Understanding Esophageal Ulcers

Do you have chest pain and severe heartburn? If so, you may be confused about what’s going on; in fact, this condition we’re discussing today often gets mistaken for other conditions. In this post, we’ll discuss the answers to some common questions we hear here at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center: what causes esophageal ulcers, what does it feel like to have an esophageal ulcer, and how do you know if you have an esophageal ulcer?

What Are Esophageal Ulcers?

Like other ulcers in the body, esophageal ulcers are open sores that are often concave in nature. These sores are inflamed lesions that develop in the esophagus and easily become irritated by swallowing food or by reflux that can sometimes occur. Next, we’ll take a look at the symptoms of esophageal ulcers, what causes esophageal ulcers, and what treatment might look like if you are diagnosed with this condition.

How Do You Know if You Have an Esophageal Ulcer?

You might be wondering: what does it feel like to have an esophageal ulcer? Knowing how this condition feels can certainly help alert you to a problem, but remember that it’s always best to talk to your doctor if you suspect that something might be wrong with your body. That being said, let’s take a look at some symptoms of esophageal ulcers:

• Pain when swallowing

• Intense heartburn

• Chest pain

• Vomiting blood

• General nausea and vomiting

• Sore throat

• Trouble breathing

What Causes Esophageal Ulcers?

While you might, at first, think that refluxed stomach acid is solely to blame for esophageal ulcers, this is not usually the case. In fact, some viruses and bacterium can complicate ulcers, making them more severe than they would be otherwise. For example, Heliobacter pylori, a bacterium known for its involvement in stomach ulcers, can contribute to the development of esophageal ulcers, as well. According to one piece of research, infections involving “Candida [yeast] species, Herpes simplex, and cytomegalovirus [CMV]” can contribute to esophageal ulcers, too.

Who Is at Greater Risk of Developing Esophageal Ulcers?

It might seem odd at first, but esophageal ulcers are one of the potential complications of untreated GERD. When you don’t treat GERD, acid repeatedly damages the esophageal lining, a tissue that is intended to be kept at fairly neutral pH levels. In patients with stomach ulcers infected with Heliobacter pylori, persistent acid reflux would be more likely to cause esophageal ulcers, simply due to the existing presence of two known risk factors: the bacterium itself and esophageal reflux.

How Are Esophageal Ulcers Treated?

Here at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center, we offer treatment for esophageal ulcers that generally includes treating the root cause: GERD or microbial overgrowth. If you have a Candida or Heliobacter infection, you will be prescribed medications to curb that microbe’s presence in your esophagus and stomach. If your ulcers are simply a byproduct of intense reflux, you will best benefit from one of our reflux surgeries. 

Medications like H2 blockers and PPIs can help, but they are not a long-term solution, for various reasons. If you need to kick your reflux and ulcers to the curb for good, get in touch with one of our reflux specialists today.