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Definition of a Stomach Ulcer

According to the Mayo Clinic, stomach ulcers will affect roughly 10 percent of all Americans in their lifetimes. These irritating holes in the stomach wall cause extreme discomfort; fortunately, they don't usually require surgery to correct.

  1. The Stomach

    • The stomach is the body organ which collects incoming food from the esophagus. This mucus-lined sack has a volume of roughly 50 milliliters when empty, but it can stretch to a volume of almost 4 liters when it is full.

    Ulcer Causes

    • An ulcer is basically a hole in the mucus lining the stomach which exposes the underlying tissue to the stomach's contents. These holes can be caused by anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen, but most are caused by the acid-resistant Helicobacter pylori bacterium.

    Symptoms

    • The most common ulcer symptom is temporary burning pain in your stomach and chest regions which comes and goes, seemingly randomly. If the hole is deep enough, you may vomit blood or see dark blood in your feces.

    Medication Treatments

    • If the ulcer is caused by a bacterial infection, a course of antibiotics plus an acid-reducing medication are usually prescribed. This combination of drugs can usually handle most stomach ulcers.

    Surgical Treatments

    • If ulcers do not respond to medications, surgery may be required to relieve symptoms. The nerve which controls stomach acid secretion can be severed, the lower part of the stomach can be removed, or the opening between the stomach and small intestine can be widened.

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