An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...

epithelium Epithelium or epithelial tissue is a thin, continuous, protective layer of cells with little extracellular matrix. An example is the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Epithelial ( mesothelial) tissues line the outer surfaces of man ...

mucous membrane A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It ...

caused by sloughing out of inflamed necrotic tissue." Common forms of ulcers recognized in medicine include: *

Ulcer (dermatology) An ulcer is a sore on the skin or a mucous membrane, accompanied by the disintegration of tissue. Ulcers can result in complete loss of the Epidermis (skin), epidermis and often portions of the dermis and even subcutaneous fat. Ulcers are most co ...

, a discontinuity of the skin or a break in the skin. **

Pressure ulcer Pressure ulcers, also known as pressure sores, bed sores or pressure injuries, are localised ulcer (dermatology), damage to the skin and/or underlying tissue that usually occur over a Bone, bony prominence as a result of usually long-term pres ...

s, also known as bedsores **

Genital ulcer A genital ulcer is an open sore located on the genital area, which includes the vulva, penis, perianal region, or anus. Genital ulcers are most commonly caused by infectious agents (fungal infections, secondary bacterial infections, or sexually t ...

, an ulcer located on the genital area ** Ulcerative dermatitis, a skin disorder associated with bacterial growth often initiated by self-trauma ** Anal fissure, an ulcer or tear near the anus or within the rectum **

Diabetic foot ulcer Diabetic foot ulcer is a breakdown of the skin and sometimes deeper tissues of the foot that leads to sore formation. It is thought to occur due to abnormal pressure or mechanical stress chronically applied to the foot, usually with concomitant pre ...

, a major complication of the diabetic foot * Callous ulcer, a chronic nonhealing ulcer with hard indurated base and inelastic margins *

Corneal ulcer Corneal ulcer, often resulting from keratitis is an inflammatory or, more seriously, infective condition of the cornea involving disruption of its epithelial layer with involvement of the corneal stroma. It is a common condition in humans part ...

, an inflammatory or infective condition of the cornea *

Mouth ulcer A mouth ulcer (aphtha), or sometimes called a canker sore or salt blister, is an ulcer that occurs on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity. Mouth ulcers are very common, occurring in association with many diseases and by many different mechanis ...

, an open sore inside the mouth. **

Aphthous ulcer Aphthous stomatitis, or recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), commonly referred to as a canker sore or salt blister, is a common condition characterized by the repeated formation of benignity, benign and non-contagious disease, contagious mouth ...

, a specific type of oral ulcer also known as a canker sore *

Peptic ulcer Peptic ulcer disease is when the inner part of the stomach's gastric mucosa (lining of the stomach), the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus, gets damaged. An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while ...

, a discontinuity of the gastrointestinal mucosa (stomach ulcer) *

Venous ulcer Venous ulcer is defined by the American Venous Forum as "a full-thickness defect of skin, most frequently in the ankle region, that fails to heal spontaneously and is sustained by chronic venous disease, based on venous duplex ultrasound testing ...

, a wound thought to occur due to improper functioning of valves in the veins *

Stress ulcer A stress ulcer is a single or multiple mucosal defect usually caused by physiological (not psychological) stress which can become complicated by upper gastrointestinal bleeding. These ulcers can be caused by shock, sepsis, trauma or other con ...

, an ulcer located within the stomach and proximal duodenum * Ulcerative sarcoidosis, a cutaneous condition affecting people with sarcoidosis * Ulcerative lichen planus, a rare variant of lichen planus *

Ulcerative colitis Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the two types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with the other type being Crohn's disease. It is a long-term condition that results in inflammation and ulcers of the colon and rectum. The primary sympto ...

, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). * Ulcerative disposition, a disorder or discomfort that causes severe abdominal distress, often associated with chronic

gastritis Gastritis is the inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It may occur as a short episode or may be of a long duration. There may be no symptoms but, when symptoms are present, the most common is upper abdominal pain (see dyspepsia). Othe ...

References

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