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Peptic ulcers are caused by bacteria or certain medications, not stress or diet. They can occur in the stomach, small intestine, or esophagus and cause stomach pain and bleeding. Treatment includes antibiotics, acid-reducing medication, and protection for eroded tissue.
A peptic ulcer is a lesion or raw wound in the stomach lining, small intestine, or esophagus. This plague develops when stomach acid and digestive juices eat away at body tissue. Once thought to be caused by stress or diet, peptic ulcers are now known to be the result of bacteria or certain medications. Bleeding is a common complication of peptic ulcers and can cause an ulcer patient to notice blood in their vomit or stool. By killing harmful bacteria and reducing the level of digestive acid, a bleeding peptic ulcer can be treated or even cured.
Ulcers can occur in different areas of the body. A gastric ulcer occurs in the stomach, while a duodenal ulcer develops in the duodenum, commonly called the small intestine. An esophageal ulcer is found in the esophagus and can be caused by or related to a condition known as reflux. If left untreated, any of these ulcers can develop into a bleeding peptic ulcer.
The first sign of a peptic ulcer is usually stomach pain. This pain is often described as a burning sensation located somewhere between the breastbone and belly button area. The heartburn is caused by stomach acid coming into contact with sensitive ulcerated tissue. It is common for the pain to come and go, get worse at night, or get better with eating or taking antacid treatments.
Doctors and scientists believed that peptic ulcers were caused by stress or an unhealthy diet. Current research does not support these theories and it is now known that ulcers are often caused by bacteria or certain medications. One bacterium particularly known to trigger peptic ulcer disease is Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This bacterium can live in the protective layer of the stomach. While often harmless, H. pylori can occasionally multiply and eat away at delicate digestive tissues.
Peptic ulcers can also be caused by some medications. Commonly used drugs known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are irritants to the digestive tissue and stomach. These drugs should be taken with meals or avoided by people at risk of developing a peptic ulcer.
A bleeding peptic ulcer is a complication that occurs when stomach acid and digestive juices engulf the blood vessels of an eroded digestive tract. Blood leaks into the digestive tract and can be seen in vomit or stool. Although it is one of the most common ulcer complications, a bleeding peptic ulcer can lead to anemia or severe blood loss and needs to be addressed. Common treatment for a bleeding peptic ulcer includes antibiotics to fight the bacteria, medications to neutralize or reduce stomach acid, and protection for eroded tissue.
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