Patients with ulcers can experience abdominal pain or vomiting or sometimes bleeding from the ulcers. Many ulcers are caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori, a common gastric infection that is treatable with a short course of antibiotics. A common alternative cause is aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs include ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen and patients with a history of ulcers are advised to avoid this group of medications. It can be difficult to diagnose ulcers as they are not usually seen on scans such as ultrasound, CT or MRI scans and instead need to be found using a gastroscopy. This test allows diagnosis with biopsy which is important for gastric ulcers that can sometimes be a sign of cancer. Once gastroscopy has taken place and an ulcer is confirmed treatment is given. In most cases ulcers can be cured by a course of tablet treatment or antibiotics. A follow up endoscopy to confirm healing is required for gastric ulcers.
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