Final answer:
A peptic ulcer is a sore in the stomach or duodenum often improved by meals and worsens after, usually due to H. pylori infection. Treatment includes antibiotics and acid-reducing medications. Diagnosis may require endoscopy, and serious symptoms like perforation demand emergency surgery.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Peptic Ulcer
A peptic ulcer is a sore that develops in the lining of the stomach or duodenum. When the mucosal barrier breaks down due to gastric juice, erosions may form, and if deep enough, these erosions become ulcers. In the stomach, this is known as a gastric ulcer, and in the duodenum, a duodenal ulcer. People suffering from a peptic ulcer might experience upper abdominal pain, which can improve with eating as the food buffers the acid, and worsen later when the stomach is empty again.
One of the main culprits behind these ulcers is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which can survive the harsh acidic environment of the stomach. The discovery that H. pylori causes most peptic ulcers, not spicy foods or stress, has shifted the treatment approach to include antibiotics to eliminate the infection and medications to reduce stomach acid.
Diagnosis of a peptic ulcer typically involves evaluation of symptoms, testing for H. pylori, or an endoscopy procedure to directly visualize the ulcerations. If an ulcer causes a perforation in the stomach or duodenum, emergency surgery might be necessary.