Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcers do not always cause symptoms. Symptoms may come and go. Food may increase gastric ulcer pain, but food usually relieves duodenal ulcer pain.

Symptoms include:

• Gnawing pain
  • May awaken you from sleep
  • May change when you eat
  • May last for a few minutes or several hours
  • Feels like unusually strong hunger pangs
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Bloating
• Burping

Ulcers can cause serious problems and severe abdominal pain. Problems include:

• Bleeding, which may occur with no other symptoms
  • Symptoms of bleeding include:
    • Black, tarry stools
    • Vomiting what looks like coffee grounds
    • Weakness
    • Dizziness
    • Anemia
• Breaking through the wall of the stomach or duodenum (called a perforated ulcer)
  • Sudden and severe pain is a common symptom of a perforated ulcer.
• Scar tissue that narrows and eventually closes off the outlet of the stomach to the intestines
  • This blocks food from passing through the digestive system. Symptoms of scar tissue blockage include:
    • Vomiting
    • Weight loss
    • Intense pain

Duodenal Ulcer

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