Physicians Fault Claim Stomach Ulcer Has No Medication, Say Neglect Could Cause Internal Bleeding, Death


Posted on: Mon 29-11-2021

The National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, Dr.ChukwumaAnyaike, has faulted the claim by some Nigerians that there is no drug for the treatment of stomach ulcer, noting that the notion that dieting can cure it is false

Anyaike said an ulcer is a wound on the walls of the intestine, noting that the wound cannot heal with mere dieting, as it requires appropriate treatment.

There had been reports on social media that stomach ulcer had no drug and that it would take one’s eating habit to cure it.

But speaking in an exclusive interview with PUNCH HealthWise, Anyaike said it is risky for people to trivialise ulcer, warning that if left untreated, it could result in internal bleeding and possible death of the sufferer.

According to him, some people have lost their lives to stomach ulcers, as a result of self-medication and their refusal to seek help from experts. The public health physician explained, “It’s very wrong for someone to say that there is no drug for stomach ulcer.

“For the wound to heal, the person has to take a drug. It is not true that you will just take food for the wound to heal. “Ulcer is a wound on the walls of the intestine. The wound cannot just go like that without treatment.

“Ulcer can trigger and cause bleeding. That is why some of those suffering from it die of internal bleeding. So, some people die of bleeding ulcers. That is why people should stop commonising it. There is no scientific evidence to show that ulcer has no treatment.”

The expert said people suffering from stomach ulcers usually experience pain when the food that they eat touches the wound.

Continuing, he said, “So, how does the ulcer come about? Your body secretes a kind of fluid sometimes that is acidic in nature. If it doesn’t see any food, it will start corroding the walls of the gut and if it corrodes the walls of the gut, that is how the wound starts. Although there is also a worm said to usually cause that too.