H. pylori is one of the most common infections in the UK. No one is certain quite how we are infected by the bacteria but it can be transmitted from person to person through contaminated food and water and a course of antibiotics is the most effective treatment.

"Once infected, unless treated, the infection usually stays with you forever," GP Dr Lisa Silver says.

"However, most people do not realise they have become infected as the bacteria usually lives harmlessly in the stomach or duodenum.

"Occasionally, though, it can cause ulcers. A four to eight-week course of acid-suppressing medication will heal the ulcer. Sometimes a one-week course of two antibiotics plus an acid-suppressing drug will clear the H.pylori infection. Often, this will prevent the ulcer from recurring again.

"Some medicines such as anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat arthritis or back pain may cause stomach ulcers and you may need to take long term acid-suppressing medicines."

The most common form of ulcers are peptic (or gastric) and occur in the lower stomach or duodenum when the surface lining becomes raw. This can be caused by H.pylori infection or taking NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Ulcers can give you similar symptoms to indigestion but the pain is more severe.

Dr Annabel Bentley, assistant medical director for health insurance firm Bupa, explains: "When people say they have a stomach ulcer (the medical term is peptic ulcer), they actually occur in two parts of the body – the stomach itself and the duodenum. Duodenal ulcers are more common.

"In the body, the stomach produces acid to help digest your food, and once your stomach has ground up the food and mixed it up with acid it passes to the next bit of your bowel which is called the duodenum. Both your stomach and duodenum have a layer of mucus lining them to help protect your own body from the acid. When someone gets a peptic ulcer, it's a bit like getting a mouth ulcer."

Ulcers occur when the membrane lining the digestive system breaks
down or erodes.

"Duodenal ulcers affect about one in 10 people at some point in their lives, typically between the ages of 45 and 65, men slightly more than women," Dr Bentley says.

"Ulcers that occur in the stomach are less common and affect older people, usually over the age of 65, and may be associated with stomach cancer."

Lifestyle factors like stress and diet are not the cause of ulcers but they, plus smoking and alcohol, can make the symptoms worse.

TIPS TO CUT THE RISK OF ULCERS

Dr Chris Brown at iVillage.co.uk has the following advice:

Stop smoking: The chemicals from cigarettes can increase acid production and slacken the stomach valve.

Change your diet: Fatty foods, chocolate, oranges, cucumber, peppermints and coffee can relax the oesophageal muscle sphincter and worsen reflux. Some foods such as citrus fruits, spices, tomatoes and coffee can directly affect the inflamed lining of the gullet. Common sense and experience can tell you which foods affect you personally, and small meals are preferable to large ones since they do not provoke such a great outpouring of stomach acid.

Check your medication: Some drugs are closely linked to the development of ulcers, and anyone who develops indigestion while taking NSAIDs should stop and consult the pharmacist or their GP.

Cut down on alcohol: Try to stick to less than two units a day, since binge drinking has a far worse effect on the stomach than drinking regular, moderate amounts.

Try to relax: Stress does not cause ulcers but it can certainly make things worse.