What Are Some Symptoms Of Stomach Ulcers

What Are The Symptoms Of A Stomach Ulcer

Most people with a stomach ulcer do not experience any symptoms. The most common symptom is burning pain in the upper abdomen. The pain can travel to the chest and neck, bellybutton, or back.

Other less common symptoms include:

• feeling full and bloated, or belching
• not being able to tolerate fatty foods

Sometimes, stomach ulcers can lead to more serious symptoms, such as:

• a sudden sharp pain in the stomach that gets worse
• vomiting blood
• blood in your stool or black, tarry stools
• weight loss

If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor immediately.

What Can Trigger Heartburn

Heartburn can be triggered by many different things that are a part of your daily life. For many people, heartburn can be caused by certain eating and lifestyle habits. These habits can involve things like eating large portions of food, eating too close to bedtime or even having high stress levels.

Certain foods and drinks can also trigger heartburn for some people. Some foods and drinks that could trigger your heartburn can include:

• Onions.
• Caffeinated beverages.
• Carbonated beverages.

Your lifestyle habits can also play a part in why you might experience heartburn. These everyday factors often contribute to medical conditions that cause heartburn, like GERD or hiatal hernia. Some lifestyle habits that can trigger your heartburn include:

• Being overweight.
• Having a high stress level.
• Wearing tight clothes and belts.

Will Heartburn Go Away On Its Own

For many people, occasional heartburn is common. By watching what you eat and avoiding certain triggers , you may be able to prevent heartburn or manage it. If you find that you frequently experience heartburn and that it keeps getting worse, it could be a sign of a medical condition like GERD. In these cases, your heartburn will not go away without treatment. Talk to your healthcare provider so that you can develop a treatment plan.

Recommended Reading: Why Do I Have Stomach Acid

Will Surgery Cure A Peptic Ulcer

Medical therapy works in most people with peptic ulcers. Sometimes, medical therapy does not work, or a person can’t take the therapy for some reason. Surgery is an alternative to medical therapy for these people.

Surgical operations often used in peptic ulcers include the following:

• Vagotomy: Cutting the vagus nerve, which transmits messages from the brain to the stomach, can reduce acid secretion. However, this can also interfere with other functions of the stomach. A newer operation cuts only the part of the nerve that affects acid secretion.
• Antrectomy: This is often done in conjunction with a vagotomy. It involves removing the lower part of the stomach . This part of the stomach produces a hormone that increases production of stomach acid. Adjacent parts of the stomach may also be removed.
• Pyloroplasty: This procedure also is sometimes done with vagotomy. It enlarges the opening between the stomach and duodenum to encourage passage of partially digested food. Once the food has passed, acid production normally stops.
• Tying off an artery: If bleeding is a problem, cutting off the blood supply to the ulcer can stop the bleeding.

H Pylori Infection Treatment

Patients infected with H. pylori will usually need PPIs and antibiotics. This treatment is effective in most patients, and the ulcer will start to disappear within days. When treatment is over, the individual will have to be tested again to make sure the H. pylori have gone. If necessary, they will undergo another course of different antibiotics.

Don’t Miss: Where Is My Baby At 17 Weeks In My Stomach

How Are Stomach Ulcers Diagnosed

Diagnosis and treatment will depend on your symptoms and the severity of your ulcer. To diagnose a stomach ulcer, your doctor will review your medical history along with your symptoms and any prescription or over-the-counter medications youre taking.

To rule out H. pylori infection, a blood, stool, or breath test may be ordered. With a breath test, youll be instructed to drink a clear liquid and breathe into a bag, which is then sealed. If H. pylori is present, the breath sample will contain higher-than-normal levels of carbon dioxide.

Other tests and procedures used to diagnose stomach ulcers include:

• Barium swallow: You drink a thick white liquid that coats your upper gastrointestinal tract and helps your doctor see your stomach and small intestine on X-rays.
• Endoscopy : A thin, lighted tube is inserted through your mouth and into the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. This test is used to look for ulcers, bleeding, and any tissue that looks abnormal.
• Endoscopic biopsy: A piece of stomach tissue is removed so it can be analyzed in a lab.

When To See A Doctor

Anyone who thinks they may have an ulcer in their stomach should consult their doctor. Any stomach symptoms that last for more than a few days or keep happening need evaluation and treatment.

A slow-bleeding ulcer can be signaled by symptoms of anemia, such as being tired and breathless. More serious bleeding is an urgent medical problem and can be signaled if blood is vomited up, or stools are black and sticky.

Perforation, or a hole in the stomach, is also an emergency. Without quick treatment, the wall of the stomach can become infected. Sudden stomach pain that gets worse can indicate perforation, and any signs of being very unwell with infection need treatment as soon as possible.

Also Check: How To Test For Stomach Cancer

What Tests Are There For A Stomach Ulcer

If your doctor thinks you may have a stomach ulcer, the initial tests will include some blood tests. These tests will help to check whether you have become anaemic because of any bleeding from the ulcer. The blood test will also check to see that your liver and pancreas are working properly.

The main tests that are then used to diagnose a stomach ulcer are as follows:

• A test to detect the H. pylori germ is usually done if you have a stomach ulcer. The H. pylori bacterium can be detected in a sample of stool , or in a ‘breath test’, or from a blood test, or from a biopsy sample taken during a gastroscopy. See the separate leaflet called Helicobacter Pylori for more details.
• Gastroscopy is the test that can confirm a stomach ulcer. Gastroscopy is usually done as an outpatient ‘day case’. You may be given a sedative to help you to relax. In this test, a doctor looks inside your stomach by passing a thin, flexible telescope down your gullet . The doctor will then be able to see any inflammation or ulcers in your stomach.
• Small samples are usually taken of the tissue in and around the ulcer during gastroscopy. These are sent to the laboratory to be looked at under the microscope. This is important because some ulcers are caused by stomach cancer. However, most stomach ulcers are not caused by cancer.

Symptoms Of Stomach Ulcers

A number of symptoms are associated with stomach ulcers. The severity of the symptoms depends on the severity of the ulcer.

The most common symptom is a burning sensation or pain in the middle of your abdomen between your chest and belly button. Typically, the pain will be more intense when your stomach is empty, and it can last for a few minutes to several hours.

Other common signs and symptoms of ulcers include:

• dull pain in the stomach
• weight loss
• heartburn, which is a burning sensation in the chest)
• pain that may improve when you eat, drink, or take antacids
• anemia, whose symptoms can include tiredness, shortness of breath, or paler skin
• dark, tarry stools
• vomit thats bloody or looks like coffee grounds

Talk to your doctor if you have any symptoms of a stomach ulcer. Even though discomfort may be mild, ulcers can worsen if they arent treated. Bleeding ulcers can become life-threatening.

Also Check: Why Does My Stomach Hurt And Burn

How Are Peptic Ulcers Diagnosed

Your healthcare provider will look at your past health and give you a physical exam. You may also have some tests.

Imaging tests used to diagnose ulcers include:

• Upper GI series or barium swallow. This test looks at the organs of the top part of your digestive system. It checks your food pipe , stomach, and the first part of the small intestine . You will swallow a metallic fluid called barium. Barium coats the organs so that they can be seen on an X-ray.
• Upper endoscopy or EGD . This test looks at the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. It uses a thin lighted tube called an endoscope. The tube has a camera at one end. The tube is put into your mouth and throat. Then it goes into your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. Your health care provider can see the inside of these organs. A small tissue sample can be taken. This can be checked for H. pylori.

You may also have the following lab tests to see if you have an H. pylori infection:

Can You Prevent A Peptic Ulcer

While stress and spicy foods can make symptoms of a peptic ulcer worse, they donât seem to make you more likely to have one. But a few other things can raise your chances.

Be careful when you take pain relievers. Some people who have arthritis or other conditions that cause chronic pain take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for weeks or months at a time to ease pain and swelling. These medicines can affect the mucus that protects your stomach against acid and make you more likely to have peptic ulcers.

These pain relievers include:

You’re more likely to get an ulcer while taking one of these if you:

• Are over age 65
• Are infected with H. pylori bacteria
• Take more than one NSAID at a time
• Have had a peptic ulcer in the past
• Also take a steroid drug or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

To lower your chances for peptic ulcers while you take NSAIDs:

• Use the lowest possible dose to control your symptoms, and stop taking them as soon as you no longer need them.
• Take your medicine with food.
• Don’t drink alcohol while youâre taking these medicines.

While you’re on NSAIDs, you can take medicine to lower the amount of acid your stomach makes. Drugs that can do that include:

• H2 blockers such as cimetidine , famotidine , and nizatidine

You can also take the drug misoprostol to boost the amount of protective mucus your stomach makes. But that can cause side effects like diarrhea and stomach cramps.

Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Stomach And Thigh Fat

When Should I Call My Healthcare Provider

See your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms:

• Vomiting blood or dark material that looks like coffee grounds
• Extreme weakness or dizziness
• Blood in your stools
• Nausea or vomiting that doesnt get better, or gets worse
• A sudden, severe pain that may spread to your back
• Losing weight without even trying

Untreated peptic ulcers may cause other health problems. Sometimes they bleed. If they become too deep, they can break through your stomach.

Ulcers can also keep food from going through your stomach.

Burning Pain In Your Abdomen

This may seem like a no-brainer but the most common sign that people experience when they have a stomach ulcer is a persistent burning pain in their abdomen. This sensation occurs when juices in the stomach used for digestion come into contact with the open sore. For the most part, the pain is felt from the breastbone to navel and is often worse at night than during the day. On the other hand, if you are someone who frequently skips meals, you may find that you experience this pain much throughout the daytime.

Don’t Miss: What Is Lymphoma Of The Stomach

How Stomach Ulcers Are Treated

With treatment, most stomach ulcers will heal within a month or two. The treatment recommended for you will depend on what caused the ulcer.

Most people will be prescribed a medication called a proton pump inhibitor to reduce the amount of acid their stomach produces and allow the ulcer to heal naturally.

If an H. pylori infection is responsible for the ulcers, antibiotics will also be used to kill the bacteria, which should prevent the ulcer coming back.

If the ulcers are caused by the use of NSAIDs, PPIs are usually prescribed and your doctor will discuss whether you should keep using NSAIDs.

Alternative medication to NSAIDs, such as paracetamol, may be recommended.

Stomach ulcers can come back after treatment, although this is less likely to happen if the underlying cause is addressed.

Read more about treating stomach ulcers.

Common Warning Signs Of Ulcers

Ulcers are a common medical issue that affects about one in ten people in America. They occur when acid in the digestive tract eats away at the inner surface of the esophagus, stomach or small intestine. The acid can create a painful open sore that may bleed. You can get them anywhere on your body for any reason, but the most common form of ulcers occur in your stomach.

Although there is no single cause for an ulcer, many factors can increase your risk of stomach ulcers including painkillers, excessive drinking of alcohol and smoking tobacco. Luckily, ulcers are easy to treat once you recognize the symptoms of them. Here are five common signs of a stomach ulcer:

Abdominal Pain: A burning sensation may occur in your stomach. The pain will come and go in waves and is often accompanied by bloating. Many may confuse this feeling with acid reflux or other similar diseases. If the abdominal pain starts after you eat, keeps you up at night, and lasts a prolonged period it might be an ulcer.

Nausea: Due to the imbalance in your digestive system, mild to severe nausea may occur, either first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, or after eating. Because of nausea that will occur, rapid weight loss also comes in conjunction with it as well.

Bloating: A feeling of heaviness and fullness can occur in the stomach, usually the same feeling you get after drinking a full glass of water.

Also Check: Does Your Stomach Hurt During Early Pregnancy

What Does Heartburn Feel Like

Heartburn typically feels like a burning in the center of your chest, behind your breastbone. When you have heartburn, you may also feel symptoms like:

• A burning feeling in your chest that can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours.
• Pain in your chest when you bend over or lay down.
• A burning feeling in your throat.
• A hot, sour, acidic or salty taste in the back of your throat.
• Difficulty swallowing.

What Are Peptic Ulcers And How Are They Caused

Duodenal ulcers are common in the middle-aged and in men, whereas stomach ulcers are common in the elderly and in women.1

Peptic ulcers are open sores that develop in the lining of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum when the protective mucus overlaying this lining is eroded.

The acid-resistant gut mucosa can be compromised because of:

• An H. Pylori bacterial infection2: This infection disrupts the integrity of the muscosal lining.
• Long-term use of NSAIDs 3: NSAIDS include common OTC drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome4: In this condition,abnormal gastrin secretion by tumors in the duodenum or pancreas cause stomach acids to be produced in excess of the normal. High concentrations of acid become too overbearing for the mucosal layer to counteract.

Whatever the reason for erosion of mucus, it leaves the stomach and duodenal lining exposed, vulnerable, and at the mercy of strong stomach acids.

Recommended Reading: How Can I Lose Lower Stomach Fat

Symptoms Of Ulcers In Men

Symptoms of ulcers are a common condition due to bad lifestyles, and other circumstances. A complete list of causes and the symptoms of ulcers are compiled here for men to better understand what their bodies are trying to convey…

Symptoms of ulcers are a common condition due to bad lifestyles, and other circumstances. A complete list of causes and the symptoms of ulcers are compiled here for men to better understand what their bodies are trying to convey

A peptic ulcer which is what ulcers in general are referred to as, come about in two common kinds stomach/gastric ulcers or duodenal ulcers. An open sore or lesion, that takes form on either the skin/mucous membrane on any part of the body, is known as an ulcer. Usually where acids like pepsin and hydrochloric acid are present, in the lining of the stomach or duodenum, is where these ulcers emerge from.

When an ulcer is formed within the stomach, it is known as a gastric ulcer, and when it is present in the duodenum, that is the upper region of ones intestine, it is known as a duodenal ulcer. Besides lifestyle issues that bring about ulcers, theres a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori, that also plays a role in creating an ulcer. Bad habits like smoking and drinking, even stress, are some reasons why ulcers take place, but we look into it much deeper, to find out what other causes come into focus, as well as the symptoms of ulcers in men.

Common Symptoms Of Peptic Ulcer And When To Seek Medical Help

The very mention of the word ulcer is likely to cause an internal, evidently physical discomfort. Thats exactly what peptic ulcers do. They cause a difficult-to-ignore burning pain in your stomach, sometimes in the dead of night, capable of stirring you awake. Misjudging this pain to be a simple case of indigestion may be your natural reaction. However, if this has been happening frequently, do not carelessly dismiss it because pain is your bodys way of signaling you to take care of yourself.

To make some sense and understand where the malfunction lies, we first need to understand what peptic ulcers are.

Also Check: What To Feed Puppy With Sensitive Stomach