An ulcer is a sore.
It is inside your belly. It can feel like a burn.
It can hurt when you eat. It can also hurt when you are hungry. Have you ever had a tummy ache?
An ulcer is a sore inside your belly.
It can happen in your stomach. It can also happen in your gut.
Sometimes the sore feels like a burn. It might hurt when you eat. It might also hurt when you are hungry.
Tiny germs can cause these sores. Some medicines can also cause them.
Doctors can help you feel better. They may give you medicine to help.
It is good to know about your body.
An ulcer is a sore on the inside of your body.
These sores can happen in the stomach. They can also happen in the first part of the small intestine. We call a stomach sore a gastric ulcer. A sore in the intestine is a duodenal ulcer.
Many people feel a burning or dull ache in their belly. If the sore is in the stomach, eating might make it hurt more. If the sore is in the intestine, eating might help the pain go away. Some people feel pain at night when they are sleeping.
Two main things can cause these sores. One is a germ called Helicobacter pylori. This germ lives in the stomach. Another cause is using certain medicines called NSAIDs. These are medicines like aspirin. These drugs can stop the body from making a layer of mucus. This mucus helps protect the stomach lining from acid.
Doctors can find ulcers using a tool called an endoscopy. This tool lets them look inside the body. To help, doctors may give medicine to lower stomach acid. They may also use antibiotics to kill the germs.
Peptic ulcer disease is a condition where sores form on the inner lining of the body.
These sores can happen in the stomach, which is called a gastric ulcer. They can also happen in the first part of the small intestine, known as a duodenal ulcer. Sometimes, they even form in the lower part of the esophagus. These sores matter because they can cause serious health problems. About 10% of people will develop a peptic ulcer during their lifetime.
Around 4% of the population has them at any given time.
Ulcers work by damaging the protective layer of the stomach.
One common cause is a germ called Helicobacter pylori. This germ creates a special environment to help it survive. It can also cause inflammation, which is swelling in the body. Another cause is using certain medicines called NSAIDs. These medicines, like aspirin, can stop the body from making mucus. This mucus is a protective layer that shields the stomach from acid. Without enough mucus, the acid can damage the lining.
People feel different things depending on where the sore is located.
A duodenal ulcer often causes pain that wakes a person at night. This pain might actually feel better after eating a meal. A gastric ulcer is different because eating might make the pain worse. Many people describe the feeling as a burning or dull ache. Some people might also feel sick to their stomach or lose their appetite. Interestingly, about one third of older people have no symptoms at all.
Doctors have learned a lot about these sores over many years.
In 1670, the first case of a hole in the stomach was described in Princess Henrietta of England. For a long time, people thought stress or spicy food caused ulcers. However, Barry Marshall and Robin Warren discovered the H. pylori germ in the late 20th century. This was a huge discovery for science. They even won the Nobel Prize in 2005 for their work. In 2015, about 87.4 million new ulcers were found worldwide.
Knowing about ulcers helps us understand how our bodies stay healthy.
Doctors can use a tool called an endoscopy to look inside the body. They can also use medicine to lower the amount of acid in the stomach. If a germ is the cause, they use antibiotics to kill it. It is helpful to know that diet does not actually cause ulcers. Instead, we focus on managing germs and certain medicines. This helps keep the stomach lining strong and safe.
Peptic ulcer disease is a medical condition involving damage to the gastric mucosa. This is the inner lining of the stomach. Ulcers can also form in the lower esophagus or the duodenum. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine.
When an ulcer is in the stomach, it is a gastric ulcer. When it is in the duodenum, it is a duodenal ulcer. These sores are significant because they can lead to serious health complications. About 10% of people will develop a peptic ulcer during their lives. At any given time, ulcers are present in roughly 4% of the population.
The mechanism of an ulcer involves the breakdown of the protective mucosal layer. The stomach uses mucus and bicarbonate to shield itself from strong acid. One major cause is infection by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium secretes an enzyme called urease to create an alkaline environment. This helps the germ survive in the acidic stomach. The bacteria use proteins called adhesins to attach to the stomach lining. They also release virulence factors like CagA and PicB. These factors cause inflammation in the mucosa.
This inflammation can change how much acid the stomach produces. In some cases, it leads to a reduction in acid, causing gastric ulcers. In other cases, it increases acid production, leading to duodenal ulcers.
Another common cause involves non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. These include medicines like aspirin. The stomach protects itself using prostaglandins. These are substances that help stimulate mucus secretion. NSAIDs work by inhibiting an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, or COX-1. This enzyme is essential for making prostaglandins. When COX-1 is blocked, mucus secretion decreases. This reduces the integrity of the stomach lining. NSAID-related ulcers often dig deeper into the tissue more quickly than other types. This can lead to complications even if the person does not feel much pain.
Symptoms often depend on the location of the ulcer. A duodenal ulcer typically causes pain about three hours after eating. This pain often wakes people up at night. Interestingly, eating a meal can sometimes relieve this pain. A gastric ulcer behaves differently. The pain from a gastric ulcer may worsen when a person eats. This happens because acid production increases when food enters the stomach. Most people describe the sensation as a burning or dull ache. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, or weight loss. About one-third of older people with ulcers show no symptoms at all.
Complications from peptic ulcers can be severe. The most common complication is gastrointestinal bleeding. This occurs in as many as 15% of cases. Sudden, large bleeding events can be life-threatening. Another serious issue is perforation. This is when the ulcer creates a hole in the wall of the digestive tract. If a gastric ulcer perforates, it can cause acute peritonitis. This is an inflammation of the abdominal cavity. Perforation requires immediate surgery.
Another complication is gastric outlet obstruction. This is a narrowing of the canal that leads out of the stomach. It is caused by swelling or scarring and can lead to severe vomiting.
Medical understanding of ulcers has changed greatly over time. For nearly 100 years, doctors believed stress and spicy food caused ulcers. The first description of a perforated ulcer was recorded in 1670 regarding Princess Henrietta of England. However, the true causes were found much later. Barry Marshall and Robin Warren identified H. pylori as a cause in the late 20th century. Their discovery changed how we treat the disease. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2005 for this work. In 2015, new ulcers were found in approximately 87.4 million people worldwide.
Doctors use several methods to diagnose and treat the disease. They may use an endoscopy to look inside the stomach. An endoscopy is a procedure where a tool is used to view the lining. They can also use a barium swallow for imaging. To find H. pylori, doctors may use a urea breath test or a stool test. Treatment often involves medications to decrease stomach acid. These are called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or H2 blockers. For H. pylori infections, doctors prescribe a combination of antibiotics like amoxicillin and clarithromycin.
Patients are also advised to stop smoking and avoid NSAIDs to help the ulcers heal.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (13)
+ 1 more
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.