Ulcers are open sores that occur when stomach acid damages the lining of the digestive tract. Ulcers can happen anywhere in the digestive system. In this article we will discuss two types of ulcers, peptic and duodenal. Peptic ulcers include those of the stomach, also called gastric ulcers, are result in pain with eating. Duodenal ulcers occur in the upper part of the intestines, named the duodenum and cause pain a few hours after eating. If you think you’re experiencing symptoms of an ulcer you should visit your doctor to find out for sure. This article is not meant to replace the advice of your professional physician, but can help you formulate your own questions so that you can discuss them with your healthcare provider. What is a peptic or duodenal ulcer? Peptic and duodenal ulcers are actually pretty common and recent reports estimate that more than 200,000 cases of these ulcers are documented per year in the United States. There are probably even more in reality as some people with smaller ulcers will not seek professional treatment for them. Oddly enough, having too little stomach acid can cause the same symptoms as having too much gastric acid in your system.

Bacteria According to the Mayo Clinic, bacteria commonly live in the mucous layer that covers and protects tissues that line the stomach and small intestine. Often, this bacteria causes no problems, but when the protective layer of the stomach wears thin, this bacteria begins to cause inflammation. Over time, an ulcer could develop and if left untreated, the ulcer could get worse and bleed, creating more serious problems. Drinking and smoking Long-term tobacco smoking and excess alcohol can also lead to ulcers. This is because both alcohol and the chemicals in cigarette smoke are known to irritate your stomach lining and reduce the protective barrier of the stomach, exposing it to more gastric acid. Stress Stress is a factor in digestive health. Although medical experts might not agree about exactly what high stress does to a person’s body, they all agree that chronic high stress without stress management changes body chemistry. Recent studies into the role of beneficial intestinal bacteria (and the resulting rise in products in the global marketplace designed to boost beneficial bacteria, like kimchi and kombucha) shows that there is a growing interest in discovering the direct relationship between chronic stress and intestinal disease. Experts claim that stress affects the chemical composition of the gut and can cause the beneficial bacteria counts to become so low that harmful bacteria multiply.

Medications Regular use of certain pain relievers can damage the lining of the stomach. Taking aspirin or ibuprofen are known to can irritate or inflame the lining of your stomach and small intestine. As can various other over-the-counter and prescription pain medications. Peptic ulcers are more common in older adults who take this type of pain medications frequently. Coated aspirin is designed to pass through your stomach without dissolving. The medicine is designed so that is does not fully disintegrate and enter the bloodstream until it reaches your small intestine. This is thought to be gentler on the stomach and may be appropriate for some people who take a daily low-dose aspirin, especially in those with a history of gastric or duodenal ulcers. Keep in mind that some of the symptoms of a peptic ulcer might not be an ulcer at all.  When your body is starting to feel hungry, a hormone called ghrelin is working. This hormone does way more than just signal your body to begin prepping for food digestion. In addition to ghrelin’s effects on appetite and the distribution of energy, new research shows that ghrelin “the hunger signal” hormone also plays crucial roles in other systems of the body including insulin production, cardio protection, bone metabolism and more.

Peptic ulcers (gastric or duodenal) are treatable by a medical professional. This condition requires a medical diagnosis which usually involves lab tests or imaging tests such as endoscopy or barium swallow. Use of endoscopy for peptic ulcers Endoscopy is a nonsurgical procedure used to examine a person’s digestive tract while the patient is under sedation. Using an instrument called an endoscope, a flexible tube with a light and camera attached to it,  your healthcare professional can view pictures of your digestive tract on a color TV monitor. During an upper endoscopy, the endoscope is gently passed through the mouth and throat and into the esophagus, allowing the doctor to view the esophagus, stomach, and upper part of the small intestine. Sometimes endoscopes are used in combination with ultrasound devices. Endoscopic ultrasound combines the upper endoscopy and ultrasound examination so that your healthcare professional may compare and contrast the images and information about various parts of the digestive tract. Healthcare professionals sometimes use other devices within an endoscope. These other devices include a variety of instruments that can be used to take a biopsy (removal of tissue), detect active bleeding from an ulcer and stop the bleeding, and remove polyps in the intestines.