Symptoms of stomach ulcers are many, and the main symptom of the disease is abdominal pain, where abdominal pain can appear in several forms and is not characteristic and exclusive to stomach ulcers only, and it is possible that pain appears when eating or after a certain time and even that it may awaken a patient with stomach ulcers from his sleep, and ulcer symptoms include Additional equipment is the following:

• Nausea, with or without vomiting
• Low weight.
• Bloody vomiting and black stools are symptoms that require clarification to ensure that there is no peptic ulcer.

● Causes and risk factors for stomach ulcers, the most prominent causes of infection include the following:

1. Helicobacter pylori infection.

Stomach ulcer is one of the forms of peptic ulcer disease. Stomach ulcer occurs as a result of an imbalance between harmful factors such as Helicobacter pylori and the defense mechanisms of the stomach mucosa on the other hand.
Contamination with Helicobacter pylori appears in 70% of cases of stomach ulcers, and unlike patients with duodenal ulcers, the degree of acid secretion in the stomach in patients with stomach ulcers is lower than that of healthy people.
In other words, the injury to the gastric mucosal defense mechanism seems to be the main reason for the development of gastric ulcers.

2. Taking medications.
Another important reason for the formation of stomach ulcers

It is the abuse of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NAIDs). These drugs intended to treat pain and inflammation in the joints inhibit the action of the enzyme cyclooxygenase 1 (Cyclooxygenase - 1) and harm the production of prostaglandins, which are substances Vital to protect the gastric mucosa.

Widespread treatment with these drugs has resulted in recent years

Especially among the elderly, this leads to a significant increase in the percentage of patients with stomach ulcers and complications such as severe bleeding.

● Complications of stomach ulcers, the most prominent complications include the following:

• Bleeding at the ulcer site.
Perforation of the lining of the stomach at the site of the ulcer split.
Bowel obstruction.

● Diagnosis of stomach ulcers, the diagnosis is made through the following:

1. Endoscopy..
The most accurate examination for diagnosing stomach ulcers is endoscopy of the upper digestive tract. To perform this examination, a flexible tube with a very small video camera attached to the end is inserted into the cavity of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum.
This examination allows a close view of the mucous membrane of the stomach and a sample of tissue at the edges of the ulcer for examination

pylori, and in order to spare the patient the uncomfortable feeling during the examination, it is performed under local anesthesia of the pharynx or by inserting sedatives intravenously before starting the examination.

2. X-rays.
Another test for the diagnosis of stomach ulcers is x-rays of the stomach and duodenum after administration of contrast material (Barium).
Although there are typical signs that distinguish between a benign ulcer and a malignant ulcer, it is preferable in all cases to perform an endoscopy examination with the aim of biopsy and to rule out the presence of malignant tumors.

● Prevention of stomach ulcers, methods of prevention include the following:

• Avoid foods that irritate the stomach.
• stop smoking.
• Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with food; Because this • may reduce the risk of irritation of the stomach lining.
• Learn to control your stress levels. View less