Ulcers are open sores that form on the lining of your digestive tract or on your skin. In Jersey Village, most patients inquire about stomach (peptic) ulcers, which affect the stomach lining or small intestine. Skin ulcers-arterial or venous-also occur but have different causes and treatments.
If you have an ulcer, you may experience:
Ulcers can develop for several reasons, including:
With a focus on patient-centered care and comprehensive ulcer management, GastroDoxs in Cypress delivers expert diagnostics and tailored treatments for all ulcer types-from stomach and digestive-tract ulcers to arterial and venous leg sores. Our compassionate, personalized approach ensures you receive the relief and support you need at every step of your healing journey. Don't wait for symptoms to worsen-book your appointment today and start feeling better, faster.
We've successfully treated more than 1.5K patients, helping individuals improve their digestive health and overall well-being through expert, personalized care.
With over 20 years of experience, GastroDoxs has been a trusted provider of gastroenterology care, focusing on delivering the best outcomes for patients
Dr. Bharat Pothuri is a Board-Certified Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist. With extensive experience in digestive health, he specializes in advanced endoscopic procedures, chronic GI disorder management, and preventive care. Dr. Pothuri is dedicated to providing expert, patient-focused insights to help improve gut health and overall well-being.
Arterial ulcers form when arteries fail to deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the tissues, often causing pain, especially during activity. Venous ulcers develop from poor vein function and blood pooling in the legs, leading to swelling, skin changes, and open wounds that often worsen when standing.
Venous ulcers are treated with compression therapy, leg elevation, wound dressings, and exercises to improve vein return. Arterial ulcers focus on improving blood flow through medications, vascular procedures (like angioplasty or bypass surgery), smoking cessation, and specialized foot care to prevent further tissue damage.
While stress alone doesn't directly cause stomach ulcers, it can worsen symptoms and slow the healing process. Stress may increase stomach acid production or lead to behaviors (like smoking or poor diet) that raise ulcer risk, so managing stress is important in treatment plans.
Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract from mouth to anus and often appears in patches, penetrating deep into the intestinal wall. Ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon and rectum, causing continuous inflammation of the inner lining. Each condition has distinct patterns on imaging and biopsy.
Your gastroenterologist will review your symptoms and medical history, then use diagnostic tests like endoscopy or colonoscopy with biopsies, imaging studies (CT or MRI), and blood or stool tests to distinguish between Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and other causes.
Yes, ulcers located in the small intestine or colon-such as those from Crohn's disease or colitis-can lead to diarrhea, loose stools, cramping, and increased stool frequency. Stomach ulcers typically cause pain, nausea, or bleeding but less commonly diarrhea.
You can request detailed foot ulcer stage images and explanations from our GastroDoxs team in Cypress. Trusted medical websites like the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP) or Mayo Clinic also provide clear ulcer staging photos and guidelines.
Yes. Ulcerative colitis is considered an autoimmune condition in which your immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the colon, causing chronic inflammation, ulceration, and symptoms like bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain.
The ICD-10 code for ulcerative proctitis is K51.2. This code covers inflammation and ulcers primarily in the rectum resulting from ulcerative colitis.
Stomach or peptic ulcers typically heal within 4-8 weeks with proper medication and lifestyle changes. Skin ulcers, such as foot or leg ulcers, may take several weeks to months depending on severity, blood flow, infection control, and adherence to wound care.
