digestive disorders
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer Disease
Symptoms of peptic ulcer disease can vary with the location of the ulcer and the person's age. For example, children, older people, and people whose ulcers were caused by NSAIDs may not have the usual symptoms or may have no symptoms at all. In these instances, ulcers are discovered only when Complications develop. Themost common symptom of a peptic ulceris Mild to moderately severe pain in the upper abdomen The pain is typically described as gnawing, burning, aching, or soreness or sometimes as a sensation of hunger and is usually located in the upper abdomen just below the breastbone. It is usually relieved by food or antacids. The typical ulcer tends to heal and return. Thus, pain may occur for days or weeks, then wane or disappear, and then return again when the ulcer returns. Only about half of people have typical symptoms. Duodenal ulcer symptomstend to follow a pattern. People usually do not have pain when they awaken, but pain appears by mid-morning. Drinking milk or eating (which buffers stomach acid) or taking antacids generally relieves the pain, but it usually returns 2 or 3 hours later. Pain that awakens the person during the night is common. Frequently, the pain occurs one or more times a day over a period of one to several weeks and then may go away without treatment. However, pain usually returns, often within the first 2 years and occasionally after several years. People generally develop patterns and often learn by experience when a recurrence is likely (commonly in spring and fall and during periods of stress). Thesymptoms of gastric ulcers, marginal ulcers, and stress ulcers,unlike those of duodenal ulcers, do not follow any pattern. Eating may relieve pain temporarily or may cause pain rather than relieve it. Gastric ulcers sometimes cause scarring and swelling of the tissues (edema) that lead into the small intestine, which may prevent food from easily passing out of the stomach. This blockage may cause bloating, nausea, or vomiting after eating. 