A painful sore, ulcers usually take time to heal and, in some instances, it recurs. They can appear anywhere on the body from the lining of your stomach to your outer skin layer and are not uncommon. There is no direct evidence to suggest that modern dietary habits lead to ulcers but at least every 1 out of 10 Americans suffer from the burning, abdominal pain symptomatic of this condition.

The main types of ulcers include peptic ulcers, arterial ulcers, venous ulcers, and mouth ulcers. There are other relatively less common types of it; some of these are stress ulcers, bleeding ulcers, esophageal ulcers, and refractory ulcers.

Let us understand the main types of ulcers and their symptoms in detail:

Peptic ulcer
These are wounds or sores that develop on the inside of the stomach lining, the upper portion of your small intestine, or the food pipe, also called the esophagus. These are formed when the stomach or intestine walls are damaged by digestive juices. Peptic ulcers are often caused by inflammation after a bacterial infection or prolonged use of antibiotics. They are of 3 types – gastric ulcers, esophageal ulcers, and duodenal ulcers. The treatment for peptic ulcer depends on the underlying cause.
The symptoms of this condition include:

• Bloating or the feeling of being full
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Belching
• Vomiting
• Unexplained weight loss
• Chest pain

Arterial ulcers
These are one of the main types of ulcers that develop on the outer side of the ankle, feet, toe, and heels. Due to damage to the arteries and lack of blood flow to the tissue, these forms of ulcers can take a long period of time, sometimes months, to heal properly. During the healing process, they require proper medication and care to prevent infection and further complications.
The associated symptoms of arterial ulcers are:

• Yellow, red or black sores
• Hairless, tight skin
• Leg pain
• No bleeding
• The affected area is cool to the touch from minimal blood circulation

The underlying cause of this ulcer has to be treated first to get rid of it. While antibiotics can reduce the intensity of the sore, doctors may recommend surgery, in some cases, to increase blood flow.

Venous ulcers
This type of ulcer forms on the leg. They are open wounds often forming below your knee, on your leg and on the inner area of your ankle. Damage to the veins caused by insufficient blood flow back to your heart typically causes venous ulcers. They do not necessarily cause any pain, unless infected.
The symptoms of venous ulcers are:

• Inflammation
• Swelling
• Itchy skin
• Scabbing
• Discharge

Along with antibiotics, your doctor may recommend surgery.

Mouth ulcers
Commonly known as canker sores, mouth ulcers are lesions that develop in the mouth or the base of your gums. They are triggered by a number of causes such as vitamin deficiencies, bacterial infection or biting the inside of your cheek.
The usual symptoms of mouth ulcers are:

• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Complains in eating food and drinking water
• Ulcers that sometimes extend to your hips

Mouth ulcers go away without any treatment. If they become too painful, paying a visit to the dentist may help alleviate the pain.