Gastroduodenal Ulcer

Gastroduodenal ulcer is having a sore both on the linings of the stomach and upper part of the small intestine. Almost 75% of individuals with gastroduodenal ulcer do not have symptoms. For those who do, the usual symptoms are nausea, vomiting, and bloating. Rarely, severe symptoms occur such as difficulty breathing, feeling faint, vomiting blood, fatigue, and blood in stool. The most common cause is Helicobacter pylori bacteria (H. pylori) which destroys the mucus protecting the stomach, paving way for the stomach acid to damage the lining. Though it is not yet sure how H. pylori spreads, most physicians attribute it to contaminated food and eating utensils as it is spread through saliva. Around 40% of Americans are H. pylori carriers and many of them got the infection as children; however, it rarely progresses into gastroduodenal ulcer.