Aphthous - Ulcer

Introduction
Aphthous ulcers are the sores inside the mouth cavity or they can be found at any point in duodenum and stomach too. These are the open sores in the lining which cause irritation. Their number may vary in occurrence. They are shallow and are accompanied by pain and irritation. These are the most common types of ulcers. They are usually small inflammatory lesions. In most cases these ulcers heal up in a week or two. Their size is approximately 1-2 mm or even more. If it does not heal up in a week or two, you may need to see a doctor. The aphthous-ulcers are not harmful but they do cause a lot of pain and irritation in the mouth. Duodenal ulcers are less common in teenagers and children.

Causes
They appear in the inner lining of the mouth cavity or the stomach. They can appear on lips, tongue, or inner cheeks too. The causes of the aphthous-ulcer can be injury to the inner lining of the gut while eating or brushing teeth. Sometimes it can be due to irritation from some food. The exact cause of the aphthous-ulcers has not been found so far but it is estimated that it is a result of the immune system of the person’s own body. When the lymphocytes of the immune system recognize some molecules which it does not know, it attacks, and as a result the aphthous-ulcers are formed. Virus infections and nutritional deficiency can also produce ulcer. Stress emotional as well as and physical, can affect you and cause ulcer; however these are not being associated to cancer. Their time period of recovery may vary from person to person. Use of certain mouth washes and toothpastes can trigger the growth of canker sores. You may also get canker sores because of some sort of mechanical trauma such as, biting yourself. Hormonal disorders are also included in these causing factors of canker sores. In stomach when a person remains hungry for a longer time than usual, the HCL produced in the stomach attacks the walls of the surrounding area which later results as ulcer formation. Iron or vitamin B deficiency can also lead to aphthous ulcers.

Risk Factors

Elder people are mostly victims of aphthous ulcer.
People living under stress are susceptible to develop ulcers

Symptoms & Signs
For stomatitis ulcer

Pain in stomach after having food.
Stools are darker in color.
Pain can be felt between breast bones and naval.
Feeling of fullness, nausea and vomiting may also occur.
Indigestion is observed.
Gastrointestinal bleeding can also occur.
Feeling bloated just after having food

For moth ulcers

Tingling and sharp pain is felt while eating or drinking.
These canker sores are whitish or yellowish in appearance and they are surrounded by red outline.
You can notice skin lesions on the inner lining of the mouth cavity.
After some time you may notice that the color of the canker sores appears grey.
They can be observed on lips, inner cheeks, soft palate and tonsillar area of the mouth.
They may appear in clusters or individually

Diagnosis
The diagnosis of mouth ulcer can be easily made by physical examination but ulcerative stomatitis can be diagnosed by upper GI, endoscopy, or blood test can also be done in order to diagnose the disease correctly.

Prevention

Fasting for long periods of time is the basic cause of duodenal ulcers; there fore the best prevention is to eat the meals at proper timings.
Try to keep your immune system healthy by having appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet.
Avoid stress which is a causative agent for ulcers.
Stop using alcohol if you did so before.
Quit smoking.
Corticosteroids, aspirins and naproxen should not be used by ulcer patients or people who are prone to ulcers.
Avoid using caffeine

Treatment
The treatment includes medicinal use and drugs, which can help in bringing relief from pain and cramps.

Primary Natural Supplements
Herbs

Licorice
Sangre de Grado
Copaiba
Espinpheira Santa

Vitamins

Vitamins A
Vitamins E
Vitamin C
Vitamin F (essential fatty acids)

Minerals

Calcium
Magnesium

Amino Acids

L-Glutamin

Dietary Guidelines

Eat less but more often during the day because then the stomach acid can not harm the walls of stomach.
Fiber diet is highly recommended because it will help in overcoming the reactions of acids. <>Intake of vitamin C should be decreased.
Include barley in your daily diet.
Ulcer patients should not use iron as it can worsen the condition

Home Care Suggestions
In most of the cases the ulcers heal up on their own just by relaxing and taking the balanced food diet. Conscious efforts have to be made to strengthen the immune system. Don’t smoke and don’t allow smoking. Don’t take self medication such as using aspirins and other drugs for mild headaches and etc. avoid eating under stress.

Mind/Body Considerations
Eat properly to strengthen your immune system. Exercise regularly. Try leading a stress free life


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