The word Peptic originates from the Greek -Peptikos meaning related to digestion. An ulcer is a shallow "excavation" of tissue which is a result of the shedding of a surface layer due to inflammation of that tissue. So Peptic Ulcer is the general term for this type of lesion when it occurs in the part of the Gastrointestinal Tract involved in digestion – in particular the esophagus, stomach and duodenum.

A peptic ulcer is a patch of tissue that has been eroded or made raw in the lining of either the stomach or the duodenum, much like a mouth ulcer is an eroded patch in the mouth. (The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine where it leads off from the stomach.) So, the term peptic ulcer covers both stomach (also known as gastric) ulcers and duodenal ulcers.

Peptic ulcers can cause symptoms of indigestion, including pain, which may be severe. They can usually be treated with medicines but left untreated can lead to serious complications.

Peptic ulcers are usually raw patches that are 1-2cm in diameter. When viewed with a gastroscope (a telescope that doctors use to examine the stomach) they look a little like mouth ulcers.

Duodenal ulcers affect up to 1 in 10 people at some point in their lives, and tend to affect especially younger men. Stomach ulcers are less common. They are rare in people before middle age and are most common in elderly people.

Peptic ulcers may be acute (symptoms appear and improve quite quickly) or chronic (go on for a long time). Often, several acute ulcers happen together, and these may produce no symptoms. They often heal without any long term consequences. Chronic ulcers are deeper, usually occur individually and cause symptoms. They leave a scar when they heal.