Know the causes, symptoms and treatment of chronic peptic ulcers

Definition

What are chronic gastric ulcers?

Gastric ulcers are conditions when the stomach wall becomes inflamed and causes injury. If the wound on the stomach is left unchecked, this indigestion is known as a chronic stomach ulcer.

Apart from the stomach, sores due to chronic inflammation can also occur in the small intestine (duodenum) and the lower part of the esophagus (esophagus).

Chronic gastric ulcers are actually the same as regular (acute) peptic ulcers. However, the two are distinguished based on the nature of the disease and how long the stomach ulcers last.

Acute gastric ulcers are characterized by symptoms that appear suddenly, occur for a short time, but are easy to treat and heal easily. In addition, the symptoms of acute gastric ulcers are usually less severe, so they are easier to treat.

Meanwhile, chronic gastric ulcers are diseases that have been experienced for a long time and develop slowly. Generally, this disease has been going on for more than 6 months.

This chronic disease can also trigger irritating symptoms repeatedly in the long term. However, there are times when the symptoms don't appear in some people.

How common is this condition?

Gastric ulcers are disorders of the digestive system that can happen to anyone. However, this condition usually tends to affect people between the ages of 30 and 50. This also applies to chronic stomach ulcers.

This digestive disease can be overcome by avoiding a number of risk factors. Consult your doctor for more information regarding peptic ulcers.

Signs and Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of chronic peptic ulcers?

Basically, the symptoms of chronic peptic ulcers are almost the same as the symptoms of acute gastric ulcers, namely:

pain in the middle of the stomach that can radiate to the back,
nausea and vomiting,
Bloody stools,
sudden weight loss or increase,
loss of appetite, and
burning sensation in the chest.

When should I see a doctor?

If you experience one or more of the symptoms mentioned, consult a doctor immediately. It is intended that you get the right treatment to overcome this condition.

Cause

What are the causes of chronic peptic ulcers?

Just like stomach ulcers in general, the cause of chronic stomach ulcers is stomach acid which erodes the inside of the stomach or small intestine. This can occur due to various things, such as psychological stress or indigestion.

Here are a number of conditions that can cause stomach acid to injure the intestinal wall.

H. Pylori infection

H. Pylori infection is one of the most common causes of chronic peptic ulcers. If this infection has been going on for a long time, it will certainly turn into chronic inflammation of the stomach.

Generally, the inner wall of the stomach is covered with thick mucus which acts as a protection from the effects of gastric acid. However, H. Pylori bacterial infection causes the protective mucus to decrease and thin out.

As a result, stomach acid easily enters and damages the stomach wall, forming ulcers, sores, or ulcers.

Take pain relievers for too long

In addition to bacterial infections, taking pain relievers for too long can lead to damage to the stomach wall. The types of pain relievers that most often cause stomach ulcers are ibuprofen and aspirin.

Both drugs have been shown to slow down the mucus products of the stomach for a long time and change their structure. The reason is, NSAID drugs work to stop prostaglandins in the body that have the effect of protecting the mucosal lining of the stomach.

When prostaglandins are depleted as a result of taking too many pain relievers, the stomach lining can become inflamed and create a gap in the stomach wall. If inflammation is allowed, the capillaries in the stomach can burst and cause internal bleeding.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

For people with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, chronic stomach ulcers are one of the common diseases they have. Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a disorder that results from the appearance of a tumor called gastrinoma in the duodenum (duodenum).

Gastrinoma can lead to excess production of stomach acid and over time it can injure the stomach wall.

Risk Factors

What factors increase my risk for this disease?

Everyone is at risk for stomach ulcers. Acute gastric ulcers can develop into chronic ones if the causes and symptoms are not treated properly.

However, there are a number of factors that can increase a person's risk of developing chronic stomach ulcers, namely:

long-term excessive alcohol consumption,
smoking, especially for people infected with the H. Pylori bacteria,
severe stress for a long time, and
living in a dirty environment.

Complications

What are the complications of chronic peptic ulcers?

These chronic inflammatory sores in the stomach and small intestine can actually cause complications if left for too long. Here are some complications that can potentially occur in people with chronic gastric ulcers.

Bleeding in the upper digestive tract

If the ulcer is not treated, it is at risk of triggering bleeding in the upper digestive tract.

Ulcers that develop and extend to the lining of the digestive tract can damage large blood vessels. This can cause serious bleeding that can affect the intestinal tract.

Perforation

Perforation is a condition when an ulcer flows through the stomach or intestinal wall into the abdominal cavity. Although rare, these complications can cause serious problems for people with stomach ulcers.

Generally, perforations can trigger sudden pain and require hospitalization and surgery.

Diagnosis and Treatment

How to diagnose this condition?

Diagnosis of gastric ulcers, both acute and chronic, is done by looking at the condition of the stomach. This is done to find out what causes stomach ulcers and their severity.

There are several tests performed to diagnose stomach ulcers, including:

a blood test to detect H. Pylori bacteria,
examination of stool samples,
endoscopy,
biopsy, and
X-Ray.

What are the treatment options for chronic peptic ulcers?

Gastric ulcers are said to be chronic when the chances of recovery are low, or there is no hope at all. That is why, the doctor will provide treatment to relieve symptoms and reduce the pain only.

Medicines to relieve symptoms

There are a number of drug options given by doctors to treat the symptoms of stomach ulcers, namely:

antibiotics, especially if the cause is a bacterial infection,
proton pump inhibitors to reduce or neutralize stomach acid,
H2 blockers to reduce stomach acid and pain, and
antacids to neutralize stomach acid.

Operation

Apart from medication, the last resort in treating chronic peptic ulcers is surgery. This operation is done to reduce the risk of perforation when the symptoms of stomach ulcers recur.

Gastric ulcer surgery is divided into two types. Here is a brief explanation.

Vagotomy

Vagotomy is a surgery to cut one or more branches of the vagus nerve in the stomach, which sends messages from the brain to the stomach. This operation aims to reduce the production of stomach acid.

Pyloroplasty

Meanwhile, pyloroplasty is an operation to enlarge the opening of the stomach so that the contents of the stomach pass more smoothly from the stomach to the intestines. That way, not too much stomach acid is produced.

Home Remedies

What are the lifestyles that need to be done to support chronic gastric ulcer treatment?

Not only undergoing treatment from a doctor, you also need to change your lifestyle when you have chronic stomach ulcers. Some of the lifestyle changes that need to be made include: