Stomach Ulcer: Understanding, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, Complications

Understanding

Mag is a general term to describe a stomach disorder. The term mag in the medical world is called dyspepsia.

Mag disorders are discomfort in the upper abdomen or around the pit of the heart which is repetitive and chronic. Approximately 25% of the general population experiences dyspepsia each year.

This condition is not life threatening. However, if persistent can affect the quality of life of the patient, and provide a great economic burden.

Based on the criteria of Rome III, a person can be said to be mag or dyspepsia when subjected to one or more of the following symptoms:

• Stomach feels full after eating.
• Quickly satisfied (can not eat as usual).
• Pain or burning sensation in the solar plexus.

Symptoms

The most common mag symptoms are:

• Discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen (around the pit of the stomach)
• The heat is like burning in the chest
• Bloated
• Often belch
• Be full at meal time

Some people also experience nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite to weight loss.

Cause

Mag is a symptom of various diseases. As many as 25% of patients with this condition have an underlying organic disorder.

Organic abnormalities that often cause gastric complaints are gastric ulcers, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastric cancer, and long-term use of NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs).

On the other hand, as many as 75% of individuals with dyspepsia complaints found no underlying abnormalities when examined. This is called functional dyspepsia. There are several factors that play a role, namely:

• Nerve or gastric disorders. Disturbance in this system causes the emptying of the stomach more slowly, causing nausea, vomiting, full satiety, or bloating.
• Sensitivity to pain. Normally, the stomach will stretch when the food comes into it. Some people are sensitive to this incident, so it hurts.
• Infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. These bacteria can cause inflammation to the wound in the stomach.
• Psychological and social factors. Individuals with functional dyspepsia often experience anxiety or depression. The symptoms of dyspepsia will improve by treating depression or anxiety.

Diagnosis

To find out the cause of mag, doctors will conduct interviews and a detailed physical examination. Generally this assessment is sufficient if the complaints experienced are mild, and no weight loss or recurrent vomiting is found.

However, if symptoms do not improve within 4-8 weeks, or the symptoms are more severe, investigations to determine the cause need to be done.

Here is a possible examination to be performed on mag or dyspepsia patients:

• In individuals> 55 years of age with serious symptoms such as recurrent vomiting, weight loss, or difficulty swallowing, an endoscopic procedure is performed to see abnormalities of the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, and small intestine).
• In individuals <55 years old with no serious symptoms of examination may be urea breath test and examination of stool to look for Helicobacter pylori germs, as well as blood tests.
• In all individuals, X-rays or CT scans may also be performed if indicated.

Treatment

Treatment for mag pain depends on the underlying condition. In the absence of a clear cause, treatment aims to reduce pain and the onset of symptoms.

Treatment includes lifestyle changes, stress management, and the use of drugs that can lower levels of gastric acid.

Handling at home

Some mag patients have improved symptoms after lifestyle changes, including:

• Changes in patterns or eating habits:
• Limiting or avoiding foods high in fat, as this can slow gastric emptying.
• Chocolate, menthol, and alcohol will worsen mag symptoms, because the valve between the esophagus and the stomach becomes relaxed. This makes the stomach acid easily rise back into the esophagus (reflux).
• Spicy and sour foods such as tomatoes and oranges can worsen the symptoms of dyspepsia. So it is with coffee.
• Eat more often (5-6 times a day) in smaller portions, rather than 2-3 meals in large portions.
• After eating, it is recommended to wait 2-3 hours before lying down. Therefore, snacking at night should be avoided.
• Avoid or quit smoking.
• If mag or dyspepsia occur at night, raise the mattress to sleep the head of about 15-20 cm by blocking the mattress. Not by giving a wedge under the head. This is done so that the position of the esophagus and stomach half-standing, thus reducing the reflux.
• Avoid using tight clothes around the chest.
• Reduce weight.

In addition to lifestyle changes, the following medications can also reduce symptoms by lowering stomach acid levels. These medicines are a free drug that can be obtained without a doctor's prescription.

• Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) class drugs, such as omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, and esomeprazole, are among the best in dealing with gastric pain.
• H2-blocker group drugs, such as ranitidine, famotidine, and cimetidine. It does not provide as good an effect as PPI class medication, but can reduce pain in a faster time.
• Drugs containing Antacids and Sucralfat can help reduce acute mag or dyspepsia symptoms by coating the stomach wall to avoid irritation of stomach acid.
• Alternative methods, such as relaxation techniques, meditation, hypnotherapy and acupuncture can also be done to help reduce symptoms of mag or dyspepsia.

Emotional stress can increase the acid levels of the stomach. If this affects the quality of life, patients are encouraged to see a psychologist or psychiatrist. Emotional stress management is proven to make the physical and mental condition better.

When to see a doctor

Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following conditions:

• Age> 50 years when symptoms first appear.
• Vomiting constantly.
• Vomiting blood.
• Weight loss decreased unintentionally, or loss of appetite.
• The stools are dark red; resembles coffee.
• Pain or difficulty swallowing.
• Severe abdominal pain lasting more than 1 hour.
• Abdominal pain disappears for more than 24 hours.
• Have a fever> 39oC.
• There is a family history of cancer.

Prevention

Lifestyle changes like below will reduce the frequency and prevent the occurrence of mag:

• Reduce or avoid spicy, sour, and high fat foods.
• Eat more often (5-6 times a day) with smaller portions, compared to 2-3 large meals.
• Limit or stop the consumption of alcohol and caffeine (coffee).
• Avoid or quit smoking.
• Reduce or avoid the use of NSAIDs, corticosteroids and anticoagulants (anti-clotting).
• Managing stress and anxiety.

Complications

Functional dyspepsia usually does not cause serious complications. But if it persists, it will affect quality of life and productivity. The body can also be malnourished because of loss of appetite. As a result, a person will become more easily sick, so it can not work or move.

When mag or dyspepsia is caused by certain conditions, the complications that will arise depend on the underlying conditions.