Ulcer Treatment in Raipur

A peptic ulcer is an open sore in the lining of the stomach or duodenum (the first section of the small intestine), forming when gastric acid and the enzyme pepsin erode the protective mucus. Duodenal ulcers are more common than peptic ulcers. At Ramkrishna CARE Hospitals, Raipur, ulcer disease is managed through a structured pathway addressing both the ulcer and its underlying cause.

Symptoms of Ulcer

Symptoms vary by ulcer location:

• Burning or gnawing epigastric pain: Pain in the upper central abdominal area
• Duodenal ulcer pattern: Pain 2 to 3 hours after meals, relieved by eating or antacids and classically waking the patient between 12 and 3 am
• Gastric ulcer pattern: Pain worse with or shortly after eating, food aggravates the ulcer and patients may avoid eating, causing weight loss
• Nausea and vomiting: Particularly with gastric outlet obstruction (narrowing of the stomach exit by ulcer scar tissue)
• Bloating and early satiety: Fullness after small amounts, from delayed gastric emptying or obstruction
• Haematemesis: Bright red blood or coffee-ground material in vomit
• Melaena: Black, tarry, foul-smelling stools from digested blood.

Causes of Ulcer

The traditional attribution to stress or spicy food is incorrect but the vast majority result from several well-established causes. They are:

• H. pylori infection: A bacterium producing urease that neutralises local acid, causing chronic gastritis and disrupting the mucus layer. They are responsible for the majority of gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers.
• NSAIDs: Ibuprofen, diclofenac, aspirin, and naproxen inhibit prostaglandin synthesis and cause ulcers to develop in many regular users
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: A gastrinoma drives massive acid hypersecretion, producing multiple or refractory ulcers in unusual locations
• Stress ulcers: Superficial erosions in critically ill patients from mucosal ischaemia during physiological stress
• Smoking and alcohol: Smoking impairs mucus and delays healing whereas alcohol irritates the mucosa and stimulates acid.

Ulcer Diagnosis

Diagnosis identifies the ulcer and its cause. Investigations include:

• Oesophago-Gastro-Duodenoscopy (OGD): The upper endoscopy is the definitive investigation and directly visualises the ulcer. Sometimes doctors take biopsies of gastric ulcer edges to exclude cancer and test for H. pylori
• Rapid urease test: H. pylori's urease changes a colour indicator within minutes
• H. pylori breath test (urea breath test - UBT): The patient drinks a solution containing labelled urea, H. pylori breaks it down and releases labelled CO₂ detected in the breath. It is used to confirm H. pylori eradication 4 to 6 weeks after completion of treatment
• H. pylori stool antigen test: This non-invasive test is accurate for initial diagnosis and confirming eradication
• Blood tests: Include full blood count (for anaemia), serum gastrin (for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome) and H. pylori serology 
• CT scan: For suspected perforation or gastrinoma localisation in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Risks of Ulcers

Several factors raise peptic ulcer risk:

• H. pylori: The dominant risk factor and higher in areas of poor sanitation
• Regular NSAID use: Ulcer bleeding risk is 3 to 5 times higher
• Age above 60: More likely to use NSAIDs, have reduced mucosal defences, and present with complications rather than pain
• Prior peptic ulcer: Raises recurrence risk significantly if H. pylori eradication was not confirmed.

Complications of Ulcers

If left untreated, peptic ulcers can cause the following:

• Upper GI haemorrhage 
• Perforation 
• Gastric outlet obstruction 
• Gastric ulcers, particularly with atrophic gastritis, can develop into cancer
• Penetration or erosion into the pancreas causes constant back pain.

Ulcer Treatment Options in Raipur

Treatment addresses both the ulcer and its cause:

• Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Therapy
  • PPIs reduce gastric acid 
  • Doctors recommend PPIs for 4 weeks to heal duodenal ulcers and 8 weeks to heal gastric ulcers.
• H. pylori Eradication Therapy
  • H. pylori eradication heals the ulcer and prevents recurrence. 
  • Triple therapy (PPI, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin for 14 days) achieves 85 to 90% eradication.
  • Bismuth quadruple therapy exceeds 90% in areas of clarithromycin resistance. 
  • Eradication confirmed by breath test 4 to 6 weeks after antibiotics.
• Endoscopic Treatment
  • Bleeding ulcers are treated with adrenaline injection, thermal coagulation, or haemostatic clips. 
  • Pyloric stenosis is treated by balloon dilatation.
  • Early malignant lesions are treated by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).
• Surgical Treatment
  • Surgery is considered when complications are severe enough that medication or endoscopic treatment cannot adequately manage the situation. A perforated ulcer is typically repaired using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, where the defect is closed using an omental patch. When persistent bleeding cannot be brought under control through an endoscope, surgical repair of the affected blood vessel becomes necessary. In cases where the ulcer has caused gastric outlet obstruction, procedures such as gastrojejunostomy or distal gastrectomy are used to restore the digestive pathway. 

What is the Procedure of Ulcer Treatment?

The procedure is structured by presentation severity:

• Consultation and endoscopy: OGD confirms the ulcer, takes biopsies for H. pylori and cancer exclusion, and identifies bleeding requiring treatment.
• Medical treatment: 14-day H. pylori eradication (triple or quadruple) with high-dose PPI; NSAIDs stopped or switched; smoking cessation advised; eradication confirmed by breath test 4 to 6 weeks after treatment.
• Endoscopic haemostasis (for bleeding ulcers): Emergency endoscopy within 24 hours (medication injection, thermal coagulation, or clips) can effectively achieve haemostasis. After the procedure, intravenous acid-suppressing medications are given for 72 hours to reduce re-bleeding risk.
• Repeat endoscopy and healing confirmation: Gastric ulcers are re-endoscoped at 6 to 8 weeks, and H. pylori eradication is confirmed by breath test.
• Surgical management: For complications:
  • Laparoscopic omental patch repair for perforation
  • Surgical haemostasis for refractory bleeding
  • Gastrojejunostomy for obstruction. 
  • Post-operative PPI and H. pylori treatment continued.

Benefits of Ulcer Treatment

Effective treatment is transformative, and most patients achieve complete and lasting relief:

• Rapid pain relief - significant improvement within 24 to 48 hours of PPI therapy
• High healing rates 
• Eradication reduces the recurrence rate a lot
• Prevention of complications like haemorrhage, perforation, and obstruction with successful treatment
• H. pylori eradication after gastric ulcer healing significantly reduces gastric cancer risk
• Dietary restriction and pain that characterise active ulcer disease are resolved, which improves quality of life.

Why Choose Ramkrishna CARE Hospitals for Ulcer Treatment in Raipur?

Ramkrishna CARE Hospitals, Raipur, provides a full-spectrum ulcer service including diagnostic OGD, H. pylori testing, emergency endoscopic haemostasis, interventional radiology, and laparoscopic surgery all under one roof.

Patients across Chhattisgarh choose us for experienced gastroenterologists and surgeons, 24-hour emergency endoscopy, modern endoscopy suites, a surgical ICU, cashless insurance support and a structured follow-up programme confirming H. pylori eradication and ulcer healing. Peptic ulcer disease is curable and with the right diagnosis and treatment, most patients achieve lasting remission.

Conclusion

Peptic ulcer disease requires more than antacids, like H. pylori must be eradicated, NSAIDs reviewed, acid suppression maintained and gastric ulcers re-endoscoped. Complications carry significant fatality if delayed. At Ramkrishna CARE Hospitals, Raipur our team provides expert peptic ulcer care from first diagnosis through to confirmed healing.