Your Guide to Ayurvedic treatment for Stomach Ulcer

More and more people have felt pain in their stomach every now and then. But they fail to understand the distinction between Common Acidity or indigestion-related pain from that of stomach ulcers.

Stomach Ulcers are also known as Gastric ulcers are painful sores in the stomach lining. These fall under the broader category of Peptic Ulcers that occur inside the intestines and stomach.

In simple terms, the stomach lining gets damaged due to many reasons that we are going to discuss here.

Signs and Symptoms that shows you have Stomach Ulcers

People can experience single or multiple symptoms accordingly. For a detailed diagnosis, it is always suggested to go to a certified physician and get yourself thoroughly checked. 

• You can experience severe pain.
• Burning sensation in the stomach area
• Gastric ulcers will be prominent towards the left part of the upper abdomen and can be easily confused with heartburn. There can be instances where pain can also increase upon eating.
• A duodenal ulcer can be experienced around the belly button region and can be confused as hunger or indigestion. It can be painful at night and you can feel relief from pain upon eating. Some other symptoms that you can feel are bloating, belching, nausea, and vomiting.

Please Note: It can be difficult to identify that you have ulcers by yourself as some of the symptoms are common with indigestion and acidity. It is always recommended to consult with your prescribed physician for a detailed analysis.

Causative factors for stomach ulcers

Here are a few of the factors that cause stomach ulcers:

1. As you know, stomach ulcers are formed when the internal lining is damaged. But most recent studies on this topic states that the causative factor is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. According to the studies done by experts in this field, it is now known that 90% of people with duodenal ulcers and 80% with gastric ulcers are caused by H. pylori.
2. Another reason that contributes to stomach ulcers is a lack of coordination between the pyloric valve and the intestines.
3. One of the indirect factors that contribute to the formation of ulcers is smoking. These play a major role in the aggravation and growth of ulcers. Smoking accelerates the process of gastric emptying and reduces the secretion of bicarbonate acid buffers in the duodenum. In addition to this, smoking forces the stomach to dump acidic food into the duodenum too quickly. 
4. Another indirect factor is Drinking alcohol. It can increase ulcer formations when H. pylori are present in the system by damaging the gastric mucosa. Alcohol can also worsen the symptoms and prevent their healing.
5. Stress and Anxiety is one of the main causes initiating the formation of ulcers. Both physical and psychological stress can play their part in causing and augmenting the symptoms.
6. It is seen that the use of NSAIDs, such as aspirin, is also a cause of ulcers.

What does Ayurveda say about Stomach Ulcers?

According to Ayurveda, Ulcers have classified into Vata and Pitta types of doshas ulcers.

Vata ulcers- These types of ulcers occur due to the drying and thinning of the protective mucous membranes in the upper GI tract. This causes the mucous membrane to be thin that is unable to protect the lining from digestive acids.

These types of ulcers mainly trouble people who often skip meals, ignoring sensations of hunger, and don’t eat for very long hours. In this case, the excessive acid accumulates in the stomach, and ulcers develop because of thin lining and no food in the stomach.

Pitta Ulcers-  In some people, intense emotions such as anger, shame, rage, etc. can stimulate pitta dosha.  They have highly active digestive juices from the stomach, liver, and pancreas, making the stomach and intestines highly acidic. This can lead to the feeling of a burning, tight, clenched sensation in the abdomen. Also, stress causes bile reflux, hyperacidity, low digestive strength (Agni), and lack of blood flow to digestive organs.

If we talk about Kapha dosha, then it is not a direct contributing dosha. It can only instigate the  Pitta or Vata ulcer formation indirectly.

Ayurvedic treatment for stomach ulcer that will make the difference

Amlant is an ayurvedic medicine for stomach ulcers that combines over 15 Ayurvedic herbs. It consists of various herbs and natural ingredients that help the person with stomach ulcers. It has Mishri and Vaidang that reduce burning sensation, inflammation, and cramps. Haritaki, Vibhitaki, Lawang, Pippli, and Sarjika Kshor helps indigestion. Other ingredients like Sheetal Parpati, Amlaki, and Mulethi work as cooling and relaxant that soothes the stomach lining. Nagar Mustaka acts as a diuretic. This ayurvedic combination works by balancing the pH level (acidity) of the stomach relieving the discomfort and pain caused by ulcers.

DIY Diet and Home Remedies for stomach ulcers

It is recommended to avoid certain food items such as coffee and other caffeinated beverages, carbonated drinks, spicy, salty, and deep-fried food.

You can also include certain foods and spices such as ginger, garlic, turmeric, aloe vera, honey, banana, etc in your diet. Take care to eat at regular intervals to prevent the formation of ulcers in the stomach. Eating probiotic foods such as curd also helps relieves the symptoms.

To Sum Up

I understand it is a tough battle to fight if you have constant pain due to stomach ulcers. But, taking the right diet and ayurvedic treatment for stomach ulcers in the form of the herbal formulation can really help the condition. Hope this helps!