What Are Ulcers? There is no clear evidence to suggest that the
stress of modern life or a steady diet of fast food causes
ulcers in the stomach and small intestine, but they are
nonetheless common in our society: About one out of every 10
Americans will suffer from the burning, gnawing abdominal pain
of a peptic (or gastric) ulcer at some point in life. Peptic
ulcers are holes or breaks in the protective lining of the
duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine) or the stomach
-- areas that come into contact with stomach acids and enzymes.
Duodenal ulcers are more common than stomach ulcers.
Comparatively rare are esophageal ulcers, which form in the
esophagus -- or swallowing tube -- and are often a result of
alcohol abuse. Until the mid-1980s, the conventional wisdom was
that ulcers form as a result of stress, a genetic predisposition
to excessive stomach acid secretion, and poor lifestyle habits
(including overindulging in rich and fatty foods, alcohol,
caffeine, and tobacco). It was believed that suc