The term peptic ulcer is referred to both, gastric and duodenal ulcers. It is believed to have occurred due to an infection by a bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This corkscrew-shaped bug lives in the inner lining of the stomach causing peptic ulcer. If peptic ulcer is located in the stomach it is called gastric ulcer.

- Some of the common symptoms of peptic ulcer are:

? Constant pain in the abdomen - which mainly is a duodenal symptom. This pain occurs within one or two hours after meals and also when the stomach is empty. This pain lasts for several minutes or hours and you can get relief by eating or having any antacid medicines.

? Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and losing weight in the same process is another sign.

- Complications in Peptic Ulcer

? These complications have certain symptoms which need immediate care namely hemorrhage of the ulcer causing bleeding. This kind of bleeding occurs without pain making it very hard to detect. It may slowly enter the digestive tract leading to anemia. If the bleeding is fast it may be more dangerous. The symptoms include weakness, blood vomiting and dark-colored stools.

? The other complication is pyloric stenosis (obstruction) where in the valve at the bottom of the stomach leading towards duodenum becomes narrow. This complication obstructs the transition of the content from the stomach into the intestine. This increases abdominal pain, vomiting and causes bloating.

? Perforation occurs when the ulcer completely erodes the stomach or duodenal wall. This leads to leakage of acidic contents into the abdominal cavity causing acute peritonitis (infection of the abdominal cavity). You may suffer one of the worst kinds of abdominal pains during such times and it may worsen with any type of movement. This can be fatal if medical treatment is not given immediately.

Home remedies for Peptic Ulcer

? Avoid smoking, alcohol, drinking caffeinated food products like coffee and coke.

? Salt and sugar intake should be lessened, as it aggravates this problem furthermore.

? Avoid NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin, ibuprofen and many more which does not help in the healing process of peptic ulcers.

? You can use dried banana powder (Musa paradisiaca) to treat ulcers. Take two capsules of dried raw banana powder four times a day for eight weeks and see the improvement.

? Calendula plant is also known to have anti-inflammatory and healing properties which have been used as an age-old medicine for peptic ulcers. If capsules are available, have two, three times a day. Or you can use 2 to 3 tsp of calendula juice.

? Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) root extract is rich in protein and mucilage-carbohydrate which helps in production of a new tissue. It also helps in removing acid from your body.

? Papaya Leaf is a great ingredient for digestion. It digests the dead tissue which helps in treating many skin diseases, wounds and ulcers. It has the property to protect the stomach mucosa from any kind of damage and ulcer formation.

? People suffering from this disease should do yoga asanas too which would minimize the peptic ulcer problem. Asanas like Vajrasana, Padmasana, Pawanmuktasana, Bhujangasana and Paschimothasana can surely prove to be very useful to deal with this problem.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.