What is stomach ulcers, symptoms, causes and treatments
Gastric ulcers are a common disease of the digestive tract, accounting for 26% of the population . The disease also has a high recurrence rate, so you must always understand the symptoms and causes to treat it thoroughly.
1. What is stomach ulcer?
Gastric ulcers are a condition in which damage to the stomach causes the protective mucosal layer to eventually erode, exposing the underlying tissue layer. In addition, these lesions can also appear at the beginning of the small intestine, also known as the duodenum.
2. Symptoms of stomach ulcers
Stomach ulcers have many symptoms ranging from severe to mild. Sometimes there are symptoms that can easily be confused with common digestive disorders and ignored. Specifically, some common symptoms include:
2.1 Epigastric pain

Epigastric pain is a common sign for people with stomach ulcers. These pains will often appear when hungry or about 2-3 hours after eating, and in the wee hours of the morning, causing insomnia and restless sleep. The pain appears dull, abdominal pain or intermittent cramping.
2.2 Burning epigastric pain, belching, heartburn
Symptoms of epigastric burning often appear in the early stages of the disease, accompanied by belching and heartburn after eating.
2.3 Bloating, indigestion, nausea
Stomach ulcers are also one of the causes of poor digestion. This causes the patient to experience feelings of fullness, bloating, indigestion, or even nausea and vomiting.
2.4 Digestive disorders
This symptom causes some patients to subjectively only use common digestive stimulation products, which immediately relieve symptoms and do not help completely resolve the cause of this condition recurring again and again.
2.5 Fatigue, unusual weight loss
People with stomach disease due to unstable digestion cause fatigue and loss of appetite, leading to uncontrolled weight loss.
The symptoms listed can be easily seen immediately, but to have high accuracy in diagnosing the disease, you need to see a specialist. This will help you know the exact location and extent of the injury as well as test for the existence of HP bacteria to determine a treatment course and choose appropriate support products.
3. What causes stomach ulcers?
3.1 Due to Hp bacteria

According to statistics, up to 70% of people with stomach diseases are infected with Hp. The activity of this type of bacteria mainly takes place in the mucous membranes, however when dormant they do not cause any harm to the stomach, only when encountering a favorable environment (inflammation, ulcers) will they secrete toxins. . In particular, patients need to note that Hp bacteria can easily be cross-transmitted through daily food and drink.
3.2 Stress and prolonged stress
Nervous factors are also one of the stimulating causes of stomach ulcers. Specifically, prolonged pressure and stress will cause the central nervous system to cut off blood flow to the stomach, digestion may be stagnant, thereby affecting digestive contractions and reducing secretions. Necessary fluids lead to stomach damage.
3.3 Lack of moderation in living, unscientific eating
Eating irregular meals, consuming a lot of fast food, alcoholic beverages, unhygienic food or often staying up late are favorable conditions for stomach ulcers to appear.
In addition, the use of many antibiotics, pain relievers, and anti-inflammatory drugs without following doctor’s instructions is also the reason why the stomach lining is damaged.
Some methods of treating stomach ulcers
To effectively treat stomach ulcers, patients must first see a specialist to be examined and determine the cause of the disease. Based on the results, each patient will have a suitable regimen.
Some medications commonly used in the treatment of stomach diseases are:
● Antacids help neutralize acid in gastric juice.
● Drugs that reduce acid secretion.
● Proton pump inhibitors.
● Coating drugs help create a cover around the ulcer.
● Antibiotics kill Hp bacteria.