A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of your stomach or duodenum. The duodenum is the first part of your small intestine. A peptic ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer. One that is in the duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer. A peptic ulcer also may develop just above your stomach in the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. But most peptic ulcers develop in the stomach or duodenum.
Many people have peptic ulcers. You can have both gastric and duodenal ulcers at the same time and you also can have more than one ulcer in your lifetime.
Peptic ulcers can be treated successfully. Seeing your doctor is the first step.
Most peptic ulcers are caused by
Helicobacter pyloricus, a germ that causes infection
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen
Helicobacter pylori is the most common cause of peptic ulcers. Doctors think H. pylori may be spread through unclean food or water or by mouth-to-mouth contact, such as kissing. Even though many people have an H. pylori infection, most of them never develop an ulcer.
Use of NSAIDs is the second most common cause of peptic ulcers. But not everyone who takes NSAIDs gets a peptic ulcer. Ulcers caused by NSAIDs are more often found in people who
are age 60 or older
are female
have taken NSAIDs for a long time
have had an ulcer before
Other causes of peptic ulcers are rare. One rare cause is Zollinger-Ellison syndrome - a disease that makes the body produce too much stomach acid, which harms the lining of the stomach or duodenum.
Stress or spicy food does not cause peptic ulcers, but either can make ulcer symptoms worse.
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