Stomach Ulcer

Stomach Ulcer

An ulcer is essentially an open wound. Many of us develop ulcers in the mouth, especially on the inside of the cheek. When this happens, we put glycerin on the ulcer, eat carefully, and a few days later the ulcer disappears. However, when we develop a stomach or a peptic ulcer, it is a different story altogether.

Symptoms

How do you know if your child has a stomach ulcer? Here are some cues.

The most common ulcer symptom is a burning pain in the upper, central abdominal region, below the breastbone. This is coupled with vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, chest pain, and blood in vomit or in stools. Stools appear dark red or black. (Bear in mind though that eating certain foods such as beetroot also causes stools to appear red and bloody.) If your child shows these symptoms, it does not necessarily mean that he has a stomach ulcer, but you should get him checked by a doctor.

Very often people are unaware that they have the bacterium, because they exhibit none of the symptoms. However, if this is left untreated, it may lead to gastroenteritis problems, and even to stomach cancer.

Causes

We often believe that stomach ulcers are caused due to eating too much spicy food, but this is not the case. Yes, spicy food can irritate an already existing stomach ulcer, further aggravating the pain, but the ulcer itself is caused by a bacterium called H. pylori. This bacterium weakens the protective stomach coating, thus enabling acid to get to the sensitive lining beneath. Food acids, combined with the bacteria, cause irritation, leading to the formation of an ulcer. Peptic ulcers due to bacteria infection are rare in children, and children often develop ulcers related to drug use.

Cure

The presence of the bacteria may be determined with the help of a blood test. Blood tests give accurate results for adults, but are not that accurate as far as children are concerned, and children may be required to undergo an endoscopy. If the presence of bacteria is determined, your doctor will recommend antibiotic medication to kill it. Your child should take the complete course, even if the symptoms disappear, because otherwise the bacteria will not get destroyed and will resurface.

Although you don't need to watch your diet a whole lot, it makes sense to avoid spicy foods. You can eat almost everything, but try to stick to bland food. Also, adults should stay off alcohol and cigarettes, and adults and children should avoid drinks and beverages containing caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the production of acid in the stomach, worsening the ulcer, and thus needs to be avoided.

Almost all ulcers can be cured with the help of timely treatment and medication. Delays may lead to further complications, and ultimately surgery may have to be resorted to. So if you suspect that your child has a stomach ulcer, call the doctor!

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