with gastrointestinal diseases of all ages, but also for expectant mothers.
Vitamin U is found in large quantities in raw vegetables - cabbage and herbs. If you want to get the maximum benefit from cabbage, drink juices based on it. Experts also advise consuming the vegetable in pickled form. These fermented foods reduce the risk of developing duodenal, lung, stomach, intestinal and prostate cancer.
Stomach ulcer: first signs of the disease
Information about the symptoms of the disease will allow you to independently identify the disease, which in turn will help you promptly seek help from doctors.
Symptoms of the disease:
- Pain in the upper abdomen. The sensations can be either weak and tugging or intense and sharp. Painful manifestations intensify with physical activity, consumption of alcoholic beverages and food with seasonings, fasting
- Heartburn, which is felt above the stomach, that is, already in the chest area. This gastric juice poisons the esophagus a few hours after eating
- Nausea and vomiting. Food in the affected stomach causes pain and causes disruption of gastric motility. When a patient vomits, he experiences a decrease in the intensity of this symptom
- Psychological loss of appetite. A person is afraid of new attacks of pain, and therefore loses his taste for food
- Belching, which causes gastric juice to enter the throat. Feels like a sour or bitter taste in the mouth
- Gases
- Heaviness in the stomach after eating
- Fast saturation
- Constipation
IMPORTANT: Manifestations of ulcers are disturbing only in 75% of cases. The rest of the patients do not suspect that they have the disease. Doctors advise regular examinations for the presence of ulcerative lesions.
How to take the complex correctly
There is a whole set of rules that you need to know before you start taking any vitamin complex.
- It is necessary to take into account the compatibility of vitamins with each other. For example, group A substances cannot be combined with K and B12. And vitamin B12, in turn, will interfere with the “work” of ascorbic acid and pyridoxine. But vitamin E and folic acid will be more useless if taken together.
- With atrophic gastritis, chewing vitamins is prohibited. It is better to swallow the pills with plenty of water. This is not a whim of the manufacturer; such a recommendation has a completely reasonable explanation. The fact is that the acidic environment in the stomach destroys the beneficial properties of vitamins. If you swallow them, the special protective shell will not be damaged, the substance will “get” to its destination and begin to work.
- It is advisable that the course of treatment occurs in the winter and spring periods. It is at this time that the human body is most exhausted and needs to be “recharged” with vitamin cocktails.
- After you finish taking the product, you must take a break for at least 3 months.
What tests need to be taken to diagnose a stomach ulcer?
The following types of studies are used to diagnose ulcerative lesions:
- General blood analysis
- Analysis of stool to detect blood in it. This examination allows you to determine bleeding, which in some cases accompanies the disease.
- Probing of the stomach, which uses pH-metry to determine the level of acid in the stomach
- Endoscopic examination. This is the most common diagnostic method. During it, not only the presence of lesions on the mucous membrane is proven, but also their exact location, area, structure, stage of development
- X-ray examination. Previously, this was an important stage in the examination of a patient with an ulcer. Today there are less harmful diagnostic methods. But in case of a strong gag reflex, instead of endoscopy, they often resort to an X-ray machine
- The patient is also prescribed related examinations. This is a check of other organs of the gastrointestinal tract that in one way or another affect the functioning of the stomach. This includes blood biochemistry, ultrasound of the digestive organs, endoscopy and X-ray of the intestine.
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Nutrition for stomach ulcers
Nutrition plays a special role in the treatment of ulcerative lesions. If you continue to eat as usual, the symptoms of the disease will only get worse.
IMPORTANT: The diet prescribed for patients with ulcers is called “table 1”.
The main goal of dietary table 1 is to have less mechanical, thermal and chemical effects on the stomach. At the same time, it should be a complete, balanced diet.
What is allowed on this diet:
- pureed cereal soups
- pureed liquid semolina, rice, oatmeal
- egg omelet
- fruit and berry compotes, jelly
- some honey
- low-fat dairy products, cottage cheese and cream are best
- lean meats and poultry, tender-textured parts
- vegetable stews and cream soups (vegetables are subjected to heat treatment and mashed)
- weak tea, weak cocoa
The following should be completely excluded:
- alcohol
- fried, spicy, sour, fatty foods
- raw vegetables and fruits
- bread, flour products
- coffee, strong tea, strong cocoa
- spices, hot seasonings
- canned, pickled foods
- smoked meats
- sauces
Medicines for stomach ulcers
The approach to ulcer therapy should be comprehensive. This is not only a diet, but also medications, vitamins, and folk remedies. The following pharmacological agents are used in the treatment of peptic ulcer:
- Antibacterial drugs. These are Penicillins (usually Amoxicillin), Tetracycline, Macrolides (Clarithromycin), Nitromidazole derivatives
- Medicines that enhance the protective mechanisms of the mucous membrane. These are Sucralfat, Kaved-s, Biogastron, Ventroxol. The drug De-nol promotes the formation of a film on the walls of the gastric pouch, and also leads to the death of bacteria, which causes cell death and, as a result, gastric ulcers. Entrostil is prescribed so that the affected cells can recover
- Antisecretory drugs. These are Antacids that coat the stomach (Almagel, Sucralfate, etc.), proton pump blockers (Omez, Rabeloc, Nexium, etc.), H2-histamine receptor blockers (Erinit, Ranitidine, etc.) and other acticeretory drugs
Additional medications for ulcerative lesions:
- antispasmodics: No-shpa, Mebeverine, etc.
- prokinetics
- probiotics
- anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants
IMPORTANT: Treatment for the disease lasts from 2 to 6 weeks. The duration of treatment depends on the stage of development and area of the ulcerative lesion.
Vitamins for stomach ulcers
Vitamins for stomach ulcers help the body itself fight ulcerative lesions, and also enhance the effect of medications.
Experts recommend taking complexes such as Undevit, Stress Formula, Complivit. Doctors ask to pay attention to the presence in the complexes of such vitamins as C, E, P, U, F, B vitamins , as well as the minerals zinc, magnesium, selenium . But it is undesirable to take iron, since it is on the list of factors that provoke the death of stomach cells and the development of ulcers.
You can take vitamin E . Its large intake into the body will ensure oxygen saturation of the cells of the diseased organ, strengthening of capillaries, and improvement of blood flow.
IMPORTANT: Large doses of vitamin E have undesirable effects. This is weakness, dizziness, bloating.
- Vitamin E can also be taken as a preventive measure for those who have not been sick or have already suffered from the disease.
- Vitamin A promotes active division of epithelial cells, which significantly accelerates the healing of ulcerative lesions. In the prevention of illness, the vitamin is especially important for protecting the stomach during stressful situations and an unstable emotional state.
- Vitamin C strengthens the body’s defense mechanisms; it is valuable both at the prevention stage and during the recovery period
List of vitamin complexes
Common multivitamin preparations:
Composition of multivitamins Alphabet for intestinal health.
- Complivit;
- Alphabet;
- Vitrum;
- Pikovit;
- Centrum from A to zinc;
- Univit;
- Undevit.
These are multivitamin complexes that a healthy person can drink for prevention.
You can opt for less popular drugs, since they are less likely to be counterfeited, for example, the Solgar Multi 1 complex, which contains vitamins and minerals of natural origin. Solgar 1 tablets contain an enzyme that makes them easier to digest and antioxidant additives.
Vitamin complex Bion-3 is also intended for the prevention and treatment of intestinal diseases.
In addition to the main composition, it contains bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, a large number of microelements.
Among the drugs that specifically act on the intestinal microflora, the following can be noted:
- Candida Forte;
- Molkosan Fruit;
- Colonic Plus Entsyymi.
They are created on the basis of vitamin extracts of plant origin and additives that improve digestion.
Treating stomach ulcers at home
In addition to pharmacological agents, vitamins and diet, there are effective methods to alleviate the course of the disease and even cure it with the help of the advice of our grandmothers.
IMPORTANT: Treatment of stomach ulcers with folk remedies should also be carried out under the supervision of a doctor and only after a medical examination. Remember that self-medication can lead to worsening of the disease.
Best Home Remedies Recipes.
- Potato juice. You can prepare this juice using a grater or a juicer. In the case of a grater, squeeze out the resulting pulp by wrapping it in gauze. Before each of three meals, drink 20 ml of the drink. After a week, increase the dose to 40 ml, and after another week - to 60 ml. For the fourth week, consume 100 ml portion at a time. The course of treatment ends at the end of 4 weeks
- St. John's wort tincture. Pour 15 g of dry matter with a glass of boiling water. Leave the drink to infuse overnight under the lid or in a thermos. In the morning, remove the vegetation, and dilute the liquid component with water to a volume of 200 ml. Drink a quarter glass 3-4 times a day half an hour before meals. Prepare fresh tincture every day. Course of therapy - 2 weeks
- Propolis drink with milk . Add 50 g of propolis to a liter of natural fresh milk, place the solution on the stove until it becomes homogeneous. Drink the drink half an hour before each meal in a volume of 100 ml. The course of therapy is 4 weeks, but it is possible to increase the period if the ulcer does not go away
- Calendula oil . Combine 30 g of calendula and 100 g of olive, almond or any other vegetable oil. Steam the mixture for a couple of hours. Leave the oil to steep for 24 hours, then pass it through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Take 5 g orally half an hour before each meal for 2 weeks
How to avoid getting a stomach ulcer?
- If you come into contact with someone with an ulcer, minimize touching them and provide them with separate cutlery and other personal items.
- Be sure to maintain dental and oral hygiene
- Stop smoking, drinking alcohol and using toxic substances
- Eat right
- Take your medications wisely
- Get enough sleep, sleep on time, follow a daily routine
- To prevent stomach ulcers, increase your physical activity
- Avoid stress, learn to relax and have quality rest