Gastrointestinal problems are health challenges which are caused by environmental factors or circumstances surrounding the patients feeding habit. This kind of health problem is wildly known these days because it affects quite a lot of people. This gastrointestinal problem has no age limit; it affects both the young and the old.
Duodenal and gastric ulcers are some of the most common gastrointestinal problems wildly found among people today. Although they are caused by ulceration in the digestive system, these diseases both have different anatomy. To this effect, doctors who specialize in gastrointestinal system or gastroenterologists often encourage their parents to undergo endoscopy.
Endoscopy is a medical diagnostic process whereby doctors sedate their patients to insert a thin tube which is attached with a camera into their mouth, and dipped down into the duodenum or stomach so as to be able to discover areas where ulceration might have occurred and at what part of the digestive system. This will help to determine if the patient has got gastric or duodenal ulcer.
How is Ulcer Acquired?
Contrary to people’s initial speculation, research has proven that H. pylori is the bacterium responsible for the spread of gastric ulcer and not stress or foods that are spicy.
The disease is believed to be contacted through kissing, food and water. The disease can also be acquired when stomach acids begin to occur naturally in the stomach. Also, ulcer can be gotten from steady and frequent use of aspirin and nonstroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) obtained from over-the-counter.
Gastric Ulcer
When ulceration is discovered to have occurred in the stomach, it is referred to as gastric ulcer. This kind of gastrointestinal disorder is caused primarily by a bacterium known as H. Pylori, although this bacterium is also responsible for duodenal ulcers. Gastric ulcer is also called peptic ulcer, it is usually found in the lining of the stomach.
When a patient is suffering from gastric ulcer, he/she begins to experience gastric pains that comes up to the esophagus. Unlike duodenal ulcer, pain caused by gastric ulcer cannot be relieved by eating food. Hematemesis might be experienced; this is when blood is found in a patient’s vomit.
Patients suffering from gastric ulcer are placed on special diets and are advised to avoid foods that are creamy or milky e.g. ice cream, chocolate, milk, coffee and cheese so as to avoid hyper acidity and any form of gastric irritation. When food is consumed patients tend to suffer pain for a period of 1-2 hours.
Duodenal Ulcer
In this case, ulceration occurs at the region of the duodenum that is why it is called duodenal ulcer. This region is one of the three major parts of the small intestine which include ileum and jejunum. Melena will be experienced i.e. stains of blood in stool. Hunger aggravates duodenal ulcers and they are usually subsided when, food is eaten
In the case of duodenal ulcers, patients are not placed on special diets however, they are advised to avoid strong drinks like alcohol as this can aggravate the ailment. After eating, patients of duodenal ulcer may undergo pain for 3-4 hours.