Peptic ulcer disease affects more than 4 million Americans annually, costing the country an estimated $10 billion in direct and indirect healthcare expenses.
Bruce Springsteen’s Peptic Ulcer Disease
According to The New York Times, on Wednesday night, Bruce Springsteen made the announcement that he would be canceling his September concerts because he was being treated for peptic ulcer disease symptoms.
Dr. William Chey, chief of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Michigan Medicine, said that such symptoms of Peptic ulcer disease are typical and typically include nausea and stabbing, burning pain in the upper abdomen (just below the sternum). Peptic ulcer disease sufferers may also experience bloating, stomach pain after meals, and a sudden feeling of fullness. In severe situations, patients may experience unexplained weight loss, bloody or coffee-ground-like vomiting, or black, tar-like stools.
However, only a small percentage of people with peptic ulcer disease symptoms are likely to truly have ulcers, according to Dr. Chey.
The signs of peptic ulcer disease and really having the condition are very different, he continued.
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What is peptic ulcer disease?
As per the report of Market Watch, up to 10% of the world’s population, which includes over 4 million Americans each year, has the frequently excruciating digestive ailment. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, it also racks up an estimated $10 billion in annual healthcare expenses, including both direct and indirect costs. In fact, Fortune Business Insights estimates that the global market for peptic ulcer disease medications was worth $4.25 billion in 2019 and will grow to $5.13 billion by 2024.
Dr. Scott Gabbard, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said that peptic ulcer disease are flaws in the lining of the stomach or small intestine that manifest as superficial lesions. Although it is more prevalent in older persons, anyone can contract the illness.
Peptic ulcer disease will affect 5 to 10 percent of people worldwide at some point in their life, yet many sufferers have no symptoms. According to Dr. Harold J. Boutte Jr., a gastroenterologist at Northwestern Medicine, people might not be aware that they have these ulcers until they start bleeding. However, for those who do experience symptoms, they may be uncomfortable, upsetting, or even incapacitating.
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