| Treatment of Ulcers | | | | Treatment of Ulcers |
| Ulcers are sores on the lining of your digestive tract. | | | | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Your digestive tract consists of the esophagus, | | | | (CDC), with other government agencies, academic |
| stomach, duodenum (the first part of the intestines) | | | | institutions, and industry, launches a national education |
| and intestines. Most ulcers are located in the | | | | campaign to inform health care providers and |
| duodenum. These ulcers are called duodenal ulcers. | | | | consumers about the link between H. pylori and ulcers. |
| Ulcers located in the stomach are called gastric ulcers. | | | | This campaign reinforces the news that ulcers are a |
| Ulcers in the esophagus are called esophageal ulcers. | | | | curable infection, and the fact that health can be |
| What Causes Ulcers? | | | | greatly improved and money saved by disseminating |
| Use of painkillers called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory | | | | information about H. pylori. Medical researchers |
| drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, naproxen (Aleve, | | | | sequence the H. pylori genome. This discovery can |
| Anaprox, Naprosyn, and others), ibuprofen (Motrin, | | | | help scientists better understand the bacterium and |
| Advil, Midol, and others), and many others available by | | | | design more effective drugs to fight it. |
| prescription. Even aspirin coated with a special | | | | Medications |
| substance can still cause ulcers. | | | | H2-blockers reduce the amount of acid that the |
| Ulcers are sores on the lining of your digestive tract. | | | | stomach makes. These medicines include cimetidine |
| Your digestive tract consists of the esophagus, | | | | (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid) and |
| stomach, duodenum (the first part of the intestines) | | | | nizatidine (Axid). A single bedtime dose starts healing a |
| and intestines. Most ulcers are located in the | | | | duodenal ulcer in four weeks and a gastric ulcer in six |
| duodenum. These ulcers are called duodenal ulcers. | | | | to eight weeks. Studies have shown that a protein in |
| Ulcers located in the stomach are called gastric ulcers. | | | | the stomach called histamine stimulates gastric acid |
| Ulcers in the esophagus are called esophageal ulcers. | | | | secretion. Histamine antagonists (H2 blockers) are |
| Signs and symptoms | | | | drugs designed to block the action of histamine on |
| Stomach pain is the most common symptom of an | | | | gastric cells, hence reducing acid output. Examples of |
| ulcer. It usually feels like sharp aches between the | | | | H2 blockers are cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine |
| breastbone and the belly button. This pain often comes | | | | (Zantac), nizatidine (Axid), and famotidine (Pepcid). |
| a few hours after eating. It can also happen during the | | | | If the peptic ulcer is due to use of nonsteroidal |
| night or early in the morning, when the stomach is | | | | anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), they should be |
| empty. Eating something or taking an antacid | | | | discontinued because they slow or prevent healing. |
| medication sometimes makes the pain go away for | | | | NSAIDs are available both by prescription and |
| awhile.Often be temporarily relieved by eating certain | | | | over-the-counter. Nonprescription NSAIDs include |
| foods that buffer stomach acid or by taking an | | | | aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). |
| acid-reducing medication | | | | Doctors may recommend NSAIDs with a lower risk |
| Come and go for a few days or weeks | | | | for causing ulcers, such as COX-2 inhibitors. |