Utanipatia ulcers! Does endless stress, hunger really cause this disease?

'Niko na ulcers' is a common phrase these days. You will hear children shout about it in the playground, men and women.

'Ulcers' is probably one of the most ‘overused’ disease word. You will hear people on the street complain about their hustles ‘giving them ulcers’. Or a husband (even wife) complaining about their partner 'giving them' ulcers at home. Parents too -- often accuse their wayward children of 'giving' them ulcers.

Nearly everything and anything stressful has been ‘accused’ of causing ulcers.

That slightest abdominal pain -- even those occasioned by hunger – have been declared ‘ulcers’ – often without a qualified doctor’s diagnosis.

According to Dr. Edna Kamau, a gastroenterologist, there is a lot of myths and misinformation around the ulcer disease.

This she says has seen many people undergo treatment for ulcers – when they are actually suffering from a life-threatening disease that is not necessarily ulcers.

“There are non-ulcers dyspepsia where patients present symptoms similar to ulcers but they don’t have ulcers,” Dr. Kamau told Wananchi Reporting.

Adding that: “Many diseases mirror ulcers. Many people who get treated for ulcers end up having other underlying reasons.”

Ulcer is defined as a break in skin or mucous membrane with loss of surface tissue, disintegration and necrosis of epithelial tissue.

Peptic and gastric ulcers is the most common form of ulcers according to doctors.

Kamau agrees that stress causes ulcers, especially in patients in the Intensive care units (ICUs).

“But they are mainly caused by infections like h-pylori, tuberculosis and cancer cysts in the stomach and acid production that comes from painkiller diclofenac and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This causes inflammation in the stomach and duodenum,” said Dr. Kamau.

According to Dr. Kamau, contrary to the misconception that hunger causes ulcers, symptoms of ulcers are increased when you are hungry.

“Some ulcers make you feel a lot of pain when you are hungry. For patients who have gastric ulcers they have more symptoms when they are hungry so they end up eating a lot,” said Dr. Kamau, adding that people should avoid foods that exasperate their symptoms.

“People who have ulcers may find that their symptoms are worsened by acidic foods like citrus foods or legumes. But these foods don’t cause ulcers,” he said.

Other diseases that present similar symptoms to ulcers and can be mistaken for it include cancers of the gallbladder and pancreas.

These present in a more similar way with ulcers or can co-exist.

“Patients have had delayed diagnosis of cancers on the basis of treatment of ulcers,” said Dr. Kamau.

According to Dr. Kamau, ulcers are treatable with a duration of treatment ranging from two weeks to eight weeks according to treatment, and depending with the underlying reason.