Sign & Symptoms of Ulcer

Signs and Symptom of Ulcer

Stomach pain is the most common symptom of an ulcer. This feels like sharp aches between the breastbone and the belly button.  This kind of pain usually comes a few hours after eating. This can also happen during the night or early in the morning.

The symptom of ulcer can be different by various types, though there are similarities with general symptom. The standard signs of a stomach ulcer or other type of ulcer are as follows:

• Abdominal pain – caused by the inflammation of the stomach lining and by  buildup of gases
• Heartburn – also known as acid reflux that is caused by slowing down of the digestive system
• Discomfort after meals – also related to above, usually a couple of hours after eating
• Anaemia – iron deficiency can come about as a result of the bacteria involved in causing ulcers
• Bad breath – again a cause of the bacteria
• Constipation – the bacteria causes the loss of food processing
• Nausea and vomiting – apparently caused by the bacteria

These are some of the main symptoms associated with stomach and other digestive system ulcers, so, it is vital to understand they can also occur with other condition. There are a number of lesser or secondary symptoms that can also manifest. Ex:

• Anxiety and depression
• nausea
• Fatigue and general tiredness
• Unusual headaches
• loss of appetite
• sudden, sharp stomach pains
• Sinus and sleep problems
• weight loss
• Abnormal weight gain or loss
• frequent burping or hiccupping
• bloody or blackish bowel movements

Untreated ulcers grow larger and deeper over time and can lead to other problem, such as bleeding in the digestive system or a hole in the wall of the stomach or duodenum, that can make someone very sick.

Pain is the most common symptom

Burning pain is the most common peptic ulcer symptom. Pain is caused by the ulcer and is aggravated by stomach acid coming in contact with the ulcerated area. Pain typically may:

• Be felt anywhere from navel up to breastbone.
• Flare at night.
• Be worse when stomach is empty.
• Relieved temporarily by eating certain foods that buffer stomach acid or by taking an acid reducing medication like antacids.
• Sometimes disappear and then return for a few days or weeks.

Symptoms of a stomach ulcer

• The most common symptom of a stomach ulcer is a burning or gnawing pain in the upper abdomen just below the sternum (breastbone). It usually comes and goes.  The pain can also travel up to neck, down to your navel (belly-button) or through to back. Sometimes food makes the pain worse. Pain may wake from sleep.
•  Other symptom that may occur includes: bloating, retching and feeling sick.
•  Complications develop in some cases that can be serious. These includes:

• Bleeding ulcer. This can range from a 'trickle' to a life-threatening bleed.
• Perforation. This is where the ulcer goes right through ('perforates') the wall of the stomach. Then food and acid in the stomach then leak into the abdominal cavity. It usually causes severe pain and is a medical emergency.

Symptom of a peptic ulcer

Symptom of ulcer disease are variable. A group of ulcer patients experience minimal indigestion, abdominal discomfort that occurs after meal. Some complain of upper abdominal burning or hunger pain one to three hours after meals or in the middle of the night. This symptom often are promptly relieved by food or antacids that neutralize stomach acid. Pain of ulcer disease correlates poorly with the presence or severity of active ulceration. Patient have  persistent pain even after an ulcer is almost completely healed by medications. Some experience no pain. Ulcer often come and go spontaneously without the individual ever knowing that they are present unless a serious complication (like bleeding or perforation) occurs.
The pain associated with a stomach ulcer is caused by the ulcer itself and stomach acid that comes into contact with the ulcer and irritates it.  Pain can last from a few minutes to a few hours.
Eating more food and taking antacids (indigestion medication) can often help relieve the pain of a duodenal ulcer, though not usually the pain of a stomach ulcer.

Symptoms based on Classification of Ulcer

Gastric Ulcer

The symptoms of gastric ulcer include feelings of indigestion, heartburn and repetition of gastrointestinal bleeding.  Pain of  ulcer is described as gnawing, dull, aching, or resembling hunger pang. Patient may be nauseated and suffer loss of appetite.  About 30% of patient with gastric ulcer are awakened by pain at night. A lot of patient have periods of chronic ulcer pain alternating with symptom free periods that last for several weeks or months. This kind of  characteristic is called periodicity.

Duodenal Ulcer

The symptoms of duodenal ulcer include heartburn, stomach pain relieved by eating or antacid, weight gain, and a burning sensation at the back of the throat. Patient is most likely to feel discomfort two to four hours after meal or sometimes after having citrus juice, coffee or NSAID like aspirin. About 50% of patients with duodenal ulcer awake during the night with pain. That occurs usually between midnight and three a.m. There is a regular pattern of ulcer pain associated with certain periods of day or night or a time interval after meals is called rhythmicity.