The two forms of ulcers most closely linked with diabetes are foot ulcers and pressure ulcers. Other ulcerative conditions seen among people with diabetes include:

• Thrush. A yeast infection of the mouth. Thrush causes a thick white coating of the tongue, a dry mouth, and ulcers on the tongue or elsewhere inside the mouth. It results in discomfort or pain and can lead to inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis). People with diabetes are at increased risk of thrush because their saliva can contain extra sugar. The increased sugar causes overgrowth of fungus that naturally exists in the mouth and throat.

Thrush is usually not serious but can become dangerous and hard to control with people who have weakened immune systems. It is treated with antifungal medications. Good oral hygiene and control of glucose (blood sugar) help prevent thrush.

• Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NLD). An irregularly shaped rash, usually on the lower legs. It often appears with a reddish-blue raised border and a red center that turns yellow-brown and can ulcerate. It is rare, but more common among people with diabetes, women and white people. The cause is unknown. Treatment options for NLD ulcers may include anti-inflammatory drugs, topical corticosteroids, ultraviolet light and antibiotics.  
  
  
• Diabetic bullae (also called bullosis diabeticorum). A bulla is a fluid-filled blister. Diabetic bullae are spontaneous blisters on the hands, feet, forearms and lower legs. The lesions contain clear liquid and are not surrounded by redness. Diabetic bullae are uncommon but are seen most often among men with severe, long-standing diabetes. Diabetic bullae usually disappear once the glucose level is under control.
  
  
• Peptic ulcer. An ulcer of the stomach (gastric ulcer), lower esophagus or duodenum, the upper part of the small intestine.  This is what people typically think of when the term “ulcer” is used. Research is not conclusive on whether people with diabetes have an increased risk of developing peptic ulcers. Peptic ulcers are generally considered uncommon with diabetes and have little association with the disease, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, recent research suggests that the risk of death from bleeding or perforated peptic ulcers may be greater in diabetic patients than in nondiabetics. Possible reasons for this difference may include diabetic vascular problems (diabetic angiopathy) and the increased diabetic risk of infections.

A peptic ulcer often has no symptoms in the early stages. With time, symptoms may include heartburn, brief periods of gnawing pain, painful digestion, nausea and vomiting. Treatment with antacids and ulcer drugs usually averts any need for surgery. Some symptoms of peptic ulcers are similar to those associated with a stomach condition called gastroparesis, a form of autonomic neuropathy that people with diabetes are at higher risk of developing.