What is an Ulcer?

Question

How do i know if i have an Ulcer? I have really bad heartburn at night and when i use the bathroom there is blood. what are symptoms of an Ulcer? thanks ahead of time for your answers!

Answer 1

Broadly speaking an ulcer is a non-healing would that develops on the skin or on a mucous membrane.

You most likely have a problem with your GI tract but there could be a number of causes. Melaena (blood in the faeces) is a symptom of a large number of conditions, if it's fresh blood it's likely to be a problem in the lower part of the tract, if it's dark, tarry blood it's more likely to be a problem in the stomach or small intestine.

Reflux is a symptom of gastric and duodenal ulcers but can also exist independantly.

Other symptoms of ulcers include; weight loss and loss of appetite, RUQ pain, haematemesis and a feeling of abdominal bloating.

Ultimately, you need to see a doctor who can refer you for colonoscopy and oesophogeogastroduodenoscopy.

EDT: Is copying wikipedia plaigerism?

Answer 2

Stomach Ulcers, or Peptic Ulcers as they are often called, don't really burst. They are more of a hole or erosion in the stomach lining. Because of the stomach acid, they can be very painful. I have had ulcers since I was 14 and they suck!

Answer 3

Ulcers are of different types. U obviously mean peptic ulcers (of the stomach).

Symptoms of a peptic ulcer can be:

* Abdominal pain, classically epigastric with severity relating to mealtimes (duodenal ulcers are classically relieved by food, while gastric ulcers are exacerbated by it);
* Bloating and abdominal fullness
* Waterbrash (bitter regurgitation)
* Nausea, and sometimes vomiting
* Loss of appetite and weight loss;
* Hematemesis (vomiting of blood);
* Melena (tarry, foul-smelling feces due to oxidised iron from hemoglobin);
* Rarely, an ulcer can lead to a gastric or duodenal perforation. This is extremely painful and requires immediate surgery.

A history of heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and use of certain forms of medication can raise the suspicion for peptic ulcer. Medicines associated with peptic ulcer include NSAID (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs) that inhibit cyclooxygenase, and most glucocorticoids (e.g. dexamethasone and prednisolone).

Answer 4

An ulcer (from Latin ulcus) is an open sore of the skin, eyes or mucous membrane, often caused by an initial abrasion and generally maintained by an inflammation an infection. Or in other words, it is a macroscopic discontinuity of the normal epithelium (microscopic discontinuity of epithelium is called erosion).

Ulcers are non-healing wounds that develop on the skin, mucous membranes or eye. Although they have many causes, they are marked by:

Loss of integrity of the area
Secondary infection of the site by bacteria, fungus or virus
Generalized weakness of the patient
A lengthy healing time

Answer 5

an ulcer generally means an area where normal tissue has atrophied or died away. ie in your mouth, stomach, skin. Whats left is underlying tissue that is not normally exposed- this is the problem- ie in stomach it can bleed, in your mouth it hurts, on your skin it gets infected and doesnt heal as normal.

Answer 6

change in your eating habits to avoid peptic and gastric ulcers

Answer 7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulcer

Answer 8

Please see the webpages for more details on Peptic ulcer.