Ulcers are crater-like lesions that develop on the lining of the stomach or intestines. The most common type, peptic ulcers, are usually caused by H. pylori bacteria or long-term use of NSAIDs like aspirin. Symptoms include a burning stomach pain that is relieved by eating. Doctors perform tests like upper endoscopy to diagnose ulcers and treat them with antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors, and antacids to reduce acid and allow healing. Prevention focuses on hand washing, exercise, and avoiding smoking or excess alcohol.

1. Fitango Education
Health Topics
Ulcers
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2. Overview
An ulcer is a crater-like lesion on the skin or
mucous membrane of the mouth, stomach, and
other body areas. There are several different types
of ulcers including peptic ulcers, mouth ulcers, skin
ulcers, and pressure ulcers.
Peptic ulcers are sores on the lining of the stomach
or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine)
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3. Symptoms
A burning stomach pain is the most common
symptom of peptic ulcers. The pain usually feels
like a sharp ache between the breastbone and the
belly button. This pain often comes a few hours
after eating. It can also happen during the night or
early in the morning, when the stomach is empty.
Eating something or taking an antacid medication
sometimes makes the pain go away for awhile.
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4. Symptoms
Other symptoms of ulcers can include:
-- loss of appetite
-- sudden, sharp stomach pains
-- nausea
-- frequent burping or hiccuping
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5. Symptoms
-- weight loss
-- vomiting (if blood is in the vomit or the vomit
looks like coffee grounds, which only happens with
severe ulcers, call a doctor right away)
-- bloody or blackish bowel movements (this could
indicate a serious problem, so call a doctor right
away if you see this)
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6. Symptoms
Over time, untreated ulcers grow larger and
deeper and can lead to other problems, such as
bleeding in the digestive system or a hole in the
wall of the stomach or duodenum, which can make
someone very sick.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pepticulcer.
html
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/di
gestive/ulcers.html#
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7. Diagnosis
In addition to doing a physical examination, a
doctor will ask about your symptoms, past
health, family's health, any medications you're
taking, any allergies you may have, and other
issues. If you have stomach pain or other
symptoms of an ulcer, the doctor will perform
some tests to help make the diagnosis.
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8. Diagnosis
One test is called an **upper gastrointestinal (GI)
series**
. This is a type of X-ray of the
stomach, duodenum, and esophagus, the muscular
tube that links the mouth to the stomach. A person
drinks a whitish liquid called barium while getting
an X-ray, and if he or she has an ulcer, it should be
outlined on the X-ray.
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9. Diagnosis
Another common procedure to look for an ulcer is
called an **endoscopy**
. Tissue can be removed during an endoscopy and
then tested for H. pylori bacteria.
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10. Diagnosis
A doctor can also do a blood test for H. pylori
bacteria. This may be important if an ulcer is found
in the upper GI series. Sometimes a bowel
movement or a person's breath can also be
specially tested to check for the H. pylori bacteria.
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/di
gestive/ulcers.html#
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11. Treatment
Treatment involves a combination of medications
to kill the H. pylori bacteria (if present), and reduce
acid levels in the stomach. This strategy allows
your ulcer to heal and reduces the chance it will
come back.
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12. Treatment
Antibiotics are typically prescribed to kill the H.
pylori bacteria in the body. If you have a peptic
ulcer with an H. pylori infection, the standard
treatment uses different combinations of the
following medications for 5 - 14 days:
-- Two different antibiotics to kill H. pylori, such as
clarithromycin (Biaxin), amoxicillin, tetracycline, or
metronidazole (Flagyl)
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13. Treatment
-- Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole
(Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), or
esomeprazole (Nexium)
-- Bismuth (the main ingredient in Pepto-Bismol)
may be added to help kill the bacteria
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14. Treatment
If you have an ulcer without an H. pylori
infection, or one that is caused by taking aspirin or
NSAIDs, your doctor will likely prescribe a proton
pump inhibitor for 8 weeks.You may also be
prescribed this type of medicine if you must
continue taking aspirin or NSAIDs for other health
conditions.
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15. Treatment
If a peptic ulcer bleeds a lot, an EGD may be
needed to stop the bleeding. Methods used to
stop the bleeding include injecting medicine, or
applying metal clips to the ulcer. Surgery may be
needed if bleeding cannot be stopped with an
EGD, or if the ulcer has caused a tear (perforation).
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16. Treatment
Antacids are given for 2 months or longer to lessen
the amount of acid in the stomach and help
protect the lining of the stomach so the ulcer can
heal.
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/di
gestive/ulcers.html#
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article
/000206.htm
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17. Causes
Ulcers can be caused by inflammation or infection.
Peptic ulcers appear when the acids that help you
digest food damage the walls of the stomach or
duodenum.
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18. Causes
For almost 100 years, doctors believed that
stress, spicy foods, and alcohol caused most ulcers.
Now we know that most peptic ulcers are caused
by a particular bacterial infection in the stomach
and upper intestine, by certain medications, or by
smoking.
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19. Causes
Most peptic ulcers are caused by an infection from
H. pylori. Another cause is the long-term use of
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like
aspirin and ibuprofen. It is thought that some
people may naturally secrete more stomach acid
than others — and it doesn't matter what stresses
they're exposed to or what foods they eat. Peptic
ulcers may have something to do with the
combination of H. pylori infection and the level of
acid in the stomach.
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20. Causes
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/di
gestive/ulcers.html#
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21. Risks
Although H. pylori are responsible for most cases
of peptic ulcers, these ulcers can happen for other
reasons. Some people regularly take anti-
inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or
ibuprofen, that fight inflammation in the body and
are used to treat long-term painful conditions like
arthritis. If taken in high daily doses over a long
period of time, NSAIDs can cause ulcers.
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22. Risks
Smoking also is associated with peptic ulcers.
Smoking increases someone's risk of getting an
ulcer because the nicotine in cigarettes causes the
stomach to produce more acid. Drinking a lot of
alcohol for a period of time can also increase a
person's risk of ulcers because over time alcohol
can wear down the lining of the stomach and
intestines.
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23. Risks
In certain circumstances stress can help cause
ulcers. But this usually only happens when illness
involving severe emotional or physical stress is
involved — such as when someone too sick to eat
for a long period of time.
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24. Risks
Ulcers occur because of uncontrolled increased
acid production in the stomach and changes in the
immune system. With any illness where the body's
ability to heal is challenged (such as when
someone has serious burns from a fire or goes
through radiation), there is a risk for developing
ulcers.
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/di
gestive/ulcers.html#
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25. Prevention
Doctors are not yet sure how the bacteria H. pylori
are transmitted from person to person, but many
believe that to prevent the spread of the bacteria
one should avoid the spreading of saliva (sharing
food/drinks, kissing, etc.).
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26. Prevention
The best advice in ulcer prevention is to always
wash your hands after you use the bathroom and
before you eat and take good care of your body by
exercising regularly and not smoking or drinking.
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