Peptic ulcer

If youve got stomach pain and nausea, any number of gastrointestinal problems could be to blame. When these symptoms dont go away, one possibility is that you have a peptic ulcer. Lets talk about peptic ulcers.

A peptic ulcer is a defect in the lining of your stomach or the first part of your small intestine, the duodenum. When the defect is in your stomach, its called a gastric ulcer. A defect in your duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer.

Your stomach is filled with strong acid, which breaks down and digests the foods you eat. If youve ever seen a strong acid at work, you know that it starts to burn away anything it touches. Thats why your stomach and intestines are equipped with a special lining to protect them. But if that lining breaks down for any reason, acids can start eating their way through. When acids burn a hole all the way through the stomach or duodenum, its called a perforation, and thats a medical emergency.

You may joke that your boss is giving you an ulcer, and its possible that stress does play some part in ulcers. More likely, your ulcer is caused by a stomach infection with a type of bacteria called H. pylori. Other common ulcer risks include smoking cigarettes, drinking a lot of alcohol, or regularly using NSAID pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen.



Treatment for peptic ulcers works in two ways. If you have an H. pylori infection, youll have a medication regimen to kill the bacteria. Youll also get a medicine called a proton pump inhibitor, such as Prilosec or Prevacid, which reduces the amount of acid in your stomach.


Follow your doctors instructions carefully for treating a peptic ulcer. If you dont follow your treatment as directed, your ulcer could come back. Call your doctor right away if you have sharp stomach pain, youre sweating a lot or feeling confused, or your stomach feels hard to the touch. These could be signs of a serious ulcer complication that needs immediate medical help.

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