A peptic ulcer (stomach ulcer) is a sore in the lining of your stomach or upper small intestine. Ulcers form when the protective layer in the lining has broken down, often because of a bacterial infection or frequent use of aspirin or similar medicine.
Peptic ulcers can cause pain in the belly, above the belly button. Ulcers can also bleed.
Common symptoms of a peptic ulcer include:
Different people have different symptoms.
Some ulcers don't cause symptoms. These are known as silent ulcers.
The most common causes of peptic ulcers are infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve). H. pylori and NSAIDs break down the protective mucus layer in the stomach or intestine.
Prevention:-
To treat peptic ulcers, most people take medicines that reduce acid in the stomach. If you have an H. pylori infection, you'll also take antibiotics. You can help your ulcer heal by quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol. Using medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen may increase the chance of your ulcer returning.
Diagnosis
To treat peptic ulcers, most people need to take medicines that reduce the amount of acid in the stomach. If you have an H. pylori infection, you will also need to take antibiotics.
You can help speed the healing of your ulcer and help prevent it from coming back if you quit smoking and avoid alcohol. If you keep using medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, you may increase the chance of your ulcer coming back.
Surgery is rarely used to treat an ulcer. But if your ulcer doesn't heal, or if you have life-threatening complications, you may need surgery.
Ignoring symptoms of an ulcer isn't a good idea. An ulcer needs to be treated. While symptoms can go away for a short time, you may still have an ulcer. Left untreated, an ulcer can cause life-threatening problems. Even with treatment, some ulcers may come back and may need more treatment