Using "a" tag to run php code on same page

Using "a" tag to run php code on same page

I'm using a "a href" tag that links to same page . Using jquery i've set
it to event.preventDefault & so the page doesn't refresh. When i click on
that link it runs the php code on the same page & update the database as
required , but i also want it to "echo" the returned result using mysql &
that does not happen. Has anyone got a better idea?
I want the result to return without reload & i cant use " .load " or such
jquery functions as it affects my other part of the application.