After consuming food, a healthy digestive system absorbs nutrients without causing pain and rids waste through urination and defection. However, after eating, some people may experience pain and, in some cases, notice bleeding when they defecate. If this happens, you should consult with your primary doctor, who may then refer you to a gastroenterologist to find out if you have an ulcer.
There are two types of peptic ulcers patients can be diagnosed with when they are examined—either a gastric or duodenal ulcer. The symptoms of these ulcers are similar, with the most common warning signs being dull stomach pains, burping, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and not wanting to eat due to pain. The location of the ulcer, which is a sore on the lining of the stomach or duodenum, tells a doctor what type it is. To diagnose an ulcer, a gastroenterologist may need to do an endoscopy in Jacksonville.
How Endoscopies Are Done
An endoscopy involves threading a thin, flexible tube—the endoscope—down your throat so the doctor can view the esophagus, the stomach, and the beginnings of the small intestine. A sore on the stomach lining is a gastric ulcer, while one of the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine, is a duodenal ulcer. The endoscope allows one of the gastroenterologists at DIGESTIVE DISEASE CONSULTANTS to see how bad the ulcer is so they can devise a treatment plan.
How Ulcers Are Treated
Once the endoscopy is performed, the ulcer will be treated to allow it to heal. This may involve a change in diet until it is healed, but food does not cause ulcers. They are caused by an infection involving the bacterium H. pylori, long-term use of NSAIDS, and excessive acids in the stomach. To learn more about how an endoscopy is done, click here.
