HOMOEOPATHY FOR PEPTIC ULCERS

Peptic ulcers are open sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach , lower esophagus,   and the upper portion of the small intestine. The most common symptom of a peptic ulcer is stomach pain.

Peptic ulcers include:

·         Gastric ulcers that occur on the inside of the stomach

·         Duodenal ulcers that occur on the inside of the upper portion of your small intestine (duodenum)

The most common causes of peptic ulcers are infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and long-term use of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (Advil, Aleve, others). Stress and spicy foods do not cause peptic ulcers. However, they can make your symptoms worse.

Causes

Peptic ulcers occur when acid in the digestive tract eats away at the inner surface of the stomach or small intestine. The acid can create a painful open sore that may bleed.

 Digestive tract is coated with a mucous layer that normally protects against acid. But if the amount of acid is increased or the amount of mucus is decreased, you could develop an ulcer. Common causes include:

·         A bacterium. Helicobacter pylori bacteria commonly live in the mucous layer that covers and protects tissues that line the stomach and small intestine. Often, the H. pylori bacterium causes no problems, but it can cause inflammation of the stomach's inner layer, producing an ulcer.

It's not clear how H. pylori infection spreads. It may be transmitted from person to person by close contact, such as kissing. People may also contract H. pylori through food and water.

·         Regular use of certain pain relievers. Taking aspirin, as well as certain over-the-counter and prescription pain medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can irritate or inflame the lining of your stomach and small intestine. These medications include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve, Anaprox, others), ketoprofen and others. They do not include acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Peptic ulcers are more common in older adults who take these pain medications frequently or in people who take these medications for osteoarthritis.

·         Other medications. Taking certain other medications along with NSAIDs, such as steroids, anticoagulants, low-dose aspirin, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), alendronate (Fosamax) and risedronate (Actonel), can greatly increase the chance of developing ulcers.

Symptoms

·         Burning stomach pain

·         Feeling of fullness, bloating or belching

·         Fatty food intolerance

·         Heartburn

·         Nausea

The most common peptic ulcer symptom is burning stomach pain. Stomach acid makes the pain worse, as does having an empty stomach. The pain can often be relieved by eating certain foods that buffer stomach acid or by taking an acid-reducing medication, but then it may come back. The pain may be worse between meals and at night.

Nearly three-quarters of people with peptic ulcers don't have symptoms.

Less often, ulcers may cause severe signs or symptoms such as:

·         Vomiting or vomiting blood — which may appear red or black

·         Dark blood in stools, or stools that are black or tarry

·         Trouble breathing

·         Feeling faint

• Nausea or vomiting
• Unexplained weight loss
• Appetite changes

Risk factors

In addition to taking NSAIDs, you may have an increased risk of peptic ulcers if you:

·         Smoke. Smoking may increase the risk of peptic ulcers in people who are infected with H. pylori.

·         Drink alcohol. Alcohol can irritate and erode the mucous lining of your stomach, and it increases the amount of stomach acid that's produced.

·         Have untreated stress.

·         Eat spicy foods.

Alone, these factors do not cause ulcers, but they can make them worse and more difficult to heal.

Complications

Left untreated, peptic ulcers can result in:

·         Internal bleeding. Bleeding can occur as slow blood loss that leads to anemia or as severe blood loss that may require hospitalization or a blood transfusion. Severe blood loss may cause black or bloody vomit or black or bloody stools.

·         Infection. Peptic ulcers can eat a hole through (perforate) the wall of your stomach or small intestine, putting you at risk of serious infection of your abdominal cavity (peritonitis).

·         Obstruction. Peptic ulcers can block passage of food through the digestive tract, causing you to become full easily, to vomit and to lose weight through either swelling from inflammation or scarring.

Prevention

You may reduce your risk of peptic ulcer if you follow the same strategies recommended as home remedies to treat ulcers. It may also be helpful to:

·         Protect yourself from infections. It's not clear just how H. pylori spreads, but there's some evidence that it could be transmitted from person to person or through food and water.

You can take steps to protect yourself from infections, such as H. pylori, by frequently washing your hands with soap and water and by eating foods that have been cooked completely.

·         Use caution with pain relievers. If you regularly use pain relievers that increase your risk of peptic ulcer, take steps to reduce your risk of stomach problems. For instance, take your medication with meals.

Work with your doctor to find the lowest dose possible that still gives you pain relief. Avoid drinking alcohol when taking your medication, since the two can combine to increase your risk of stomach upset.

If you need an NSAID, you may need to also take additional medications such as an antacid, a PPI, an acid blocker or cytoprotective agent. A class of NSAIDs called COX-2 inhibitors may be less likely to cause peptic ulcers, but may increase the risk of heart attack.

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Homoeopathy today is a rapidly growing system and is being practiced all over the world. Its strength lies in its evident effectiveness as it takes a holistic approach towards the sick individual through promotion of inner balance at mental , emotional , spiritual and physical levels. When peptic ulcer  is concerned there are many effective medicines are available in Homoeopathy, but the selection depends upon the individuality of the patient , considering the mental and physical symptoms

ARGENTUM NITRICUM:  Argentum Nitricum is one of the top remedies for peptic uncers with sharp ulcerative or burning pain is felt in the stomach and radiates to other regions of the abdomen. Gnawing ulcerating pain , burning and constriction. Ulcerative pain in left side under ribs. Belching accompanies along with this complaint. Nausea , retching, and vomiting of glairy mucus. Distension of abdomen along with pain.  .

ABIES CANADENSIS:  Abies can . is an excellent remedy for gastric ulcer.There is gnawing , hungry faint feeling at the epigastrium . Burning and distension of stomach is present.Tendency to eat far beyond the capacity for digestion.There is great appetite, craving for meat, pickles, radish, turnips coarse food. Flatulence disturbs the heart’s action. Want to lie down all the time.

ABIES NIGRA: Abies nigra is prescribed when pain pain in stomach comes after eating. Sensation as if hard boiled egg had lodged in the cardiac end of stomach. Great craving for food at noon and night. It is suitable for dyspepsia of the aged. Also dyspepsia after tea or tobacco. Sour eructations.

ANACARDIUM: Anacardium is an excellent remedy for duodenal ulcer. All gone sensation when stomach is empty, better by eating, during the process of digestion.  Choke while eating and drinking. Swallows food and drink hastily. Ineffectual desire for stool, rectum seems to be plugged up. Sensation of a band or hoop around a part. Sudden loss of memory. Hypochondriac.

ARSENICUM ALBUM: Burning pains in abdomen, burns like fire, as if hot coals were applied to the parts. Better  by heat, hot drinks. Vomiting of bile, blood, brown black mucus mixed with blood. Gastralgia  worse  at mid day and mid night. Cannot bear the smell or sight of food. Excessive thirst for warm drinks at short intervals. Diarrhoea, stool scanty, dark, offensive worse after eating and drinking. Bad effects of decayed food or animal matter. Gastric derangements after fruits, ice creams, beer, strong cheese, alcohol. Fear, anxiety, restlessness. Prostration.

ATROPIUM: Chronic stomach affections. Paroxysms of gastric pains. Vomiting of all food. Hyperchlorhydrea. Pyrosis. Great dryness of throat, almost impossible to swallow.

BISMUTH: Gastralgia, pain from stomach through to spine. Vomiting of water as soon as it reaches the stomach, food retained longer, of enormous quantities at intervals of several days when food has filled the stomach. Purging, offensive stools. Pressure in stomach as from a load in one spot, alternating with burning, pain crampy, spasmodic. Anguish, always desire company.

CARBO VEGETABILIS: Carbo Veg is  an excellent remedy for peptic ulcers with   burning pain in the stomach , accompanied by sour belching or heartburn. Contractive pain extending to chest with distension of abdomen. Distress comes half an hour after eating. The pain may extend from the stomach to the back. The epigastric  region is very sensitive.  Eating the smallest amount of food, even light food, worsens the symptomsDigestion slow, the simplest food distresses.

CALCAREA CARB: Acidity of the digestive tract, sour eructations, sour vomiting, sour stool, sour odour of the whole body. Ravenous hunger. Pit of stomach swollen like an inverted saucer, painful to pressure. Aversion to milk and meat, craving for eggs. Habitual constipation, stool has to be removed mechanically. Leucophlegmatic, fair, obese persons.

CADMIUM SULPH: Burning and cutting pains in stomach. Carcinoma. Persistent vomiting, violent nausea, retching, vomiting of black, coffee ground matter, of blood. Severe prostration. Black offensive clots of blood from bowels. Chilliness and coldness.

CHINA OFFICINALIS: Hyperacidity, vomiting of undigested food. Hyndry without appetite. Excessive flatulence of stomach and bowels, fermentation, belching gives no relief. Colic at a certain hour each day, periodical. Worse at night, eating fruits, touch. Better by hard pressure, bending double. Diarrhea painless at night, undigested food particles. Haematemesis and malena. Hemorrhage long continued. Ulcers with persistent suppuration. Longing for sour things. Broken down constitution , loss of vital fluids.

CUPRESSUS LAWSONIANA: Terrible pains in stomach. Sharp, piercing and pricking pains. Increased appetite followed by loathing of food. Feeling of warmth in stomach

GERANIUM MACULATUM: Catarrhal gastritis with profuse secretion, tendency to ulceration and passive haemorrhage. Lessens the vomiting in gastric ulcer. Vomiting of blood. Atonic, foul ulcers. Constant desire to go to stool, with inability to pass anything for some time.

GRAPHITES: Graphites is prescribed when  vomiting immediately after eating food is present. Sour or foul belching. Constrictive and burning pain in the stomach.Recurrent stomach pain with vomiting of food immediately after eating , stomach worse by cold. Better from eating or hot drinks especially milk.  Excessive belching, taste of ingesta.

GRINDELIA SQUARROSA: Gastric ulcer, gastric pains associated with splenic congestion. Nausea and retching. Hyperchlorhydria. Hyperaemia of gastric mucus membrane. Dullness and pain in left hypochondrium. Paresis of pneumogastric. Gastritis with asthmatic symptoms. Smothering when falling asleep.

HYDRSTIS CANADENSIS: Hydrastis can. is one of the best medicines for stomach with weight loss and emaciation. Constant sore feeling in the stomach. Cutting and sharp pain in the stomach  . Weakness and a loathing of food in epigastrium.

IRIS VERSICOLOR: Hyperacidity, burning of the whole alimentary canal. Vomiting sour, bloody, biliary. Nausea, profuse salivation. Deficient appetite. Diarrhoea stools watery with burning of anus

KALI BICHROMICUM: Kali Bichromicum is another excellent remedy for peptic ulcers with round ulcers with a feeling of heaviness in the stomach soon after eating. The food seems to sit in the stomach like a load. Poor appetite. Vomiting more than he drinks of bright yellow water.  

LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM: Lycopodium is prescribed  for peptic ulcers with gnawing , burning pain. Better by drinking hot water.  Great weakness of digestion with much bloating. Hunger, but quick satiety. Eating ever so little creates fullness. Likes hot water, and craving for sweets.

NATRUM PHOS: Excessive acidity, sour eructations, sour vomiting, spits mouth fuls of food. Gastritis. Flatulence. Yellow creamy coating at the back part of tongue and roof of mouth.

NUX MOSCHATA: Gastric ulcer. Pain in stomach while or immediately after eating . Eating a little too much causes headache. Abdomen enormously distended after every meal. Flatuelent dyspepsia. Diarrhea, stool white, fetid. Great dryness of mouth without thirst. Women, hysterical temperament , drowsiness, sleepiness, inclination to faint.

NUX VOMICA: Nux vomica is prescribed when  pain in the stomach is felt from eating even the smallest amount of food. The stomach region is also sensitive to pressure. Epigastrium bloated with pressure as of a stone, several hours after eating. Alcohol, coffee, spicy food tobacco, etc worsen the condition. Nausea and vomiting with much retching. Flatulence and heartburn.

PETROLEUM: Duodenal ulcer; Ravenous hunger, must rise at night to eat. Pain abdomen better by constant eating worse, empty stomach, eating cabbage. Heartburn, nausea. Diarrhoea only in day time. Symptoms appear and disappear suddenly

PHOSPHORUS 30- Phosphorus is another top remedy for stomach ulcer when the pain is relieved by taking cold drinks.  Burning in the stomach after eating .Sour belching and sour taste after every meal. Throws up food by the mouthfuls. Stomach frozen as if frozen.  

ROBINIA: Hyperchlorhydria. Nausea, sour eructations. Profuse vomiting of an intensely sour fluid. Great distension of stomach and bowels. Flatulent colic. Sour stools. Nightly burning pains in stomach. Acidity accompanied by frontal headache.

SULPHUR: Burning pains in stomach , worse at night, warm food and drinks. Weak empty all gone sensation at about 11 am better by eating, cannot wait for lunch. Acidity, sour eructations. Desire for sweets. Diarrhoea, driving out of bed early in the morning. Constipation, stools hard, dry as if burnt, painful. Redness of external orifices. Chronic alcoholism. Nervous temperament, scrofulous diathesis

SULPHURIC ACID: Hyperacidity, heartburn, sour eructations, sets teeth on edge. Sour vomiting. Haemorrhage of black blood from bowels. Ulcers bleed easily. Water causes coldness of stomach, must be mixed with alcohol. Pains come gradually and goes suddenly. Tremor and weakness.

SYMPHYTUM: Gastric and duodenal ulcers. Gastralgia. Stimulates the growth of epithelium on ulcerated surfaces.

URANIUM NITRICUM:  Uranium Nitricum to be the ideal homeopathic remedy for gastric and duodenal ulcers characterized by boring pain in the pyloric region, a bloated abdomen, and a ravenous appetite followed by flatulence.