12/11/2022
PEPTIC ULCER
What Are Peptic Ulcers? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
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By Ashley WelchMedically Reviewed by Kareem Sassi, MD
Reviewed: December 4, 2020
Medically Reviewed
A peptic ulcer is a type of sore that develops in the digestive system.
These sores occur when the acids that help you digest food damage the walls of the stomach or duodenum, the first part of the small intestine immediately beyond the stomach.
Types of Peptic Ulcers
The most common kinds of peptic ulcers are:
Gastric ulcers A common type of ulcer, these occur on the inside of the stomach.
Duodenal ulcers These are located at the beginning of the small intestine (called the small bowel or duodenum).
Esophageal ulcers These occur inside the esophagus (the tube that carries food from your throat to your stomach).
You can have more than one kind of peptic ulcer at the same time.

Signs and Symptoms of Peptic Ulcers
Many people with peptic ulcers don't have any signs, but upper abdominal pain is the most common symptom.
This abdominal pain may:
Extend from your navel up to your breastbone
Feel worse when your stomach is empty
Feel better temporarily when you eat certain foods or take an antacid
Get worse at night
Come and go for days or weeks
Other symptoms of peptic ulcers may include:
Nausea
Vomiting of red or dark blood
Feeling bloated or full
Bloody, black, or tar-like stools
Unexplained weight loss
Changes in your appetite
Causes and Risk Factors of Peptic Ulcers
For a long time, it was believed that spicy foods or stress led to peptic ulcers — but doctors now know that this isn't the case.
In fact, the most common causes of ulcers are:
Helicobacter pylori, a type of bacteria that can infect your stomach