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Understanding Ulcers
What Is an Ulcer?
An ulcer is a sore, which means an open, painful wound. When people talk about ulcers, though, they usually mean peptic ulcers. These form in the stomach or the upper part of the small intestine, called the duodenum. They cause sharp or burning stomach pain.
This pain often comes a few hours after eating. It can also happen during the night or early in the morning, when the stomach is empty. Eating something usually makes the pain go away.
Kids don't usually get peptic ulcers, but they're common in adults. Doctors say that in the United States, 1 in every 10 people will eventually get an ulcer.
What Causes Ulcers?
For almost 100 years, doctors believed that ulcers were caused by stress and spicy foods. Then, in 1982, two doctors made a great discovery. They discovered that a certain kind of bacteria lives and grows in the stomach. And these bacteria were causing most ulcers. The type of bacteria is called Helicobacter pylori. That's a little hard to say, so you can call it by its nickname: H. pylori.
This is a big discovery because once doctors knew that bacteria caused ulcers, they could give people special medicines called antibiotics. Antibiotics kill bacteria. No more bacteria, no more painful ulcers causing those bad stomach pains.
Here's how doctors believe the H. pylori bacteria cause ulcers:
Bacteria weaken the protective coating of the stomach and upper small intestine.
Acid in the stomach then gets through to the sensitive tissues lining the digestive system underneath.
Acid and bacteria directly irritate this lining to the point where sores, or ulcers, are caused.
Who Has H. Pylori Infection?
By testing someone's blood, doctors can figure out if he or she has been exposed to H. pylori. When tested, lots of people have H. pylori infections. Almost 2 out of every 10 people younger than 40 have this infection! But here's the weird part: Most infected people do not develop ulcers.
Although H. pylori are responsible for most cases of ulcers, ulcers can happen for other reasons, too. Regularly taking a lot of pain relievers, like aspirin or ibuprofen, can cause ulcers in some people. Ulcers can also be caused by cancer of the stomach or pancreas. This happens rarely, however, and almost never in kids. Also, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes can contribute to getting an ulcer.
Going to the Doctor
Any time you have stomach problems, you should tell your mom or dad. Often, it's a good idea to go to the doctor. When you're a kid, the problem probably won't be an ulcer. But if you know any grown-ups who have burning stomach pain, tell them to go the doctor. Ulcers can get worse if they're not treated.
Doctors can do a blood test to check for H. pylori, as well as other tests. Some tests take a kind of X-ray of the stomach and other parts of the digestive system. Another test uses a skinny, lighted tube with a little camera on the end. The tube is guided down a person's throat and stomach, so a doctor can actually see what's going on down there.
Medicines for Ulcers
If someone has an ulcer, the person may get medicine to kill the H. pylori. They also may take other medicine to lessen the amount of acid in the person's stomach. This protects the lining of the stomach so the ulcer can heal.
Ulcer Prevention
Doctors are still figuring out how H. pylori bacteria get from one person to another. The bacteria have been found in saliva, so kissing may be one way! It also may spread through food, water, or vomit that has been infected with the bacteria.
So, one way to prevent ulcers is to wash your hands. This is especially important after you use the bathroom and before eating. Wash those H. pylori right down the drain!
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Understanding Ulcers
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