Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be shot in the gut? The pain of that fast moving metal bullet ripping up your skin first, digging deep into your fascia before destroying the protective coat surrounding a precious organ, the stomach. One pain that possibly measures up to this is the gnawing pain of peptic ulcer. It is a pain that doesn’t feel like pain itself. It’s like being shot at, only this time, no external object causes the pain but your body being the villain.
What is Peptic Ulcer
Peptic ulcer is an open sore that develops in the lining of the stomach or small intestine. It could be Gastric peptic ulcer that occurs on the inside of the stomach or Duodenal Ulcers that occurs on the inside of the upper portion of the small intestine, duodenum.
The prevalence of peptic ulcer is rather disturbing, as one in ten individuals suffers from it. The old wives tale on the ailment does not help matters at all. If ignorance on the subject elevates the level at which it is contracted then knowledge about it will definitely put to light ways to curb its spread.
Common Myths about Peptic Ulcer
Giddy up! This is a classic myth debunking session. Some of the myths about Peptic Ulcer that you’ve probably heard include:
Myth 1: Failing to eat on time is the main cause of peptic ulcer
You’ve probably heard this statement countless times. I’d be your Sherlock Holmes on this one. If eating habits were the main causes of ulcer, how come people who fast for as long as 21days don’t all get diagnosed with Ulcer.
What about obese individuals who have problem controlling their satiety levels and how much they eat, how come some of them still suffer from ulcer.
The Truth is, Peptic Ulcer is mainly caused by
● A bacterial Infection by the bacterium, helicobacter pylori
● Regular Use of NSAIDs (Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen, etc
Surprisingly, both causes are components of common happenings we tend to ignore and in some cases, disregard.
For Helicobacter pylori, research shows that the bacterium is spread through contaminated food and water, a fecal-oral contamination but the most obscure thing is that it can also be actively spread through saliva.
This begs the following questions;
● Does kissing not involve an exchange of Saliva?
● Does this mean that kissing is not as harmless as it seems?
I would leave that to you to answer.
Why are NSAIDs bad for you?
The term NSAIDs may come off as strange to you but I’m sure you’ve heard of Aspirin and Ibuprofen. Yes, Ibuprofen, the normal drug used for treating pain, fever and inflammation. You might have even taken these drugs on several occasions. Aren’t they just the super hero disease-punching drugs? Right?
Wrong!
There is no doubt that these drugs have helped humanity countless times from the pangs of disease-mediated pain and what not. But maybe you shouldn’t take these drugs as often as you do. Not every slight headache or body pain requires you to take drugs.
You may wonder how the helicobacter pylori bacterium and these NSAIDS actually lead to an ailment as severe as ulcer.
The thing is, these agents weaken and destroy the protective lining surrounding your stomach and thus, when hydrochloric acid and other digestive juices necessary for digestion are secreted, it attacks the lining and creates open sores. These agents may also cause an increase in the acid secretion rate in the gastrointestinal system.
Myth 2: Eating a lot will cure ulcer
There’s no doubt that eating on time is one of the first pieces of advice every dietician will give an ulcer patient but there’s no truth in the concept of maxing out your stomach sores with food actually cures the ulcer. Such individual may probably just end up being a foodie still suffering from ulcer.
Myth 3: Pepper Causes Ulcer
It is widely known that pepper is one of those food substances an ulcer patient should avoid because of its irritating effect on the open sores but it is a misconception that pepper actually causes ulcer.
Pepper soup lovers can now rejoice.
Myth 4: Natural herbs as a cure work better than artificial medicines
Reports have shown that some individuals had natural products like Honey, Aloe Vera, garlic etc cure their ulcer. Of course, body systems are different but it doesn’t put down the wonders of modern medicine.
Many have recurrent cases of ulcer because sometimes, these seemingly active natural cures with no prescription from a learned pharmacist do not completely rid the system of its causative agent but rather, just helps to treat the sores.
But if the sores close up and the causative agent remains, is work done not zero?
There are slight differences in treatment procedures depending on the main cause and how active the spread is.
Myth 5: Ulcer has no cure
Convincing an individual who has struggled with peptic ulcer for almost 10 years that there is a real cure for ulcer is quite analogous to bathing a cat. But fortunately, this myth is strongly opposed owing to the prevalence of modern medicine and even some thoroughly researched natural products.
There are different scientifically backed up natural ulcer remedies such as Licorice- a spice commonly known as Banga Stick or Oburunbebe stick amongst the natives of Nigeria, its deglycyrrhizinated form has proven suitable for Acid reflux. Other natural remedies may include Flavonoids that occur naturally in many fruits and vegetables. These natural remedies may induce healing effects on developing ulcer by either increasing stomach mucus or activating acid reflux.
For orthodox medicine, the development of H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors allow for most ulcers to be completely healed with medication. But before these medications work effectively, the cause of the ulcer must first be removed. Severe cases of ulcer with bleeding complications may require surgery.
Conclusion
Going down with ulcer may prove really difficult and stressful for a young and vibrant person. Having to stick to a particular kind of diet, bear some torturous level of pain and live most of your days on drugs are not activities to go through but truly all hope is not lost. Where there’s life, there’s surely a way.
Which of these myths about peptic ulcer did you grow up to believe? What other myths about peptic ulcer do you know? Kindly share
Writer: Ikharo Favour
Bayero University Kano, Kano State, Nigeria
Brilliant right up!
The funny thing is i actually spoke to one of my friends today, she has peptic ulcer and i was like, she doesn’t eat that’s why it’s disturbing her.
I’m definitely sharing this with her.
I’m still curious though, how did the misconception of “skipping meals can cause ulcer” come about though.
It’s too often said to just be a misconception though.
The myth the article is trying to debunk is that not eating on time is not the MAIN cause of cancer.
Yes, Starvation may lead to somewhat form of ulcer because prolonged periods without food tend to lead to an acid reflux. Excessive amounts of digestive juices might erode your intestinal lining and cause ulcers
Also starvation may decrease mucosal secretion which normally coats the protective lining of your stomach
But…
Remember that Starvation and Failing to Eat on time are two different things.
Additionally, you can agree with me that not everyone afflicted with the disease has problems with their feeding lifestyle
I know Foodies with Ulcer too
I am a in shock, I am dazzled, wowed, in awe!!!! I’ve neeveerr heard of any of this before!!!! Truly, ignorance is a disease on its own
I’ve been an ulcer patient back then, the pain was almost unbearable and I went to see the doctor, she recommended fruits, some anti-inflammatory drugs; I used it and it felt better for a while but it didn’t last (partly cos I wasn’t faithful to instructions).
Thanks so much for this enlightenment, now I can be of help to my elder sister.
Thanks for reading
This is a really nice writeup but I’ve got a question.
‘There’s no doubt that eating on time is one of the first pieces of advice every dietician will give an ulcer patient.’ Why do dieticians give this advice when you already said that failing to eat on time doesn’t cause ulcer?
Thanks for Reading Aeesha
To answer your question
I bet you’ll agree with me that an empty stomach can be painful.
But imagine a stomach with sores in its protective lining.
Without any food in there, the ulcer is bathed in stomach acid all the time, it doubles the pain
Besides, they’re many food items rich in compounds that’ll help soothe the pain associated with the sores
For example,
Apples, pears, oatmeal, and other foods that are high in fiber are good for ulcers in two ways. Fiber can lower the amount of acid in your stomach while easing bloating and pain. Research has also shown that a diet rich in fiber may help prevent ulcers.
Remember the first myth debunked is that
Failing to eat on time is not THE MAIN cause of ulcer.
Does kissing transmit ulcer or not?!
How will you leave that to us,the myth believers?
We came here to be enlightened
Hello
Okwute
Thanks for reading through
To answer your question,
Well, Kissing doesn’t necessarily transmit ulcer.
Although, Kissing activities that involves transfer of saliva may transmit the Ulcer causative agent, Helicobacter Pylori.
To this date, 4.4 billion individuals globally are estimated to be H. pylori-infected
But Fortunately, Not everyone with the bacteria develops ulcer.
Most of these things are really selective
So you don’t need to fret.
But let’s try to be careful
You never know
Nice write up…
But eee what’s best treatment of peptic ulcer gotten through h pylori bacteria
Hello Faviee
Thanks for reading 🙏
Well, just as stated in the article,
The best treatment for Peptic ulcer caused by H. Pylori is destroying the bacteria first and then proceeding to heal up wounds
Doctors typically prescribe a combination of two antibiotics and an acid-reducing drug to treat H. pylori. This is known as triple therapy.
Unfortunately, in recent times, researchers have duly noted the resistance of H. Pylori to the usual treatment antibiotics.
They may recede for a while and then double back up.
That’s why you hear cases of people with recurrent ulcer even after they were previously cured of it.
However, some studies have started to focus on probiotics, as a therapeutic approach.
😮.
Awesome 🌟
Thank you for reading
But can we really say there is a specific medication that can be used to destroy this helicobacter pylori beforec getting to cure this peptic ulcer
Hello Tunsss
Thanks for reading 🙏
Doctors typically prescribe a combination of two antibiotics and an acid-reducing drug to treat H. pylori. This is known as triple therapy.
Unfortunately, in recent times, researchers have duly noted the resistance of H. Pylori to the usual treatment antibiotics.
They may recede for a while and then double back up.
That’s why you hear cases of people with recurrent ulcer even after they were previously cured of it.
However, some studies have started to focus on probiotics, as a therapeutic approach.
Remember, H. Pylori bacteria is not the only cause of Ulcer.
If the Ulcer was caused by regular use of NSAIDs, then of course you don’t expect the same treatment plan to work
Thanks for the clarification, actually I never knew it’s bacteria causative, always thought it’s mis-management of food timetable
Thanks for reading 💞
About the ulcer thingy, if you don’t eat for a long period of time, isn’t the gastric acid still secreted? And since it’s
an acid, won’t it still damage the walls of the stomach and lead to ulcer?
I think not eating for a long period of time can contribute to the development of ulcer. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
You’re right
When one fails to eat for a long period of time (Starvation)
It might result to ulcer.
But it’s not because the secreted gastric acid automatically begins to damage the stomach walls
Of course that’s not plausible because normally, the epithelium of the stomach is intrinsically resistant to the damaging effects of gastric acid.
The Hcl in the lumen doesn’t really erode the stomach mucosa because goblet cells in the mucosa secrete large quantities of protective mucus that line the mucosal surface.
But under starvation, there is notable a decrease in mucosal secretion. Thus, permitting the secreted gastric acid to actually have an effect on the stomach lining.
But the Article wasn’t focused on Starvation.
But on the myth; “Failure to eat on time is the main cause of ulcer”
N/B: Failing to eat on time and Starvation are two different things
If it only affects the stomach or the small intestine why do I feel pain at my back sometimes?
Hello Mario
Thanks for reading
Well, to answer your question
Have you heard of Radiating Pain??
All the nerves in the body are connected. This means pain signals can spread, or radiate, throughout your body.
The pain can move along a nerve’s pathway, causing discomfort in other areas of your body that are supplied by that nerve.
That is mostly likely the reason the pain extends to your back
Well, I think not eating on time can also be a major cause of peptic ulcer because…. The gastric juice is secreted to act on food ingested in to the stomach, so when it’s secreted and there’s no food for it to act on then it started acting on the lining of the stomach thereby eroding it and causing ulcer
now for the foodies, the gastric juice is not only secreted when food was eaten, it is also secreted when you think of food, perceive the aroma of food, or when you long for a food for too long…. So, them foodies practically think of food almost all the time, they even do so while eating…. Consequently the more they think about food the more the secretion of the gastric juice which leads to the over flowing of the acid in the stomach also and thereby eroding the lining of the stomach again and causing ulcer…. I stand to be corrected Aa we are all here to learn.
Thanks for reading
You see, your first paragraph is the main misconception a lot of people have.
I only recently found out after thorough research and online interviews.
“Failing to Eat on Time” and “Starvation” are two different things.
Normally, The epithelium of the stomach is intrinsically resistant to the damaging effects of gastric acid.
The Hcl in the lumen doesn’t really erode the stomach mucosa because goblet cells in the mucosa secrete large quantities of protective mucus that line the mucosal surface.
But under starvation, there is notable a decrease in mucosal secretion. Thus, permitting the secreted gastric acid to actually have an effect on the stomach lining
The Article didn’t expatiate on Starvation Ulcers but on the Myth which is “Failing to eat on time is the main cause of ulcer”
Your second and third paragraph can’t be really placed as a medical advice though because there’s no real connection between thinking about food and developing ulcers.
Thanks for Engaging, once again.
This is an eye opener really. When i was diagnosed of duodenal ulcer i saw H. Pylori in the test results but i was told dat i had ulcer so i didnt even know what it meant primarily because my senior brother also has it and at the same time was abstaining from certain food that we all normally eat so i thought maybe those food stuffs gave me ulcer and till date, i still abstain from them. Thats 3 years now
But i also find relief by not eating pepperish food and the likes infact, i stopped eating bread and more for this same reason
The case is, i was told that bread is carbohydrate and that after eating it, in the gut it brokes down to alcohol, then acid and the acid is harmful to the sours. The pain is excruciating so i only have to obey and guess what, i found relief in not eating bread as well….
Havnt eaten bread now since september last year.
I still eat pepperish food though, can’t do without.
Favour all the way
Really learnt a lot. But I heard drinking water on empty stomach or when feeling the pain is not advisable cos it will increase the opened sore
It’s really an eye opener but my question is does chronic peptic ulcer leads to asphyxia?
Pepper does not cause ulcer, it could trigger your symptoms though, cause acid reflux and heartburn
Thanks so much Favour!
It’s really educative!
Am learning!
Well speaking of the issue of Starvation, I guess that’s the reason why ppl going on a long fast are advised to at least drink water consistently or if possible take fruits as well…. It’s risky going on dry fast for a long period of time.
Also can it be said that skipping meals at night give the H.pylori more avenue to act on the mucosa of the stomach than during the day?