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What Causes Ulcers? No single cause has been found for ulcers. However, it is now clear that an ulcer is the end result of an imbalance between digestive fluids in the stomach and duodenum. Most ulcers are caused by an infection with a type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Factors that can increase your risk for ulcers include: Use of painkillers called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, and others), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, some types of Midol, and others), and many others available by prescription; even safety-coated aspirin and aspirin in powered form can frequently cause ulcers. Excess acid production from gastrinomas, tumors of the acid producing cells of the stomach that increases acid output (seen in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome) Excessive drinking of alcohol Smoking or chewing tobacco Serious illness Radiation treatment to the area What Are the Symptoms of an Ulcer? An ulcer may or may not have symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include: A gnawing or burning pain in the middle or upper stomach between meals or at night Bloating Heartburn Nausea or vomiting In severe cases, symptoms can include: Dark or black stool (due to bleeding) Vomiting blood (that can look like "coffee-grounds") Weight loss Severe pain in the mid to upper abdomen
When your child needs surgery, it can be overwhelming and sometimes scary. At Mayo Clinic Children’s Center, our highly skilled surgeons apply deep experience and specialized training to offer individualized care for your child and your family.
What Is It? Your wisdom teeth (third molars) usually start to erupt (enter your mouth) during the late teen years. Sometimes, there's not enough room for them. They may come into your mouth partially or not at all. Partial eruption of a wisdom tooth can create a flap of gum tissue next to the tooth. The flap can trap bits of food and debris. It can turn into a hotbed for bacteria. It's called pericoronitis if the tissue around the tooth becomes inflamed. Pericoronitis also can occur around a wisdom tooth that is still completely under the gums. Symptoms Symptoms include: Painful, swollen gum tissue in the area of the affected tooth. It can be difficult to bite down comfortably without catching the swollen tissue between your teeth. A bad smell or taste in the mouth Discharge of pus from the gum near the tooth More serious symptoms include: Swollen lymph nodes under your chin (the submandibular nodes) Muscle spasms in the jaw Swelling on the affected side of the face Diagnosis Usually, someone with pericoronitis goes to the dentist, complaining of pain in the area of the back tooth. Pericoronitis is diagnosed during the clinical exam. Your dentist will see inflamed gum tissue in the area of the unerupted or partly erupted wisdom tooth. The gums may be red, swollen or draining fluid or pus. Expected Duration Pericoronitis can be managed with antibiotics and warm salt water rinses. It goes away in about one week. However, it can return. This is likely to happen if the tooth does not completely enter the mouth and food and bacteria keep building up under the gum. Prevention You can help to prevent pericoronitis by brushing any erupting wisdom tooth and flossing around it. This will help make sure that food and bacteria do not build up under the gums. However, sometimes these steps do not work. If pericoronitis returns, you may need to have the flap of gum tissue removed. In some cases, the flap of tissue grows back and the wisdom tooth will need to be extracted. Treatment Pericoronitis can be tricky to treat. That's because the flap of gum tissue won't go away until the wisdom tooth emerges naturally, the tissue is removed or the tooth is removed. Your dentist will clean the area thoroughly by rinsing under the flap with water to remove bits of food and pus. Your dentist also may need to remove damaged tissue. If the area is infected, you'll most likely be given antibiotics. Your dentist will explain how to keep the area clean, which is the best way to prevent the problem from returning. This usually involves brushing and flossing daily and rinsing your mouth with water several times a day. These steps will help to prevent food from getting stuck under the gum flap. In some cases, your dentist may suggest removing the erupting tooth. Or the dentist may want to remove the tooth above it, which bites down on the gum below. If your dentist thinks the tooth may erupt fully into the mouth without problems, he or she may leave it alone. However, if pericoronitis comes back, the tooth may be extracted. Pericoronitis that causes symptoms should be treated as soon as possible. If it is not, the infection can spread to other areas of your mouth. The most severe cases are treated in a hospital. They sometimes require intravenous antibiotics and surgery. When To Call a Professional If you have symptoms of pericoronitis, make an appointment to see your dentist. If your wisdom teeth are coming in, visit your dentist at least twice a year for regular checkups. During those visits, the dentist can check on the progress of your wisdom teeth. Prognosis Pericoronitis does not cause any long-term effects. If the affected tooth is removed or erupts fully into the mouth, the condition cannot return.
Colon polyp facts Colon polyps are growths on the inner lining of the colon and are very common. Colon polyps are important because they may be, or may become malignant (cancerous). They also are important because based on their size, number, and microscopic anatomy (histology); they can predict which patients are more likely to develop more polyps and colon cancer. Changes in the genetic material of cells lining the colon are the cause of polyps. There are different types of colon polyps with differing tendencies to become malignant and abilities to predict the development of more polyps and cancer. It is important to recognize families with members who have familial genetic conditions causing polyps because some of these conditions are associated with a very high incidence of colon cancer, and the cancer can be prevented or discovered early.
Thoracentesis is a procedure used to obtain a sample of fluid from the space around the lungs. Normally, only a thin layer of fluid is present in the area between the lungs and chest wall. However, some conditions can cause a large amount of fluid to accumulate. This collection of fluid is called a pleural effusion.