We can identify ulcers by looking into the stomach or small bowel with an instrument called an endoscope. This instrument is a thin, flexible tube with a light on the end that is passed through the throat into the stomach. The endoscope allows us to view the lining. Patients are sedated for the procedure, are comfortable, and tolerate it very well. Ulcers may also be diagnosed using special X-ray techniques.
Patients swallow a chalky liquid, which outlines the anatomy of the intestinal tract.
Occasionally, a doctor may feel that a patient's symptoms are so characteristic of an ulcer that they will treat the patient without performing these special investigations. It is also implicated as a cause of stomach cancer. Infection usually occurs in childhood, predominantly in people growing up in overcrowded environments. The bacterium is primarily transmitted from one person to another. H. pylori is able to adhere to the lining of the stomach and can regulate its environment, thus protecting itself from the acid produced by the stomach.