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You Are Here » Ulcers » What is an Ulcer?
Ulcers
What is an Ulcer?
Peptic Ulcer Disease and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)
There are two types of ulcers related to peptic ulcer disease:
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Gastric Ulcers - a sore on the lining of the stomach.
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Duodenal Ulcers - a sore formed in the duodenum (the first part of the * small intestine).
Ulcers Can Cause Serious Complications
If left untreated, serious complications can include:
- Bleeding
- Holes in the stomach or intestine that causes digested food and bacteria to spill into other areas of the body
- Narrowing or blockage of the intestinal opening
The Good News is that most ulcers are caused by an infection with the bacterium, * Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), and can be cured in about two weeks with antibiotics.
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* Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori): (HELL-ih-koh-BAK-tur py-LOH-ree) A spiral shaped type of bacteria that weakens the protective mucous coating of the stomach and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine), which allows acid to get through to the sensitive lining beneath. Both the acid and the bacteria irritate the lining and cause a sore, or ulcer.
The Discovery
In 1982, two young Australian physicians, Barry J. Marshall and J. Robin Warren, isolated bacteria from patients with ulcers or gastritis (stomach inflammation). In a paper published in the medical journal Lancet in early 1983, they proposed that a spiral shaped bacterium, later named Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), causes gastritis and possibly ulcers. But few physicians accepted their work, so entrenched was the idea that ulcers stem from stress. So Marshall and Warren took drastic measures to prove their point, they swallowed some of the bacteria. And their digestive tracts soon became inflamed...(article published in FDA Consumer magazine several years ago by Ricki Lewis, Ph.D.)
Ulcer Facts
- The majority of peptic ulcers are caused by the H. pylori bacterium. Many of the other cases are caused by the use of prescription or non prescription nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium. None are caused by spicy food or stress. While stress and diet can irritate an ulcer, they do not cause it. Ulcers can be cured with a one or two week course of antibiotics, even for people who have had ulcers for years. Your ulcer can be cured for good. Your doctor can test you for H. pylori infection.
- Experts believe that H. pylori is the cause of one of the most common human infections in the world.
- Over 90% of patients with duodenal ulcers, and 80% of people with gastric ulcers harbor H. pylori bacteria.
- Epidemiologic studies - a branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations - have shown that H. pylori infection is more common in individuals with low income than in those with high income. It is more common in blacks and Hispanics than in non Hispanic whites, and it is more common among the elderly.
- Approximately 50% of North Americans over age 50 are infected with H. pylori, and about two thirds of Britons (a native or inhabitant of Great Britain) over age 70 are similarly infected. In some developing countries, H. pylori infects almost all adults.
- People of any age can get an ulcer and women are affected just as often as men.
- About four million adults have the disease at any one time, with about 500,000 new cases each year.
- Researchers are not certain how people contract H. pylori, but they think it may be through food or water.
- Researchers have found H. pylori in the saliva of some infected people, so the bacteria may also spread through mouth to mouth contact such as kissing.
- H. pylori can be transmitted from person to person through close contact and exposure to vomit. Always wash your hands after using the bathroom and before eating.
- H. pylori infection is common in the United States: About 20 percent of people under 40 years old and half of those over 60 years have it. Most infected people, however, do not develop ulcers. Why H. pylori does not cause ulcers in every infected person is not known. Most likely, infection depends on characteristics of the infected person, the type of H. pylori, and other factors yet to be discovered.
For more information about Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and ulcers, see your health care provider or call Toll Free MY-ULCER.
Definitions For This Page - In Alphabetical Order
* Small Intestine
The small intestine is the organ where most digestion occurs. It measures about 22 feet and includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. More about Small Intestine.
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References:
www.cdc.gov/ulcer/
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