duodenal ulcer
Quick Summary
A duodenal ulcer is a lesion that forms in the lining of the duodenum, the upper part of the small intestine. This occurs when factors reduce the lining's ability to withstand the stomach's acidic digestive juices. The primary causes are infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Symptoms typically include a gnawing or burning pain in the upper abdomen, often occurring when the stomach is empty, between meals, or at night. While stress was once thought to be a major cause, current evidence points to H. pylori and NSAIDs. Duodenal ulcers are more common than gastric ulcers and tend to affect men more frequently.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
- digestive system diseaseUlcerative diseases
In the Western world duodenal ulcer is much more common than gastric ulcer, occurs more often in men than in women, and is aggravated by stress. In Japan gastric ulcer is more common than duodenal ulcer and is thought to be related to the raw fish and acetic acid…
Read MoreIn the Western world duodenal ulcer is much more common than gastric ulcer, occurs more often in men than in women, and is aggravated by stress. In Japan gastric ulcer is more common than duodenal ulcer and is thought to be related to the raw fish and acetic acid…
Read More - peptic ulcer
The symptoms of gastric and duodenal ulcer are similar and include a gnawing, burning ache and hungerlike pain in the mid-upper abdomen, usually experienced from one to three hours after meals and several hours after retiring.
Read MoreThe symptoms of gastric and duodenal ulcer are similar and include a gnawing, burning ache and hungerlike pain in the mid-upper abdomen, usually experienced from one to three hours after meals and several hours after retiring.
Read More