As defined, ulcer is
a sore, which means an open or painful would.
*Peptic ulcers* are
open sores that develop on the inside lining of your stomach and the upper
portion of your small intestine. The most common symptom of a peptic ulcer is
stomach pain.
*Peptic ulcers
include:*
•
Gastric ulcers that occur on the inside of the stomach
•
Duodenal ulcers that occur on the inside of the upper portion of your
small intestine (duodenum)
Ulcers are the
classic cause of typical indigestion. These are breaks in the lining of the
stomach (gastric ulcer) or duodenum (duodenal ulcer) that hurt due to exposure
to gastric acids. Most ulcers are caused by an infection called Helicobacter
pylori (HP), and can be cured by appropriate antibiotic treatment. Some ulcers
and smaller "erosions" result from reactions to medicines, especially
those taken for muscle pains and arthritis (aspirin compounds and non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs]).