Stress, medications or food? What causes stomach ulcers and how to avoid them

Treatment of gastritis and stomach ulcers is carried out comprehensively using medications, diet and traditional medicine. These diseases are the most common types of inflammatory conditions of the gastric mucosa. Ineffective treatment of gastritis or its absence can lead to the development of ulcers.

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Treatment regimen

Depending on the symptoms of gastritis and peptic ulcer, the attending physician prescribes appropriate treatment. It has the following focus:

• pain relief;
• bringing the level of hydrochloric acid and pepsin to normal;
• getting rid of pathogenic microorganisms;
• stimulation of gastric motor function;
• suppression of attacks of nausea and vomiting.

The treatment regimen is individual. It takes into account the patient’s well-being, age, stage of gastric damage, location and form of the disease. In combination, several methods are used in the treatment of gastritis and ulcers: drug therapy, dietary therapy, traditional medicine. The dosage of drugs and duration of administration depend on the form of inflammation and complicating factors.

Treatment of gastritis with drugs

The duration of treatment for gastritis lasts from 3 weeks to a month. Medicines for gastritis include:

1. Enveloping agents. These include Almagel, Phosphalugel, Maalox, Gastal. These drugs are aimed at protecting damaged mucous membranes.
2. Antibacterial drugs. These are Amoxicillin, Metronidazole, Amoxiclav, Furazolidone, Clarithromycin and others. Antibiotics are used only after identifying pathogenic microorganisms that cause stomach ulcers. The most common cause of the disease is the microorganism Helicobacter pylori.
3. Drugs aimed at suppressing the production of hydrochloric acid (Omeprazole, Omez, Ranitidine). These drugs suppress painful symptoms.
4. For pain and spasms, antispasmodic and analgesic medications are used. These include Metacin, Platyfillin, No-shpa.
5. Gastroprotectors. The use of the drugs De-nol, Bismuth, Venter helps protect the mucous membrane, which is in an inflamed state due to the irritating effects of gastric juice with a high content of hydrochloric acid.
6. Enzymes. Among them are Mezim, Festal, Pangrol, Gastal. The active substances of these drugs improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
7. Hormonal drugs that additionally protect the stomach and increase the effectiveness of all therapeutic actions. Experts most often prescribe Cytotec.
8. To suppress severe vomiting, Metoclopramide or Cerucal is prescribed.

Treatment of ulcers with medication

The main principle of antiulcer therapy is an integrated approach. When treating ulcers, it is necessary to use medications that neutralize the negative effects of all factors that cause the disease. To obtain the greatest effectiveness from treatment, doctors prescribe the following medications:

1. Antibacterial drugs. They are aimed at destroying pathogenic bacteria, which include Helicobacter pylori. This group includes Metronidazole and other drugs.
2. Proton pump blockers and inhibitors. This group is responsible for the production of hydrochloric acid. These include Ranitidine, Omeprazole, Rabeprazole.
3. Antacid drugs aimed at quickly reducing acidity. Phosphalugel, Almagel, Maalox help with heartburn.
4. Prokinetics aimed at accelerating the elimination of food, eliminating nausea and vomiting. These include Cerucal, Motilium.
5. Antispasmodics (Papaverine, No-shpa) are used to relieve pain symptoms.

Important! What medications to take and how to take them, especially for illnesses in children, are decided by the attending physician after receiving the results of all examinations and making an accurate diagnosis.

Active ingredient: Rebamipide

Features of the drug that are important for the patient to know about

Powerful gastroenteroprotector. Provides protection and restoration at all three structural levels of the mucosa (mucus layer, epithelial and submucosal) and throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Stimulates the formation of mucus in the stomach, increases blood circulation in the mucous membrane of the digestive tract.

Restores damaged mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, prevents adhesion (sticking) of bacteria (including Helicobacter pylori) to the mucosa, protects it from the effects of other toxic substances.

Rebagit is taken one tablet 3 times a day with a sufficient amount of liquid. The maximum dose of the drug per day is 300 mg.

Treatment of stomach diseases with folk remedies

Treatment of gastritis and stomach ulcers with folk remedies is not the main way to influence the disease. Traditional medicine methods can only serve as a complement to drug therapy in adults.

Treatment of gastritis

The following recipes are used to treat gastritis:

1. Chop 100 g of lettuce leaves well and add 1 liter of boiling water. Keep the liquid in a closed container for 24 hours. Filter the liquid and drink 100 ml twice a day half an hour before meals. It is allowed to use the infusion for a month. The infusion is effective for chronic gastritis.
2. 3 tbsp. l. Add fresh sea buckthorn berries to 250 ml of water and boil for 10 minutes. Filter the finished broth. Add 3 tbsp to it. l. honey and mix thoroughly. Take 1 tsp on an empty stomach. This drink helps with inflammation in the stomach.
3. Squeeze the juice from 2 potato tubers and drink on an empty stomach. After using the product, it is recommended to lie down. Eating is allowed no earlier than 1 hour later. Duration of treatment – ​​1 month.
4. Grind 10 grams of licorice root, place in a thermos and pour 1 liter of boiling water. Infuse the liquid for 24 hours. Strain the liquid. The finished product is consumed 100 ml before meals. Treatment consists of 2 courses of 15 days each with a break of 5 days. The product is indicated for gastritis with high acidity.
5. For erosive gastritis, a honey solution is effective. To prepare it, 2 tbsp. l. Dissolve honey in 250 ml of warm water and stir well. Drink a glass of the product every day for 14 days.
6. Heat one glass of honey a little. Grind 5 large aloe leaves into a paste. Combine ingredients. Take 1 tbsp. l. before eating. Keep refrigerated. Honey and aloe effectively fight the manifestations of gastritis.

Ulcer treatment

Treatment of stomach ulcers with traditional methods, especially herbs, but in combination with medication therapy, helps to normalize impaired stomach functions. For this you can use:

1. Herbal collection. Mix St. John's wort and centaury herbs in equal proportions. Pour half a liter of boiling water over the mixture. Then filter the liquid and take it in 5 approaches throughout the day. The duration of the course is 10 days.
2. Boil a large potato tuber in unsalted water. Pour the finished broth into a container and drink half a glass at least 2 times a day. The duration of treatment is 10 days.
3. Mix plantain grass, string, celandine, St. John's wort in equal proportions. 1 tbsp. l. pour 250 ml of boiling water into the mixture. Leave the mixture for 2 hours and strain. Take 1 tbsp. l. more than three times a day. This method can be used for 30 days.

Feedback

An ulcer cannot appear at once (with the exception of stress ulcers). Usually problems begin with chronic dyspepsia - a disruption of the normal functioning of the stomach, which, if left untreated, develops into gastritis. And he, in turn, is in an ulcer.

The patient may not know about his illness for a long time. The ulcer is often asymptomatic, especially in older people, or makes itself known delicately - moderate periodic nagging pain in the stomach.

Therefore, some patients find out about their diagnosis when they are admitted to the hospital with a perforation - a rupture of the stomach wall. If there is a perforation, surgery is indicated, followed by long-term rehabilitation and a lifelong diet.

That is why doctors urge you to be attentive to yourself and under no circumstances ignore even the most minor warning symptoms.

Diet

For the effective action of medications in treating the disease, as well as normalizing the functioning of the digestive system, it is recommended to follow a comprehensive diet. With these pathologies, it is forbidden to eat harmful and irritating foods. It includes spicy, salty, fatty, smoked, canned, butter and confectionery products. You should also refrain from rich meat and mushroom broths, foods with a high percentage of fiber, salt and sugar. Eliminate alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee and strong tea from the diet completely.

A proper diet should include:

• porridge with water;
• baked apples;
• low-fat yoghurts;
• lean meat;
• vegetable soups;
• Among sweets, marmalade, pastille and jelly are allowed.

When gastritis worsens, it is recommended to take mucous, enveloping foods, such as oatmeal, and drink herbal infusions.

Important! For stomach ulcers and gastritis, it is necessary to observe the frequency of meals, portion sizes, heat treatment temperature and the temperature of the dish when consumed.

Self-medication

Only a doctor can prescribe individually appropriate treatment for each case of gastritis and ulcers. Therapeutic measures should be carried out under the close supervision of a specialist.

Important! Self-treatment is not allowed. Incorrect treatment will not only be ineffective, but even dangerous to human health and life.

It is dangerous to take antibacterial drugs, sulfonamides and other medications without a doctor’s prescription. All medications are selected individually. Self-medication is prohibited for pregnant women, children and the elderly.

It is possible to achieve effective treatment of gastritis and ulcers by following a set of actions. Compliance with all treatment regimens, proper diet and nutrition, giving up bad habits, and exercising will help not only get rid of stomach diseases, but also improve the condition of the whole body.

What's next?

Can a person feel healthy after an ulcer has healed? This depends on many factors: age - in mature people the disease is prone to relapses due to incompetence of the mucous membrane, gender - ulcers occur more often in men than in women, and even character: explosive temperament is a risk factor for peptic ulcer disease. The risk will decrease if the patient gets rid of Helicobacter, bad habits and eating habits.

Most doctors agree that it is unlikely that it will be possible to completely forget about the disease. In any case, you will have to visit a gastroenterologist and undergo gastroscopy annually.

The statement that a stomach ulcer always turns into cancer is a gross exaggeration. For an ulcer to degenerate into cancer, several factors must come together. According to statistics, this happens only in 2–14% of cases.

Harm from self-medication

Doctors strongly do not recommend self-medication. This measure is due to the fact that:

• if the patient guesses his diagnosis, then there is a very high probability of prescribing himself the wrong treatment regimen and the wrong drugs that are required;
• in most cases, the patient misdiagnoses himself, hence the ineffective treatment (at best);
• drugs that the patient prescribes to himself may react with other drugs taken by patients;
• Taking the drug “blindly” can mask the symptoms of the true disease.

The main danger of such treatment is the loss of time. Even minor health problems, which with adequate treatment may go away within a few days, can develop into a real problem.

Active ingredient: Amoxicillin

• Flemoxin Solutab (Astellas)

Broad-spectrum antibiotic. Often causes allergic reactions and dysbacteriosis. Contraindicated if you are allergic to penicillins.

• Klacid SR (Abbott)
• Fromilid (KRKA)

Broad-spectrum antibiotic from the macrolide group. May cause nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Liver dysfunction and other side effects are sometimes possible. Contraindicated in severe liver or kidney dysfunction. May interact with other drugs.

Advantages of Phosphalugel

This medicine is an antacid, that is, it is intended to normalize the level of acidity of gastric juice. Phosphalugel is in great demand by people suffering from diseases of the digestive organs, among which inflammatory pathology such as gastritis is in first place. The action of this medication, which has a gel form, is as follows:

• The acidity level after taking the medicine decreases almost immediately, literally in 10 minutes, the combination of hydrochloric acid with the aluminum salts contained in Phosphalugel occurs very quickly. This pharmaceutical effect on the stomach damaged by inflammatory pathology lasts quite a long time. This is an advantage of Phosphalugel, since similar medications of a different release form have a much shorter medicinal effect on the body,
• Thanks to the aluminum phosphate colloid contained in this drug, it completely envelops the inner surface of the stomach, forming a mucoid layer that reliably protects the mucous membrane and does not allow toxic substances to have a negative destructive effect on it,
• The presence of excellent absorbent properties of Phosphalugel allows for rapid binding of pathogenic microorganisms and their removal from the digestive organs with feces. The same thing happens with gases accumulated in the intestinal lumen.

This gel contains agar-agar (a gelatinous organic substance extracted from seaweed that performs a protective function), as well as other useful components.

Phosphalugel is produced in plastic bags for single use (1-2 pieces per dose), which is very convenient. Thanks to this form of release, you can easily take the medicine with you by counting out the required number of packages.