Acid Peptic Disorder with Lesser known Homoeopathic Medicines and Dietary Management

Dr Nitesh Jangid

Abstract: Acid peptic disorder includes gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, dyspepsia, gastritis and gastro esophageal reflux disease. It is due to imbalance between acid secretion and gastric mucosal defenses. It is manifested by pain, abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, heart burn and regurgitation. A combination of homoeopathic medicines and life style changes may bring relief in Acid peptic disorder.

Keywords: Gastric and duodenal ulcer, Dyspepsia, Gastritis, Gastro esophageal reflux disease, Homoeopathic medicines.

Introduction: Acid peptic diseases result from distinctive but overlapping pathogenic mechanisms which involve diminished mucosal defense due to acid effects. Glands in the stomach produces acid and an enzyme called as pepsin that helps the body to digest food in the process of digestion.1 Normally, the stomach and the duodenum also produce mucus that protects the inner lining of the wall of these organs from the effect of acid secreted during the process. But sometimes excessive gastric acid secretion occurs and so, due to repeated attack of this acid, there is decreased mucosal defense activity of the wall lining of these organs, due to which various symptoms of Acid Peptic Disorder develops.4

Acid peptic disorder includes:-

  • Dyspepsia: Dyspepsia describe an inability to digest food. It include epigastric pain, heartburn, distension, nausea or an acid feeling occur after eating and drinking. It is caused by Helicobacter pylori, psychological, neurological and gut peptide factors which are implicated in the genesis.2 There are no diagnostic signs, apart perhaps from inappropriate tenderness on abdominal palpation. Patients often appear anxious.3
  • Gastritis: Inflammation of gastric mucosa is called gastritis. The two types of gastritis are known i. e. acute and chronic. Aetiological factors may include Helicobacter pylori, excessive consumption of alcohol,  NSAIDs, constant physical and emotional stress, spicy food,  smoking and decreased mucin content in gastric juice or decreased protective activity

in stomach and duodenum.4

  • Gastro esophageal reflux diseases: Several mechanisms operate into esophagus to prevent the reflux of gastric contents. When these mechanisms fails to prevent, gastric content reflux into the lower esophagus.3 The reduced lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tone is an important cause of reflux. This is called as gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD).5

Causes:

  1. Abnormalities of the lower esophageal sphincter.
  2. Hiatus hernia
  3. Delayed esophageal clearance
  4. Gastric contents
  5. Dietary and environmental factors3

  Clinical features:

  1. Heartburn and regurgitation, provoked by bending, straining or lying down.
  2. ‘Water brash’, which is salivation due to reflex salivary gland stimulation as acid enters the gullet.
  3. Patients are woken at night by choking as refluxed fluid irritates the larynx.
  4. Odynophagia or dysphagia.
  5. Chest pain.3
  • Peptic Ulcers: Peptic ulcer refers to an ulcer in the lower esophagus, stomach or duodenum, in the jejunum after surgical anastomosis to stomach, and in the ileum adjacent to a Meckel’s diverticulum. It’s incidence is 10% of all adult males. There are following two types:3

Acute peptic ulcer: Acute peptic ulcers present with gastrointestinal bleeding. Sometimes it may occurs following stress than they termed as ‘stress ulcer’. The main aetiological factor is sepsis. It may be seen after cerebral trauma or neurological operations.6

Chronic peptic ulcer: Gastric ulcer and Duodenal ulcer are the two types of chronic peptic   ulcer. Gastric ulcer occurs at the age more than 40 years. It is equal in both sexes while duodenal ulcer occur between 20-50 years of age and more common in females.3

Aetiology 7:

Causal factors Gastric ulcer Duodenal ulcer
Helicobector pylori Important Very important
NSAIDs and aspirin Important Important
Acids Normal or low acid output High or normal acid output
Bile reflux Important Unimportant
Smoking Important Important
Stress Evidence of head injuries and burns only
Family history Uncommon Common

Clinical features:

  • Epigastric pain with localised at the site of one finger. It is burning in character.
  • Pain occurs in episodes, lasting 1-3 weeks every time, 3-4 times a year. Hunger pain occur on empty stomach.
  • Pain increased at night around 3 A.M. and relieved by food, milk or antacids.
  • Waterbrash, heart burn, loss of appetite and vomiting .
  • Anorexia, nausea and dyspepsia.3

       Lesser Known Homoeopathic Medicines for APD

  1. Euphorbium officinalis: Ulcers in stomach, burn like coal fire. Great hunger. Sialorrhea.8 Waterbrash. Thirst for cold drinks.9
  2. Gratiola officinalis: Dyspepsia with distention of abdomen. Cramps and colic after supper and during night with swelling of abdomen.9
  3. Nyctanthes arbor tristis: Burning in stomach with nausea and vomiting8 better by cold application. Thirst, Better vomiting.9
  4. Ornithogalum umbellatum: Ulceration of pylorus and caecum with distention of abdomen. Belching, offensive flatus, agonizing pain must loosen clothes. Gastric and duodenal ulcers.8 Painful sinking across epigastrium.9
  5. Ptelea: Chronic gastritis.8 Weight and fullness of abdomen. Gripping in epigastric region. Eructation, nausea and vomiting. Constant sensation of corrosion, heat and burning in stomach.9
  6. Salicylic acid: Dyspepsia with putrid eructations, excessive accumulation of flatus. Acidity of stomach, nausea gagging and waterbrash.8
  7. Uranium nitricum: Pyloric and gastric ulcer.8 Boring pain in pyloric region. Gastric and duodenal ulcers. Burning pain. Abdomen bloated.9
  8. Valeriana officinalis: Heartburn with gulping of rancid fluid. Hunger and nausea. Eructations foul. Abdomen bloated.9

Dietary Management:

  • Accepted Diet: Milk, low-fat cheese, yogurt, fermented milk, Walnuts, Vegetable oils,  olive oil, Apple, papaya, melon, banana, Leafy dark green vegetables, carrot, beet, green bean, spinach, kale, radish, zucchini, leek Bean soup, lentils, chickpeas, soybean, Lean meat (beef, pork, chicken, fish) and natural juices.
  • Restricted Diet: Small volume but frequent meals, alcohol, fatty food, caffeine, mint, orange juice. 

Auxiliary measures:

  • Minimum use of NSAIDs drugs. 
  • Avoid weight lifting, stooping and bending at waist. 
  • Avoid smoking. 
  • Hot or cold compress to  the epigastrium.3

References:

  1. Mejia A, Kraft W. Acid peptic diseases: pharmacological approach to treatment. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology. 2009;2(3):295-314.
  2. Swash M. Hutchison’s clinical methods. Edinburgh: W.B. Saunders; 2002.
  3. Aggarwal P, Mathew K. MEDICINE. 3rd ed. [S.l.]: ELSEVIER INDIA; 2010.
  4. Sembulingum K, Sembulingam P. Essentials of medical physiology.6th ed. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.: 2012.
  5. Kasper D, Braunwald E. Harrison’s Principles of internal medicine. 16th ed. New York: McGraw- Hill Medical Publishing Division; 2005.
  6. D as S. A Concise Textbook of Surgery. 5th ed. Calcutta, India: Dr. S. Das; 2008.
  7. Khanna M. Self Assessment & Review Medicine. 10th ed. New Delhi, India Jaypee The Healtth Science Publisher; 2017
  8. Bishambar Das R. Select your remedy. 16th ed. New Delhi, India.: Bishambar Free Homoeo Dispensary; 1994.
  9. Boericke D. Pocket manual of homoeopathic materia medica. New Delhi: B. Jain publisher (P) Ltd; 2008.

3 Comments

  1. chronic dyspepsia,Ptelea is great with painful liver some enlarged.ML Tyler view is has hot burn at stomach skin feeling breath even burns nostrils is constipated has afternoon fever.Borland for ptelea say is tired gatigued numb stiff swollen fingers.being non professional i will not bring in print which i have not read somewhere.non professionals say Ptelea is for parasitic infections settle in liver as chronic form even liver abcess,allopaths treat by metronidazole acute amebiosis ayurveds by minor opiate if not properly cured settles in liver,this my note reference is missing so not be taken on face value because ML TYler says is constipated amebiosis when acute is bloody dysentery merc cor type.best liver tonic is ferrum picric 6c many eclectics agree.liver pus cirrhosis homeopaths in agreement to lachesis yellow eyes crotalus.Ptelea is very imp remedy should be researched.

  2. Acidity mostly caused by emotional hurt or caused by excess intake tea coffee etc should be recognised at early heart burn stage and get relief from homeopathy.most go to allopaths become antacid depended which has serious side effect iron assimilation from food is affected then doctor starts anaemia treatment high doses of iron tonics spoil the intestines.grand mothers removed acidity by telling drink water again again to dilute acids make their burn less effective.if flatulent food beans cabbage make you acidic and thirsty bryonia 30c helps,assimilation food disorders sour belching desire eat chalk coal half boiled egg calc carb 30c helps,worse after starchy food watery belching nat mur 30c helps,zinc met 30c sweetish belching mouth mettalic taste run down by stress of overwork,hiccups and burping merc sol 30c helps.stress strain causes acidity multi millon business for drug companies and greedy doctors esp those who carry out costly tests from their own sister concern laboratories their prescription english only their favoured chemist can read.

  3. peptic ulcer localized pain plus crave sweets argt nit.peptic ulcer with pyloric pain plus great flatulence is lycopodium but uranium nit also required to improve assimilation.after inflammatory gastro enteric disease some digestive tonic required that is vanadium.energetic women with too much time and money at their hands with sinking feeling epigastrium better by taking deep breath is ignatia.chronic dyspepsia with pyrosis and rheumatism is nat carb.Borland has condensed much symptoms for digestie remedies but olden time busy practitioners had extra condensed notes on a remedy as hysterical female with foul gas is asaf but with dry mouth drowsy nux moschus,ptelea is painful liver with atonic gastro enteritis.these are some keynotes given by no more alive homeopaths.modern homeopaths keep their clinical experience in their secret diary this is major reason homeopathy not overpowering other pathies.

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