Peptic Ulcers

Symptoms

The most prominent symptom of a peptic ulcer is abdominal pain or burning in the upper abdomen, anywhere from the navel to the breastbone. The pain can last from a few minutes to several hours. Symptoms may be temporarily relieved by acid blockers or by eating food. In some cases, ulcers may cause:

• Vomiting blood
• Dark blood in stools
• Nausea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Pain in the upper back

Peptic ulcers are categorized in two types. A peptic ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer. If the ulcer develops in the small intestine, it is named for the section of the intestine where it develops. The most common is a duodenal (doo-o-DEE-nul) ulcer that develops in the the first part of the small intestine. Pain from a gastric ulcer may occur shortly after eating when food is still in the stomach. Pain from a duodenal ulcer usually occurs several hours after eating, when the stomach is empty, but it may improve after eating. Pain from a duodenal ulcer may also wake the patient at night.