3. Peptic Ulcer Disease and Gastritis
Patient Pop
Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) is an ulcer or open sore that forms in the lining of the stomach or upper portion of the small intestine. As for gastritis, this is when the stomach lining becomes inflamed. The reason why they tend to get grouped together is because one of the most common causes for both of these is a bacterial infection called Helicobacter pylori. The symptoms often associated with these disorders include nausea and stomach pain, with around 15 million American adults affected by PUD annually. Although most ulcers heal with treatment, many patients need to take antacids and antibiotics to help treat the infection, but when the ulcer refuses to stop bleeding, some cases require a clamp or possible cauterization to treat it properly.