Peptic ucler

A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of the stomach or duodenum, which is the beginning of the small intestine. Peptic ulcers are common: One in Americans develops an ulcer at some time in his or her life. One cause of peptic ulcer is bacterial infection, but some ulcers are caused by long term use of nonsteroidal anti inflammatory agents NSAIDs, like aspirin and ibuprofen Advil. In a few cases, cancerous tumors in the stomach or pancreas can cause ulcers. Peptic ulcers are not caused by stress or eating spicy food, but these can make ulcers worse.

Research has shown that people who smoke cigarettes are more likely to develop an ulcer. If people with an ulcer keep smoking, their ulcer may not heal; or it may take longer than usual to heal. People have a better chance of their ulcer healing if they stop smoking compared to treating their ulcer with medication while still smoking. Smoking also increases people’s risk of infection from a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori and increases the risk of ulceration from alcohol and over-the-counter pain relievers.

Stomach acid also plays a part in producing ulcers. Normally, stomach acid is absorbed by the food we eat. The acid that is not absorbed by food enters the duodenum and is quickly neutralized by sodium bicarbonate, a salt-like substance made by the pancreas an organ located next to the duodenum that aids in digestion. Some studies show that smoking reduces the amount of bicarbonate in the body, which causes problems in the neutralization of acid in the duodenum. Other studies suggest that cigarette smoking may increase the amount of acid secreted by the stomach over time.

The liver is an important organ that has many tasks. The liver is responsible for processing drugs, alcohol, and other toxins and removing them from the body. Research shows that smoking harms the liver’s ability to process such substances. In some cases, if the liver has been damaged from cigarette smoking, the dose of medication necessary to treat an illness may be affected. Research also suggests that smoking can worsen liver disease caused by drinking too much alcohol.