Peptic Ulcers
Ashley Hill
HCA240
April 12, 2015
Melody Lehosit
Peptic Ulcers
According to the Mayo Clinic, Peptic Ulcers are defined as “open sores that develop on the inside lining of your esophagus, stomach, and upper portion of your small intestine.” (Mayo Clinic 2013) There are many signs that may indicate that a person is suffering from peptic ulcers which include the common symptom of burning pain, and more severe symptoms such as vomiting blood, dark stools, unexplained weight loss, and appetite changes. (Mayo Clinic 2013) Through various treatment options through lifestyle changes, or drug therapy, peptic ulcers can be managed.
Ulcers can be caused for various reasons including contact with substances that cause the problem such as NSAIDs, eating certain foods, or coming in contact with certain bacteria. One the determination is made regarding the cause of the ulcers, then treatment can begin. If the problem is occurring due to eating foods, or drug therapy, lifestyle changes can be made. According to WebMD, if you are taking NSAID, drinking alcohol, or smoking, stop those activities. (Ratini 2014) The Mayo Clinic also states that you should strive for a healthy diet, controlling stress, and switching to a different pain reliever that is not a NSAID. (Mayo Clinic 2013)
Various aspects that can effect a person’s ability to conform to the lifestyle changes may include being prescribed an NSAID for other medicinal purposes, or if a person is dealing with alcoholism or addiction it can be hard to break that habit to conform to the lifestyle change. However these obstacles can be addressed in order to devise strategies to overcome the barriers and start getting relief from the ulcers. Discussing this with your provider will allow you to come up with a treatment option that works best for your situation. By coming up with a plan of action, you and your provider can work together to determine if the causes are due to a bacterial infection which would be treated via antibiotics, or if a current medication is causing the problem. If it is a medication issue, then other forms of medication can be used to deter further risk of more ulcers.