Stomach ulcers are fairly common, affecting around 4 million Americans a year.

Causes of Stomach Ulcers

There was a time when people used to believe that they could get ulcers from living lives that were too stressful or that an ulcer was caused by something that they were eating. The truth of the matter is that most stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers are caused not by not stress or diet but in fact a bacterial infection or some medications. Esophageal ulcers are normally related to the reflux of stomach acid

Research shows that 80% of gastric ulcers and 90% of duodenal ulcers are caused by infection with a corkscrew-shaped bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). H. pylori lives and multiplies within the mucous layer that covers and protects the tissues that line both the stomach and the small intestine.

It is quite often the case that H. pylori exists without causing any problems, however sometimes it can disrupt the mucous layer and inflame the lining of either the stomach or the duodenum, producing an ulcer

Other factors that play a role in the development of ulcers of the stomach and duodenal include smoking, caffeine ingestion, drinking alcohol to excess, emotional stress (which increases the pain of ulcers but does not cause them), and also the regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin.

Stomach Ulcer Symptoms

Some people have a stomach ulcer and not have any symptoms.

Usually when a person has an ulcer they will feel a gnawing or burning sensation in the abdomen between the navel and the breastbone. They will usually find that these sensations happen between meals or in the early hours of the morning. They may feel these sensations for a few minutes or it is possible that the sensations may last for a few hours.

Other symptoms of a peptic ulcer include belching, feeling tired and weak, nausea, loss of weight, and also poor appetite.

Complications

The most common complication that is experienced is gastrointestinal bleeding. This happens when the ulcer erodes one of the blood vessels and can be life-threatening.

Another extremely serious complication is perforation, or a hole in the gastro-intestinal wall. When this happens the content of the stomach or intestines spill into the abdominal cavity.

Individuals with these types of ulcers can experience complications that include: bleeding of the ulcer, perforation of the ulcer, a narrowing or obstruction at the end of the stomach, where the duodenum is attached, caused by swelling and scarring from the ulcer.

Diagnosis

There are several tests used to make the diagnosis including an upper GI, endoscopy, and blood, breath and stomach tissue tests.

Ulcers can be diagnosed by having an upper GI (gastrointestinal) series, which are x-rays of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. These x-rays are used to help pinpoint where the ulcer is located. The patient is asked to swallow a chalky liquid called barium in order for the ulcer to show up on the x-rays.

Treatment

Treatment for a peptic ulcer may be a combination of medications and antibiotics and in rare cases,surgery.

Your doctor will determine the correct treatment for you depending upon the size and location of the ulcer. Other factors that will determine your treatment include your age and state of your overall health, your medical history, and your tolerance for medications, procedures and therapies.

You may be advised to make some lifestyle changes including avoiding or limiting any foods that are irritating to your symptoms, and if you smoke you will be advised to stop. Smoking has been shown to delay the healing of ulcers.

There is a risk of about 1 in 100 of developing stomach cancer in a person’s lifetime and although the disease affects people of both sexes the risk is slightly higher in men than it is in women

Causes of Stomach Cancer

The cause of this type of cancer is not known and is the subject of ongoing research.

Having said that, there are a number of risk factors for stomach cancer that are known to make a person more likely to get the disease, including the following:

Helicobacter pylori infection - it is thought that infection with Helicobacter pylori (which is a type of bacteria) is a cause of stomach cancer, in particular cancers which are in the lower part of the stomach.

Diet - a diet that includes large amounts of smoked foods, salted fish or meats, foods that are high in starch and low in fiber, pickled vegetables, and also foods and beverages that contain nitrates and nitrites can increase the risk of stomach cancer.

Tobacco use - the incidence of stomach cancer amongst smokers is around twice that of people who do not smoke

Age and Sex - Stomach cancer is more common amongst men than it is amongst women, and the majority of people diagnosed with stomach cancer are in their 60s or older

Other risk factors include having type A blood, having undergone previous stomach surgery, having a family history of stomach cancer, and being exposed to workplace environmental factors such as dust and fumes.

Symptoms of Stomach Cancer

One of the reasons why it is so difficult to detect stomach cancer early is because it is rare for stomach cancer to cause symptoms in the early stages.

Someone with stomach cancer may have the following symptoms: a burning sensation that may be indigestion, or heartburn; discomfort or a pain in the abdomen, bloating after eating, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting with or without blood. It is important to note that most of these symptoms are far more likely to occur with non-cancerous conditions than they are to be evidence of stomach cancer.

Your doctor will want to examine you if you suspect that you have any of the above symptoms and no other medical condition can be determined. A physical examination, and a medical history will be taken from you on your first visit. Diagnostic tests will be ordered to help rule out other diseases or conditions and to confirm the presence of stomach cancer.

Tests for Stomach Cancer

There are a number of different tests for stomach cancer including the following.

Upper Endoscopy. This is the main test used to diagnose stomach cancer and is a procedure where the doctor can examine the inside of your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum by placing a thin lighted tube, called an endoscope, down your throat. A sample tissue may be taken to be sent for biopsy.

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) series. This is an x-ray test that looks at the esophagus, stomach and the first part of the small intestine. This is the test that requires you to drink a solution that contains barium.

Fecal occult blood test, which is when you place a small stool sample on a special card. The sample is tested in the doctor’s office or may be sent to a laboratory for testing.

Another test is the endoscopic ultrasound, which is an imaging technique where sound waves are used to create a computer image for the doctor to look at your esophagus and stomach . For this procedure a small transducer is placed on the tip of an endoscope which goes down the throat and is guided into the stomach.

Stomach Cancer Treatment

Treatment for stomach cancer if you have it may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and also surgery to remove any cancerous tissue. A gastrectomy may be done to remove part of the stomach.

The treatment an individual patient receives will depend on many factors, including the location and stage of the tumor, the patient’s age, general state of health, and personal preferences.

The six main types of hepatitis virus are: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, Hepatitis E, and Hepatitis G.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is the type that is spread by fecal-oral contact or fecal-infected food and water, or it may also in rare cases be spread by blood-borne infection.

Hepatitis A can be contracted when you consume food that somebody touched who had infected feces on their hands when they touched the food. You can get the hepatitis A virus by drinking water that is contaminated with infected feces. You can also get it by touching an infected person’s feces.

You may encounter large outbreaks of Hepatitis A in large childcare centers, when children are in diapers and caregivers do not wash their hands between diaper changes and there are children present with the disease.

You can also contract Hepatitis from sexual contact with a person who has the disease.

There is now a vaccine for Hepatitis A.

Hepatitis B

This hepatitis can be mild and present no symptoms, or it can be chronic, and in some cases even result in liver failure and death. You can contract the hepatitis B virus by way of blood and body fluid exposure such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or by saliva. An infant can also contract the disease when born to a woman who has the disease. A child who has hepatitis B can infect other children easily through the sharing of saliva, and also by direct contact through cuts and scrapes.

People who are at high risk for contracting Hepatitis B are those who are:

• Born to mothers with hepatitis B
• Born to mothers who have come from a country where hepatitis B is widespread (Asia, China).
• Living in long-term facilities and who are disabled
• Living in the same household as someone who has hepatitis B.
• Hemophilia patients
• Receiving dialysis for kidney failure
• Using IV drugs or have unprotected heterosexual or homosexual sexual contact
• In contact with blood products as part of their occupation

A vaccine for hepatitis is now in use as part of routine childhood immunization.

Hepatitis C

This virus shows mild if any symptoms and according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis C is the leading cause for liver transplantation. At the present time no mode of transmission for hepatitis C has been identified. It is known that individuals that have alcoholic liver disease often get hepatitis C.

Other individuals at risk for hepatitis C include:

• Babies born to moms who have the disease
• People with blood clotting disorders such as hemophilia that received clotting factors prior to 1987
• People who receive dialysis for kidney failure
• Those individuals who received blood transfusions prior to 1992.
• People who participate in high-risk activities such as IV drug usage, and unprotected sex with heterosexual or homosexual partners

There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C.

Hepatitis D

You can only get hepatitis D if you have hepatitis B.

Hepatitis E

Is similar to hepatitis A but is less common than hepatitis A. It is seen in poorly developed countries.

Hepatitis G

This is the newest strain of hepatitis and is thought to occur through blood transmission. It is common in IV drug users, those with clotting disorders, and those who require hemodialysis for renal failure. There are usually no clinical symptoms of hepatitis G.

The digestive system does three things: it mixes food,it moves the food through the digestive tract, and it also initiates a chemical breakdown of larger molecules of food into smaller more useable molecules. The digestive process begins with your mouth when you take in the food and drink, and ends with the small intestine where the waste products exit the body.

In between the mouth and the small intestine is the rest of the digestive system; the digestive tract and other organs that also aid in digestion. The digestive tract is made up of several hollow organs that are joined in a long, twisting tube starting at the mouth and ending at the anus. The digestive system includes: the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and the anus.

Your body has organs that play a part in the digestive process without being part of the digestive system. These organs are the tongue, the glands in the mouth that secrete saliva, the pancreas, the liver and also the gallbladder. There are also other sections of other body system that play a vital role in the digestive process such as blood and nerves.

The digestive system moves the food and liquid along the digestive tract by a wave-like movement called peristalsis.

When you take that first bite of food or first gulp of liquid a voluntary process begins called swallowing. The rest of the movement through the system changes to a involuntary movement.

The food and liquid follow the tract in orderly fashion being moved along by these involuntary movements.

The first area that the food and liquid pass through is the esophagus, then the stomach. The stomach has 3 functions to complete in the digestive process - it stores, mixes and empties food and liquid.

After the stomach has completed these three functions it empties the contents into the small intestine. The juices of the pancreas, liver, and intestine are used to further digest the food, and then the contents of the small intestine are mixed and pushed further where it is further digested.

The digested nutrients are absorbed through the intestine walls and the waste products (the parts not used by the body), including undigested parts of food (fiber, and older cells shed by the mucosa) then move into the colon. These products remain in the colon for one or two days until they are expelled by a bowel movement.

Lactose intolerance is where digestive diseases or injury to the small intestine render the body unable to digest lactase, which is a sugar in milk products.

Amongst the symptoms that the individual with lactose intolerance may have are bloating, cramping, gas, diarrhea, and also nausea. The extent to which the symptoms are felt depends on how much milk products have been consumed.

Testing For Lactose Intolerance

A doctor may diagnose lactose intolerance by performing diagnostic tests on an outpatient basis. These tests are usually performed at a hospital laboratory, in a clinic, or at the doctor’s office.

Tests:

Lactose tolerance test - this is when the absorption of lactose is measured. The patient has to fast before the test and then drink a liquid that contains lactose. Several blood tests are taken over a two hour period of time. The glucose (blood sugar) level is measured. This test measures how well the person’s body digests lactose.

The hydrogen breath test is when the patient drinks a lactose heavy drink, and the patient’s breath is then analyzed at regular intervals in order to measure the hydrogen in the breath. Bacteria ferment undigested lactose in the colon, which then results in gases being produced including hydrogen. High levels of hydrogen in the breath are an indication of lactose not being properly digested by the system.

Once diagnosed, the doctor will discuss treatment with the patient. The treatment should improve the body’s ability to handle lactose by proper diet or by adding lactase enzymes to the diet. Children should be under the care of a doctor because of the vital need for milk products for healthy growth.

Sometimes lactose is found in unlikely foods because it is added to prepared foods such as bread and other baked goods, instant potatoes, processed breakfast cereals, soups, breakfast drinks, margarine, lunch meats (not kosher ones), salad dressings, candies and other snack items, and mixes such as those for pancakes, biscuits and cookies.

You also have to be very careful about non-dairy products such as coffee creamer and whipped toppings because they could be made with ingredients that are derived from milk, and can therefore also contain lactose.

Labels can be deceptive as they may not say “milk” but still contain milk products, so always be sure to carefully read labels when buying products and look for the following words:

Curds

Dry milk solids

Milk by-products

Nonfat dry milk powder

Whey

People who are lactose intolerant can receive the calcium that their bodies need by eating non-dairy foods such as green vegetables, fish such as salmon and sardines that have soft bones , and also yogurt, which is an excellent way to receive calcium. Yogurt has active cultures that actually produce some of the lactase enzymes required for proper digestion.

Ulcerative colitis is where the lining of the large intestine (that is the bowel and the colon) and the rectum become inflamed. The inflammation typically begins in the rectum and the lower intestine (sigmoid) and then spreads upwards to the rest of the colon.

People with ulcerative colitis can experience different symptoms including abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, anemia which is caused by the rectal bleeding, fatigue, loss of body fluids and nutrients, weight loss, and also loss of appetite. Common symptoms include diarrhea and a frequent need to empty the colon. Ulcers (open sores) form that cause pus, mucus and bleeding.

The disease can run in families and usually affects individuals of either sex between the ages of 15 and 40. Ulcerative colitis requires long-term care and there may be remissions (periods of no symptoms). Remissions can last for months or even years. However as this is a long term disease the symptoms do return . The disease is rarely fatal and in those cases where fatality occurs it is due to complications. The risk for individuals with ulcerative colitis to get colon cancer is no higher than anyone else.

People with ulcerative colitis may also experience anemia, inflammation of the eyes, liver disorders, osteoporosis, joint pain, skin lesions, rashes and kidney stones.

Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is a chronic condition that involves the small intestine. Inflammation may involve the entire digestive tract, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, appendix, duodenum and also the anus. You may also hear Crohn’s disease referred to as ileitis or enteritis. Crohn’s disease runs in families, and occurs in both males and females.

The symptoms are abdominal pain, usually in the lower right area of the abdomen, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and fever and weight loss.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome is an intestinal disorder that some people have misconceptions about and incorrectly refer to the disease by other names such as colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, spastic bowel or functional bowel disease. IBS is a functional disorder.

A person affected with IBS may experience cramps, gas, bloating, and also changes in their normal bowel habits. Stress may worsen IBS but it does not cause it.

IBS does not cause permanent harm to the intestines; it does not lead to intestinal bleeding of the bowel and does not lead to any serious disease such as cancer. There is also no link at all between IBS and Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Somebody who has IBS has a more sensitive colon than the average person. It does not take much for the colon to spasm when the person has IBS. Women who have IBS tend to have more symptoms during their period, which may mean that the reproductive hormones have something to do with increased IBS symptoms.

Common conditions like indigestion can make you feel uncomfortable but you can usually get better with little or no treatment. On the other hand there are diseases that can affect parts of the digestive system which can have a long lasting impact on the functioning of the system. An example of this kind of disease is inflammatory bowel disease, also known simply as IBD. If a person has IBD, a specialist called a gastroenterologist is called upon to help them deal with the disease.

There are three common conditions that individual can have that affect the esophagus: Tracheoesophageal fistula and esophageal atresia are congenital conditions. These conditions are usually detected soon after birth and both require surgery in order for the digestive systems to work in babies with these conditions.

Esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus and is a noncongenital condition. Those people who suffer from esophagitis usually have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which causes the esophagitis. GERD can sometimes be healed with lifestyle changes such as by making changes in food selection but usuallythe patient needs medication to bring relief. Sometimes taking a certain medication or an infection can cause esophagitis.

Most people at one time or another experience diarrhea and constipation. One not so common stomach and intestinal disorder is Celiac disease, which is caused by an abnormal response that the immune system has to a protein called gluten found in certain foods that we eat. When people with Celiac disease eat foods that contain gluten, damage can be done to the lining of the intestines. Symptoms that they may experience include abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea.

Gastritis a condition in which the lining of the stomach becomes irritated or inflamed and peptic ulcers (sores or holes) form in the lining of the stomach or duodenum causing pain and/or bleeding. Both of these conditions can be relieved with medication.

A chronic inflammation of the intestines that affects older kids, teens, and adults is an inflammation of the intestines. There are two types of IBD - ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Both types are treated with medication, and if needed surgery to remove inflamed or damaged parts of the intestine.

Most people have heard of Cystic fibrosis, a chronic, inherited disease in which production of thick mucus blocks the ducts in the pancreas. This blockage prevents digestive juices from entering into the intestines. Without these juices it is difficult to break down and digest fats and proteins. When these ingredients are not digested the body can’t use them and they pass through the body without being used.

Liver damage is a possibility when people contract hepatitis, which is a viral infection of the liver.

Cholecystitis is when the gallbladder becomes inflamed and gallstones can develop. Teens can get cholecystitis particularly if they have sickle cell anemia or if they have been treated with certain long-term medications.

Symptoms to look for include:

Bowel habit changes from what you normally experience

Bleeding from the rectum or seeing blood in your stools.

Cramping or a gnawing stomach pain

Vomiting

Weakness or fatigue

Jaundice (yellowish coloring to your skin or sclera of the eye)

The symptoms of this type of cancer can mimic other less serious conditions and diseases such as infections, hemorrhoids, and inflammatory bowel disease. Catching colorectal cancer early means there is a very good chance for a cure. An individual may not experience any symptoms and still have colorectal cancer.

Risk Factors

Colorectal cancer can affect people of any age, but the majority of people who have colorectal cancer are over the age of 50.

Those who eat diets which are high in fat and calories and low in fiber are more likely to contract this cancer.

Individuals who have polyps (benign growths) such as those in people over 50 are common leading symptoms for colorectal cancer.

Those people who have a family history of colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine or breast cancers all have a slightly increased risk compared with the population at large. Other people with an increased risk of this disease are those with ulcerative colitis.

Individuals who are at an increased risk for colorectal cancer should receive genetic testing, or early tests from the doctor’s office so that they can catch it early if possible.

Many colon cancers can be avoided by proper diet and exercise including:

Diet and exercise by eating more fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and by avoiding high-fat, low-fiber foods, plus by getting enough exercise.

Drug therapy using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ASA, estrogen replacement therapy for women who are post-menopausal can also reduce the risk for colorectal cancer.

Screenings can also help to prevent colorectal cancer at appropriate ages. Catching this cancer early is the single most important thing individuals can do if they are in the high-risk group.

Even people who do not have risk factors or symptoms of colorectal disease should still receive screenings such as digital rectal examination, signoidoscopy, colonoscopy and also the barium enema with air contrast.

Treatment

If you are diagnosed with colorectal cancer the treatment you receive will depend on your age, your overall health at the time, the extent of the disease, your tolerance for medications, what the doctor suspects will be the expectation for the course of the disease, and of course your own input and preferences. Treatment also depends on the stage of the cancer tumor, if it has spread and how far it has spread by the time it is caught.

Amongst the treatments your doctor may suggest are colon surgery, radiation treatment and chemotherapy.

There are six steps involved in accomplishing the task that the digestive system does. All of these six steps require movement through the system and a wave-like movement called peristalsis accomplishes the movement. Muscles that propel the food and liquid along the digestive tract accomplish peristalsis. Here are the six steps that are taken during the whole process of digesting what we eat and drink:

Step 1

The process begins when the body smells or tastes food and drink and salivates because of hunger or thirst as part of getting ready to eat or drink. We put the food and drink into our mouth and the first movement (swallowing) occurs. This first movement is a voluntary movement. It is voluntary because we decide to swallow, it is a conscious act on our part to do the swallowing. Once this first act of movement (swallowing) is accomplished all the other movements along the digestive tract are not involuntary. Involuntary means that the body automatically does it without our having to make the decision for the movement to happen. Our nerves control this involuntary movement action.

Step 2

The second step happens in the esophagus, which is what connects the throat and the stomach. The stomach is the first organ in the involuntary process that is under the control of our nerves. The esophagus moves what we eat and drink from the back of our throat to the entrance of our stomach.

Step 3

The third step involves the ring like valve that closes the passage between the two organs (esophagus and stomach). When the food gets near to the ring, the muscles around the ring relax and allow food to pass from the esophagus into the stomach.

Step 4
This is when the food enters the stomach, and completes the three tasks of the stomach. The three tasks that the stomach has to do with the food are to store it, mix it, and then empty it.

At the top of the stomach is the large muscle that relaxes in order to accept the large volumes of food and liquid that we take in each day. This is also where the stomach stores the food and liquid right after it accepts the material.

At this point the lower part of the stomach gets into the action, by mixing the food, liquid, and digestive juices that are produced by the stomach. This mixing action is accomplished by muscle action.

The last task of the stomach is to empty the contents of the stomach into the small intestine.

Step 5

This stage is where the food is digested into smaller molecules while it is in the small intestine . It dissolves the molecules of food by the juices of the pancreas, liver, and intestine, and then mixes the contents of the intestine and pushes them forward to allow for further digestion.

Step 6

The final step in the digestion process is where the nutrients from all of the digested material need to be absorbed by the walls of the intestine. The parts of the material that are not to be used as nutrients for the growth of cells or energy for the body are called “wastes”. The waste products are made up of not only the unused parts of what has been digested, but also of food parts that are known as “fiber”, older cells that have been shed by the mucosa. All of these waste products are now moved into the colon. Once in the colon the waste products remain for approximately one to two days until muscles move them along to be expelled as a bowel movement out your anus.

The end result of any of the tasks of the digestive system not functioning properly is a digestive system disorder. This could either be because of a congenital issue or because of some kind of illness that has affected the digestive process.