Peptic Ulcers are sores that develop in the lining of a stomach, small intestine or lower oesophagus. They usually crop as a result of inflammation caused by bacteria and also due to erosion from stomach acids. Peptic Ulcers affecting the stomach are also known as gastric ulcer, one in the duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer and an ulcer occurring in the oesophagus is called an oesophageal cancer. 

Talking about the causes, symptoms, tests and exams related to it and treatment options for peptic ulcers. Let s go ahead and take a look at them one by one:

There are certain symptoms for peptic ulcers and one of the most common ones being, indigestion-like pain in the abdomen. 
The pain tends to occur anywhere in the region between the belly button and breastbone and the duration can be brief or may even last for hours. 
A change in appetite could be noticed, wherein you may not feel like having anything
Feeling of uneasiness which can have an effect as if you are going to vomit.
You tend to lose weight for no apparent reason.Stools with dark red blood.
Causes Of Peptic Ulcers

Peptic ulcers can be caused as a result of different factors, which lead to the breakdown of lining of the stomach, oesophagus and small intestine. The causes are as follows:

Helicobacter pylori: It is a type of bacteria which causes stomach infection and inflammation. Helicobacter pylori produces urease, which is an enzyme that neutralizes stomach acid by making it less acidic. In order to compensate this, the stomach goes on to produce more acid which leads to irritation of the stomach lining. The bacterium makes the stomach s defense system weak and causes inflammation.
Overdose of drugs: If you are in the habit of using aspirin or ibuprofen along with other anti-inflammatory drugs on a regular basis, then you increase the chances of suffering from ulcer.
Smoking: Smoking leads to an increase in the production of stomach acids and that tends to reduce bicarbonate production. People who smoke are at risk of developing duodenal ulcers.
Increased Alcohol Consumption: When you have too much alcohol, then you are at a risk of developing all sorts of problems. Alcohol is basically a toxin which can damage almost every organ of the body. Digestive system can get hampered a lot through alcohol. Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, which leads to an increased risk of developing ulcer.
Treatment Of A Peptic Ulcer

Treatment would depend upon the underlying cause of ulcer. Your doctor would most probably suggest you to do an endoscopy and if the test shows that there is H.pylori infection, a combination of medicines would be prescribed. Medications would ideally continue for two weeks. There will be antibiotics to kill infections and Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) for reducing stomach acid. If the doctor feels that ulcer has not been caused as a result of H.pylori infection, then you might be asked to take over-the-counter medicines like Prilosec or Prevacid for close to eight weeks, which would not only reduce stomach acid but also heal your ulcer.

Peptic Ulcers - Common Causes Behind Them!

6 Bodily Pains You Must Never Ignore

Any pain in the body is an indication and demands attention. Some pains go away by themselves or by home treatment, while few need medical attention. 

Here are 6 types of pains which should never be ignored.

Chest Pain - Chest pain that doesn't go away and is accompanied by shortness of breath can prove to be fatal if not treated at the earliest. Do not wait for it to subside, nor should you try self medication. Consult the doctor immediately.
Abdominal Pain - While abdominal pain could be because of various smaller reasons, if it is unbearable, consult a doctor at the earliest. This pain could be because of ruptured appendix, stomach ulcer, problems in your pancreas or gallbladder or even intestinal blockages.
Severe Headache - Normally we tend to take headaches lightly, believing that all we need to do is pop a medicine or rest it out. However, if the pain is excruciating, consult the doctor as soon as possible.
Prolonged Backache - If you are experiencing pain in the back with tingling in your toes, this could be associated with your discs. Give it medical attention at the earliest, as it could turn fatal.
Lower Abdomen  - Appendicitis' indicator is sharp pain on the side. If you feel a sharp pain in your lower abdomen on the right side along with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, shaking, constipation and diarrhea, reach out for medical assistance as soon as possible.
Leg Pain - Yet another pain one should not ignore is deep vein thrombosis which is blood clots in the legs? deep veins.

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6 Bodily Pains You Must Never Ever Ignore

Hives is a very common condition and about 20% of the world has got it at some point in their lives. There are many causes to it ranging from blood transfusions to certain allergic reactions to food. It starts off as an itchy patch of skin but slowly swells and turns into red welts. There are certain factors which makes the itching worse including stress, alcohol and scratching the area of skin which was itchy in the first place. 

Causes
Here are all the causes and symptoms of hives:
1. Food
Allergic reactions to foods such as nuts, eggs and shellfish are a common cause of hives.

2. Medications
Certain medications also have a side effect of causing hives. Penicillin and sulfa are two of the antibiotics, which can cause hives. Ibuprofen and Aspirin are also two other medications, which are commonly known to cause hives.

3. Infections
Both bacterial and viral infections can lead to hives. Strep throat, urinary tract infections, common cold and hepatitis are some of many bacterial and viral infections, which may cause hives.

4. Stimuli
Certain factors such as temperature, pressure, sun exposure and other physical stimuli may cause hives as well.

5. Plants and animals
Dander in animals are the flakes of skin in their fur. Moreover, coming into contact with certain poisonous plants may cause hives.

6. Insects
When insects sting or bite you, you may get hives.

7. Latex
Latex is a type of rubber used in many types of clothing. It has been said that wearing clothing made out of latex can cause hives.

8. Pollen
Pollen is a light powdery substance produced by plants such as oak trees. It travels through the air and may cause hives if it comes into contact with your skin.

Symptoms
1. Bumps
Itchy red bumps appear on the skin when you have hives. Sometimes, the bumps can be skin-colored as well.
2. Blanching
When the bumps turn white after you press them, it is known as blanching. Blanching is the only clear symptom of hives.

Hives: Causes and Symptoms

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition where you feel extreme tiredness and it does not go away even after you rest. The fatigue associated with this condition may worsen with mental or physical activity. 

As no specific cause has been identified for CFS yet, it is difficult to diagnose. You may require multiple tests. It is most common among women in their 40s and 50s but it can affect anyone.

Causes

If you have CFS, you may be fatigued easily by routine physical activity. This might be triggered due to certain factors or a combination of the following factors:

Some people may develop CFS after suffering from a viral infection. Some suspicious viruses include mouse leukaemia virus and Epstein-Barr virus

You may experience abnormal secretion of hormones in the pituitary, adrenal and hypothalamus glands

A weakened immune system is also an important factor for CFS

There are certain risk factors that may increase the chances of CFS:

High levels of stress or difficulty in managing stress

People between the ages of 40 and 50 have higher chances of developing CFS

Women are more likely to get diagnosed with the condition than men

Genetic predisposition

Symptoms 

The most common symptoms of CFS are as follows:

Feeling tired after a night s sleep

Insomnia

Reduced concentration

Sleeping disorders

Loss of memory

Frequent headaches

Orthostatic intolerance, where you might start feeling lightheaded when seated or lying down

Muscle pain

Joint pain without swelling

Swollen lymph nodes in armpits and neck

Feeling extremely exhausted lasting for more than a day after engaging in mental or physical exercise

These symptoms may suddenly disappear completely. But, they may return later. In general, if you experience excessive fatigue then you should consult a doctor.

Treatment

CFS can be treated with a special Ayurvedic treatment procedure called Panchakarma. This is a complete rejuvenation procedure that consists of steam baths, oil massages, diet purification and cleansing enemas. The aim is to detoxify your body and get rid of all impurities that may later cause illnesses such as CFS.

It is a five-step procedure consisting of the following:

Vamana   Therapeutic vomiting

Virechana   Purgation

Vasti   Herbal oil enemas

Nasya   Nasal irrigation or clearing the nasal passage from mucus 

Raktamokshana   Bloodletting or withdrawal of blood to cure an illness

The procedure is very effective in improving your sleep patterns and reduces sleeping disorders. It improves the digestive system, reduces stress levels and relaxes the body. But you have to maintain a strict diet that consists of:

Kitchari made of rice and lentils that are low cooked in herbal oils

Tea but no coffee or other beverages

No salads, smoothies, meat, bread or sugar

No processed foods

Lifestyle changes can help you fight CFS. Reduce your daily caffeine intake to sleep better and reduce insomnia. You must avoid nicotine and alcohol too. Try to avoid taking naps during the day. Consult your doctor if you still face problems. 

Panchkarma For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Know More!

Cold sores are also known as fever blisters. They are surely not something a person would want to have. These sores occur on the face of the person or even inside his or her mouth. They are lesions which appear like blisters. There is a lot of pain which is caused by cold sores. Eventually, they end by bursting and then crusting over. But, what really causes cold sores to form?

The condition of cold sores is something that is attributable to the HSV, or the Herpes Simplex Virus. The type 1 variety of this virus is said to cause cold sores in the region around the mouth. The cause of contracting this form of the virus is that a person may have shared utensils with a person who has this strain or even shared towels.

Learning about the HSV
That being said, there is a possibility that cold sores could also be caused by the HSV Type 2 virus. This would be the case if the person with cold sores has had oral sex with a person who has been infected with genital herpes.

When it comes to the Herpes Simplex Virus, it can be said that managing the consequent issue that cold sores present is something which is quite challenging. This is because of the fact that a person may not even be aware that he or she has been infected by the virus on account of it lying dormant. 

In some people, an outbreak may occur once a year while in others it may occur with a much greater frequency. The point is that the occurrence of the outbreak may vary from person to person and a generalisation cannot be made. 

One of the things that have been noticed is that the likelihood of an outbreak is increased if a person is under sustained stress.
Sadness or an injury to the area can also worsen the prospects of a person who is hoping to go for as long a period without being plagued by cold sores.
In order to manage the outbreak of cold sores, advice from a person who is a qualified medical professional is something that is required. On their own, cold sores usually do not take more than 10 days to clear out. In order to reduce the likelihood of another attack, it is important to minimise an excessive exposure to sunlight and to be very careful at the times of seasonal changes. When it comes to the contagiousness of cold sores, the threat is the most when the cold sores are oozing.

Cold Sores - What Causes Them?

Pulmonary hypertension mainly occurs due to narrowing of the arteries of the lungs as a result of which the flow of blood is restricted. In this kind of condition, blood fails to carry oxygen to your heart and thus your heart gets adversely affected. The blood pressure of your body will get increased to a great extent if this situation remains untreated, thus leading to bdreadful consequenses, specifically situation like heart failure, serious pulmonary diseases, blood clots in lungs and congenial heart defects, etc.

There are certain forms of pulmonary hypertension, which are serious in nature and worsen with time, so much so that they are even fatal at times. It also includes forms which are non curable in nature, however, in order to improve the quality of life, symptoms can be reduced with proper treatment. The treatment for pulmonary hypertension is often complex and it takes some time to find the most appropriate treatment and requires extensive follow-up care. Your doctor might also need to change your treatment if it's no longer effective. However, when pulmonary hypertension is caused by another condition, your doctor will treat the underlying cause whenever possible.

Common treatments for pulmonary hypertension:

Medications

1. Blood vessel dilators (vasodilators): vasodilators open narrowed blood vessels. They are one of the most commonly prescribed vasodilators for pulmonary hypertension is epoprostenol (flolan, veletri). The drawback to epoprostenol is that the effect lasts only for few minutes. This drug is continuously injected through an intravenous (iv) catheter via a small pump that you wear in a pack on your belt or shoulder.

2. Ventavis: another form of the drug, iloprost (ventavis), can be inhaled six to nine times a day through a nebulizer, a machine that vaporizes your medication. Because it's inhaled, it goes directly to the lungs.

3. Treprostinil (tyvaso, remodulin, orenitram): it is another form of the drug, which can be given four times a day and can be inhaled or can be taken as an oral medication and can also be administered through injection.

4. Endothelin receptor antagonists: these medications reverse the effect of endothelin, a substance in the walls of blood vessels that causes them to narrow. These drugs may improve your energy level and symptoms. However, these drugs shouldn't be taken if you're pregnant. Also, these drugs can damage your liver and you may need monthly liver monitoring.

6. Sildenafil and tadalafil: sildenafil (revatio, viagra) and tadalafil (cialis, adcirca) are sometimes used to treat pulmonary hypertension. These drugs work by opening the blood vessels in the lungs to allow blood to flow through more easily.

6. High-dose calcium channel blockers: these drugs help relax the muscles in the walls of your blood vessels. They include medications, such as amlodipine (norvasc), diltiazem (cardizem, tiazac, others) and nifedipine (procardia, others). Although calcium channel blockers can be effective, only a small number of people with pulmonary hypertension respond to them.

7. Soluble guanylate cyclase (sgc) stimulator: soluble guanylate cyclase (sgc) stimulators (adempas) interact with nitric oxide and help relax the pulmonary arteries and lower the pressure within the arteries. These medications should not be taken if you're pregnant. They can sometimes cause dizziness or nausea.

8. Anticoagulants: your doctor is likely to prescribe the anticoagulant warfarin (coumadin, jantoven) to help prevent the formation of blood clots within the small pulmonary arteries. Because anticoagulants prevent normal blood coagulation, they increase your risk of bleeding complications. Take warfarin exactly as prescribed, because warfarin can cause severe side effects if taken incorrectly. If you're taking warfarin, your doctor will ask you to have periodic blood tests to check how well the drug is working. Many other drugs, herbal supplements and foods can interact with warfarin, so be sure your doctor knows all of the medications you're taking.

9. Digoxin: digoxin (lanoxin) can help the heart beat stronger and pump more blood. It can help control the heart rate if you experience arrhythmias.

10. Diuretics: commonly known as water pills, these medications help eliminate excess fluid from your body. This reduces the amount of work your heart has to do. They may also be used to limit fluid buildup in your lungs.

11. Oxygen: your doctor might suggest that you sometimes breathe pure oxygen, a treatment known as oxygen therapy, to help treat pulmonary hypertension, especially if you live at a high altitude or have sleep apnea. Some people who have pulmonary hypertension eventually require continuous oxygen therapy.

Surgeries

1. Atrial septostomy: if medications don't control your pulmonary hypertension, this open heart surgery might be an option. In an atrial septostomy, a surgeon will create an opening between the upper left and right chambers of your heart (atria) to relieve the pressure on the right side of your heart.

2. Lung transplantation: in some cases, a lung or heart lung transplant might be an option, especially for younger people who have idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Reducing complications

1. The complications need to be reduced by taking proper health care. Healthy diet needs to be taken regularly along with proper medications. Smoking should be stopped and exercising sessions should be attended daily without any fail

2. Overweight or obesity needs to be controlled properly for reducing the complications. Specialized caring strategies need to be maintained for avoiding severe kinds of health complications that are quite annoying.

Pulmonary Hypertension: How to Treat It?

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