Some sources say that the main cause of ulcers in the esophagus is alcohol abuse, where an excessive intake of alcohol over a period of time can weaken and damage the protective lining of the esophagus. Other sources say that the main cause of these ulcers is acid reflux disease, or GERD, where stomach acid is allowed to back up into the esophagus. Whichever source is correct is somewhat immaterial, since alcohol abuse and GERD seem to account for the majority of cases of ulcers forming in the esophagus. Smoking can be another factor, especially in the upper part of the esophagus. Curiously, smoking is more apt to account for the formation of duodenal ulcers than it is in the formation of ulcers in the esophagus.

More recent studies have indicated that the formation of these ulcers is dependent on the presence of the bacterium H. pylori. It’s been estimated that this bacterium is present in 75% of the world’s population, where it resides in the stomach. H. pylori is thought to account for the majority of cases of stomach ulcers, and would seem to be a factor in the formation of ulcers in the esophagus as well. In other words, these ulcers are not merely wounds that can be slow to heal, they can also become infected with the H. pylori bacterium.