Pig out amp; be damned

quot;Hurry, worry, curry.quot; Mix the three and you would have the traditional recipe for an ulcer. But not any more. In the last two ...

quot;Hurry, worry, curry.quot; Mix the three and you would have the traditional recipe for an ulcer. But not any more. In the last two decades, important discoveries have radically changed the way doctors approach an ulcer.

Simply speaking, a deep break in the internal lining of the stomach or duodenum upper part of intestine is called an ulcer. Occurring in the abdomen, ulcers are broadly classified into two types. Those occurring in the stomach are called gastric ulcers and those occurring in the upper part of the duodenum are called duodenal ulcers.

A senior gastroenterologist at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, says that around 15 years ago, it was discovered that a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori was the main culprit in the formation of an ulcer. The discovery shattered many previous concepts surrounding ulcers and changed not only methods of treatment, but also the prognosis for a patient. 8220;It was a revolution in the treatment of the disease,8221; the gastroenterologist says.

Today doctors credit 80 per cent of ulcer cases to this bacteria, though other factors like genetic disposition, spicy diet, smoking, alcohol and certain drugs also create conducive conditions for an ulcer.

The Helicobacter bacteria is transmitted from person to person, through the fecal-oral route and even through water. The bacteria has adapted itself to thrive in the acidic environment of the stomach and produces toxins that effect the mucosa, causing an ulcer. The diagnosis of a bacterial ulcer is done through endoscopic biopsy, where tissue samples are taken for culture.

Ulcers usually manifest themselves during the 20s and 30s of a person8217;s life. If an ulcer occurs at a later stage, it is likely that it is malignant. The patient must have proper tests done to rule out malignancy, especially in gastric ulcers.

An almost certain indicator of an ulcer is a strong food-pain relationship. Pain may occur after ingesting food or may subside after intake of food. The pain occurs in the centre of the abdomen or the right side. Nocturnal pain is also a classic symptom. Apart from pain, nausea, vomiting and bleeding too indicate an ulcer.

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An ulcer is usually a self-curing phenomenon. Most ulcers, if not interfered with, heal on their own, although thay may reccur later. Today, surgery is used minimally to tackle an ulcer; usually a combination of antibiotics and anti-acid secretory agents does the trick. Surgery becomes necessary only when ulcers burst or bleed. Though there is no complete cure for an ulcer as patients have a high recurrence rate, doctors have been successful in bringing down the recurrence rate from 80 per cent to 15 per cent.

Doctors do not suggest any specific precautions for ulcer patients but advise them to avoid anything that causes the onset of symptoms. They suggest avoiding analgesics, tea or coffee on an empty stomach and recommend short meals at regular intervals.