Treatment of Gastric Ulcer

There are various treatments available for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), or GERD with nausea and vomiting as the main symptoms, that can reduce the frequency of GERD attacks, improve quality of life, promote appetite and weight loss, minimize depression, prevent GERD complications which are caused by heart failure, irritable bowel diseases (IBD) and others.

It is important to know about gastric reflux disease (GERD). It occurs when food travels over the lower esophagus, causing abdominal pain (mild/moderate), gas passage through the stomach, bloating, and nausea that sometimes occur. Common causes may be eating spicy foods, spicy condiments, alcohol, cold drinks, caffeine, chocolate, coffee, spicy foods, alcohol, nicotine, or tobacco use. Often the cause remains undiagnosed due to the difficulty in finding the source of the problem. In addition, it may also result from factors like age, smoking, stress, nutrition, mental status, obesity, or other health conditions that affect digestive tract function. So if we talk about what is gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), and how to treat this most commonly occurring condition in many people it is not always diagnosed and treated.

The first step to treating this condition is the first diagnosis. A physical examination and medical history are very important for this condition. Patients should never feel embarrassed because they might have more than one condition. If their symptoms seem unusual and they don’t understand why they have these strange changes that could be related to a new infection. Also in some cases, GERD may be difficult to diagnose and treat early on. However, there are good tests that will help with the diagnosis. For example, blood tests and endoscopy both have shown results that give us an idea and a picture of exactly what the patient needs to see. This knowledge would help in making certain treatment decisions about the problem, for instance, which type of surgery to perform. The endoscopic evaluation shows inside of the abdomen and helps us to check the function of the GI tract and its organs. In the previous paragraphs, I mentioned how these tests can be used. The next step is getting an accurate and specific diagnosis of the condition. This is done by medical doctors with specializations in gastro-esophageal diseases so they can look at our body’s health issues and detect problems before they become problematic.

The second thing is knowing this condition and knowing what treatment plan we need to follow so we can go successfully towards recovery. It is important to take into account that GERD has many causes, for instance, stress, alcohol abuse, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, smoking or caffeine, etc. But each cause is unique and it is important to identify the cause of the problem and make a diagnosis. Thus, it is extremely important to get this treatment early and in an appropriate way.

The type of GERD treatment depends on the cause of GERD and the cause of the condition. It is very important to know the type of GERD and what type of GERD is causing your condition. Many doctors have specialized areas in gastro-esophageal diseases and they understand how different types of GERD are produced and will respond differently to each treatment plan. They will not give specific treatment or advice. Therefore, I want to show you the basic information to do more research on the topic. There are several treatment plans, including, functional-prolonged therapy, bi-lateral gastric bypass surgery, endoscopic therapy, and surgery. Every treatment causes GERD and so doctors cannot give you the exact same treatment for every cause of GERD; instead, they recommend a particular treatment for the right cause of the condition. To decide the best GERD treatment plan you need to look at a series of important points. First, what does the diagnosis mean? Medical providers see only 1 part of the body, not all of the system, so the condition is not always present in the whole body.

For instance, I do not eat spicy food, but my family is from the northeast, where the weather is hot. When I am hungry my stomach wants something sweet; when I am full my stomach wants water. Not knowing about the cause of GERD makes doctors and most patients confused. Especially for kids, this is a big problem. Secondly, what are the main symptoms? These symptoms are common but can be quite challenging to recognize. Symptoms include a severe burning feeling when throwing up (that does not go away), nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea. Some people do not know why they vomit and other folks do not know why they vomit. Another issue is that there are no obvious signs of GERD, such as stomach ache, constipation, etc., but these signs are often there and may be very helpful. Thirdly, what is your previous history? Do you have abdominal pain? Abdominal pain is really common. Usually, these symptoms get better after a while but some lingering signs may be visible. Lastly, it is important to know what other symptoms you might have. Other symptoms can be gas or bloating, and fatigue. If there is no other reason for the symptoms, then GERD could be your problem.

There is a chance that a simple test will not reveal any cause for your problem. One is a screening of your stool: Are there any stones in the stool? Do you feel bloated when going to bed? Is there a foul smell coming out of the toilet? Does it taste bad? If so it means you could be suffering from GERD and need to find an expert to run your symptoms through, to start looking for answers. Or if you suffer from GERD and you have another disorder, such as Crohn’s Disease, it might be easier to have your doctor run all the tests. Next, it is important to know what drugs you take. Steroids, antacids like histamine, and some antidepressants are often given for GERD, along with antacids like proton pump inhibitors, antibiotics, vitamins, iron supplements, and other supplements. And it is very important to know the side effects of the drugs and how they affect your digestive tract. Many people suffer from serious skin rashes, swelling of the abdomen, and even diarrhea. These side effects include stomach upset, nausea, loose stools, weight gain, and abdominal pain or diarrhea. Since GERD can cause serious abdominal discomfort, these side effects are also common, especially if you have ulcers or GERD can trigger them. Finally, if you have GERD you need to know the risk of your condition spreading and how long will it last. Most of the time the symptoms cause GERD but sometimes they spread GERD to other parts of the body. So you want to know if you may pass GERD to someone else, and how long will it last. As a rule of thumb, the chances of passing GERD are between 30% to 50%.

The final steps in GERD management are taking care of gastrointestinal issues like bleeding, diarrhea, pain, bloating, weight gain, and abdominal gas, and talking to the doctor if you have a stomach ache or abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, and any other symptoms that you think might be related to GERD. Once GERD is identified, the next step is treatment, whether it is an exclusive operation or treatment with medications, and keeping the lifestyle changes that help with GERD in mind. There are four types of GERD treatment: functional-prolonged treatment, bi-lateral gastric bypass surgery, endoscopic therapy, and surgery. You can choose the one that is right for you, however, sometimes GERD has a combination of all 4 types. Also every year there are new guidelines made by the American College of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine regarding the prevention of GERD. Last but not least, GERD management is something that needs to be discussed with the patient, especially if he/she has a chronic condition. A chronic condition is a condition wherein one organ of the body becomes severely damaged or overworked and requires additional treatment or medication. Chronic conditions include diabetes, heart failure, or pulmonary hypertension.

Also, if somebody suffers from GERD he/she might experience anxiety and panic because of his/her condition. Anxiety and panic can come from two different places, stress and anxiety itself or from the constant thought of having GERD. All this can increase the chances of GERD spreading within the patient. Furthermore, it is important to remember that GERD affects everyone differently. How much damage can your digestive tract cause? How quickly can it heal? Who will get sick and who won't? Unfortunately, none of this matters anymore because now it is much better to know who it is and how to manage this condition once it has developed.

Nowadays doctors are making tests easier for those with GERD, so more doctors and patients can be diagnosed. Tests that are easy to use are fecal testing, radiological testing, and barium X-ray imaging. Tests are made at a cost for the patient and the physician, and some tests can be run completely at home. The FDA is the organization responsible for regulating quality products and services for humans and animals. The Food Safety Administration or FHA is the agency that licenses companies and protects the public's interest by ensuring the safety of the foods, beverages, and manufactured goods. FHA works diligently to protect Americans' interests by providing science-based information. FHA promotes healthy practices for the handling of foods and beverages and addresses food, drug & medication errors.

FHA also monitors industry performance against criteria used by federal agencies so that products designed for human use comply with Federal regulatory requirements and achieve high compliance standards. Its objective is to achieve optimal environmental, economic, and health in the United States. On a positive note, FHA is supported by states and tribes which work collaboratively with FHA to ensure food safety and product quality. The U. S Department of Agriculture provides funds for state laboratories.