A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of the stomach or duodenum (the beginning of the small intestine). Less commonly, a peptic ulcer may develop just above the stomach in the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
- A peptic ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer.
- A peptic ulcer that occurs in the duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer.
You can have both gastric and duodenal ulcers at the same time. You also can develop peptic ulcers more than once in your lifetime.
Peptic ulcers are common and affect more than 4 million people each year in the U.S.