Strategies for Snoozing with a Stomach Ulcer
Feeling like a miserable sack of potatoes with a burning, gnawing tummy pain keeping you up at night? Don't fret, here's the lowdown on how to catch some Z's with a stomach ulcer.
What's a Stomach Ulcer, Anyway?
Stomach ulcers, or gastric ulcers, are nasty, open sores that form on the lining of your stomach. They're one of two types of peptic ulcers, the other being duodenal ulcers that crop up in your small intestine. Both tummy and duodenal ulcers have similar symptoms and treatment options [1], [2].
Snoozing with a Tummy Ulcer
The pain of a stomach ulcer, or peptic ulcer disease, can be a real party pooper, but there are moves you can make to help relieve the agony and promote healing while you're catching some shut-eye.
To tame tummy ulcer pain at night, consider the following 4 nifty strategies:
- Setting up shop: Ensure your bed is comfy as can be, and your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet for top-notch zzz's.
- Picking the best sleep position: Snoozing on your left side helps aid digestion and cuts down on acid reflux. If you'd rather, try using a wedge pillow to keep your back propped up while catching some sleep [3].
- Maintaining a sleep routine: Establish a steady bedtime routine and sip some chamomile tea before lights out for its calming effects.
- Skipping trigger foods: Keep a food journal to identify naughty morsels that send your ulcer into overdrive, and adjust your diet accordingly.
Causes of Stomach Ulcers
Tummy ulcers show up when the protective coating on your stomach lining gets all busted up. This often happens as a result of a Helicobacter pylori infection or the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) [4]. While it's still a bit of a mystery how one may catch the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, it's known that it spreads easy-peasy through contact with infected poop, vomit, or spit. Chowing down on food or drinks that are already contaminated can also raise the risk of transmission.
Carting around NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen can also cause tummy ulcers since they thin out the stomach lining, making it more vulnerable to damage.
Other possible reasons for tummy ulcers may include:
- Viral, fungal, or bacterial infections
- Medications like corticosteroids, antidepressants, and certain antibiotics
- Stomach surgery or medical procedures
Foods That Can Pester Your Tummy
Avoiding certain grubs is key to keeping tummy pain at bay, as certain chow can trigger aggravating flare-ups. Get the scoop on three main culprits that can trigger discomfort and worsen your ulcer symptoms:
- Sour foods: Consuming acidic noshes like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and vinegar can increase tummy acid production, leading to even more pain and irritation.
- Hot foods: Spices like chili peppers, hot sauces, and curries can annoy your stomach lining and intensify ulcer symptoms, causing bothersome flare-ups.
- ** Fried foods:** Greasy and fried morsels can be hard to digest, putting extra strain on your tummy and potentially worsening your ulcer.
Giving these naughties a miss can reduce the risk of bothersome flare-ups, helping you snooze more comfortably with your tummy ulcer.
Tummy Ulcer Symptoms
The most common symptom of a tummy ulcer is a persistent, annoying pain in your stomach. Some may also experience symptoms of indigestion, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and acid reflux [5].
Nipping Tummy Ulcer Symptoms in the Bud
1. Bid farewell to tobacco and limit booze
Stop smoking and minimise your alcohol consumption to reduce tummy ulcer pain. Smoking and booze can up tummy acid production and worsen ulcer symptoms. Kicking the habit will aid in healing and improve your overall health.
Pinching your booze intake can also help reduce irritation to the tummy lining. Make sure to follow your doctor's treatment plan for your tummy ulcer, which may include medications and lifestyle adjustments.
2. Chill the heck out
To decrease tummy ulcer symptoms and manage them effectively, it's essential to find stress-busting methods and ask for support from a healthcare provider or mental health wizzard. Stress doesn't create ulcers, but it can spark symptoms and exacerbate pain. Adopting calming strategies can help manage symptoms and encourage healing.
Here are three clever tricks to keep stress in check and enhance your overall well-being:
- Practice relaxing techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga.
- Engage in regular physical activity like walking, swimming, or cycling to release endorphins and curb stress.
- Seek encouragement from loved ones, join a support group, or consider therapy to address any emotional stressors.
3. Give probiotics a whirl
You can also think about popping probiotics as a wholesome home remedy to help balance the bacteria in your digestive system. Maintaining a healthy gut may assist in zapping the H.pylori bacteria and ward off the unfavorable side effects of antibiotics.
Some suitable snacks to chomp on are yogurt, kefir, kimchi, or probiotic supplements.
4. Taking prescribed pills
If your tummy ulcer was a byproduct of H.pylori bacteria infection, your doc may prescribe you antibiotics to zap the bacteria and prevent tummy ulcers from returning.
Conversely, if the tummy ulcer was triggered by using NSAID pain relievers, your med maestro may treat you with proton pump inhibitors (PPI). It could take anywhere between a couple weeks to a few months to recover, depending on the severity [6].
Requesting Medical Help for Persistent or Extreme Cases
If you've got ongoing or severe symptoms of a tummy ulcer, it's pivotal to seek immediate medical attention.
Long-lasting or extreme symptoms might include persistent stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, blood in the poop, or unexpected weight loss. These symptoms could indicate a more serious predicament or complications from the tummy ulcer.
Seeking medical help is vital because a healthcare professional can effectively diagnose your situation and provide fitting treatment options. They may endorse acid-reducing medications, antibiotics if there's a bacterial infection, or other interventions to help alleviate your symptoms.
Toot-Sweet Slumber
Resting peacefully with a tummy ulcer might be a tad tricky at first, but by following tactics such as nailing the perfect sleep position, dodging trigger foods, and sticking to a soothing bedtime routine – you can gradually ease discomfort and improve your sleep quality.
For more assistance to snooze like a baby, give the ShutEye® app a whirl! From personalised sleep tracking to relaxing soundscapes, ShutEye is packed with sleep tools designed to help you rest more easily. Sign up for a free trial today!
- Mental health conditions such as anxiety and stress can exacerbate stomach ulcer symptoms, so it's important to manage mental health effectively to promote healing.
- Chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease can increase the risk of developing a stomach ulcer, so maintaining good health and wellness is crucial.
- Science has shown that the bacteria Helicobacter pylori can cause stomach ulcers, and it's known to spread through contact with infected poop, vomit, or spit.
- Sleep quality and digestive health are closely linked, and people with stomach ulcers may benefit from strategies such as sleeping on the left side, using a wedge pillow, establishing a regular bedtime routine, and identifying and avoiding trigger foods.
