Diseases » Peptic Ulcer » Symptoms

Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer

Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Peptic Ulcer includes the 17 symptoms listed below:

• Abdominal discomfort - this is the primary symptom; usually chronic and ongoing; the
• Discomfort has particular characteristic patterns:
  • Abdominal pain after a meal - usually 2-3 hours later
  • Abdominal pain on empty stomach
  • Abdominal pain relieved by food
  • Abdominal pain relieved by antacids
• Weight loss
• Poor appetite
• Bloating
• Belching
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Gastrointestinal bleeding - a very serious symptom requiring immediate medical attention; caused by a bleeding ulcers, its symptoms may include:
  • Blood in vomit
  • Vomit with coffee grounds consistency
  • Blood in stool
  • Black stool
• more information...»

Research symptoms & diagnosis of Peptic Ulcer:

• Overview -- Peptic Ulcer
• Diagnostic Tests for Peptic Ulcer
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Complications -- Peptic Ulcer
• Doctors & Specialists
• Misdiagnosis and Alternative Diagnoses
• Hidden Causes of Peptic Ulcer
• Other Causes -- causes of these or similar symptoms

Peptic Ulcer: Complications

Review medical complications possibly associated with Peptic Ulcer:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Anemia - from the blood loss due to gastrointestinal bleeding; see also symptoms of anemia
• Intestinal perforation (see Digestive symptoms)
• Peritonitis
• more complications...»

Peptic Ulcer Symptoms: Book Excerpts

• Signs and symptoms - Peptic ulcers
• Signs and symptoms - Peptic ulcers

Diagnostic Testing

Diagnostic testing of medical conditions related to Peptic Ulcer:

• Gastroscopy
• Endoscopy
• Upper gastrointestinal (GI) series
• Barium meal x-ray
• Blood H pylori test
• Breath H pylori test
• more tests...»

Research More About Peptic Ulcer

Do I have Peptic Ulcer?

• Peptic Ulcer: Introduction
• Peptic Ulcer: Diagnostic Testing to confirm diagnosis
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Alternative diagnoses and misdiagnosis for Peptic Ulcer
• Failure to Diagnose Peptic Ulcer
• Hidden Causes of Peptic Ulcer
• How serious is it?
• Treatments for Peptic Ulcer
• More about Peptic Ulcer

Peptic Ulcer: Medical Mistakes

• Crohn's Disease -- Health Mistakes
• Ulcerative Colitis -- Health Mistakes
• Celiac Disease -- Health Mistakes
• GERD -- Health Mistakes
• Heartburn -- Health Mistakes
• Acid Reflux -- Health Mistakes
• more mistakes...»

Peptic Ulcer: Undiagnosed Conditions

Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:

• Chronic Digestive Disorders that can remain Undiagnosed:
  • Crohn's Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • Ulcerative Colitis -- Undiagnosed
  • Celiac Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • Heartburn -- Undiagnosed
  • GERD -- Undiagnosed
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome -- Undiagnosed
  • Carcinoid Syndrome -- Undiagnosed
  • Pancreatitis -- Undiagnosed
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical tests related to Peptic Ulcer:

• Colon & Rectal Cancer: Home Testing
  • Home Colorectal Cancer Tests
  • Home Fecal Occult Bleeding Tests
• Food Allergies & Intolerances: Home Testing:
  • Home Food Allergy Tests
  • Home Food Intolerance Testing
  • Home Water Testing
  • Home Lead Poisoning Tests
  • Home Heavy Metal Poisoning Tests
• Digestive-Related Home Testing:
  • Home Stomach Ulcer Tests
  • Home Colorectal Cancer Test Kits
  • Home Fecal Occult Bleeding Test Kits
• more home tests...»

Wrongly Diagnosed with Peptic Ulcer?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Peptic Ulcer includes:

• Chronic digestive diseases
• Crohn's disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Functional dyspepsia
• Nonulcer dyspepsia
• more diagnoses...»

See the full list of 30 alternative diagnoses for Peptic Ulcer

Peptic Ulcer: Research Doctors & Specialists

• Digestive Health Specialists (Gastroenterology):
  • Gastroenterology (Digestive Specialists)
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology (Child Digestive Health)
• more specialists...»

Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

More about symptoms of Peptic Ulcer:

More information about symptoms of Peptic Ulcer and related conditions:

• Other diseases with similar symptoms and common misdiagnoses
• Tests to determine if these are the symptoms of Peptic Ulcer
• Symptoms that may be caused by complications of Peptic Ulcer
• Underlying causes of Peptic Ulcer
• Associated conditions for Peptic Ulcer
• Risk factors for Peptic Ulcer

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

• Abdominal discomfort - see all causes of Abdominal discomfort
• Abdominal pain after a meal - see all causes of Meal symptoms
• Abdominal pain on empty stomach - see all causes of Meal symptoms
• Abdominal pain relieved by antacids - see all causes of Abdominal pain
• Abdominal pain relieved by food - see all causes of Abdominal pain
• Belching - see all causes of Belching
• Black stool - see all causes of Black stool
• Bloating - see all causes of Abdominal swelling
• Blood in stool - see all causes of Bloody stool
• Blood in vomit - see all causes of Vomiting blood
• Gastrointestinal bleeding - see all causes of Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Nausea - see all causes of Nausea
• Poor appetite - see all causes of Poor appetite
• Vomit with coffee grounds consistency - see all causes of Vomiting
• Vomiting - see all causes of Vomiting
• Weight loss - see all causes of Weight loss

Medical Books Online about Peptic Ulcer

Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Peptic Ulcer are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Peptic Ulcer.

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Related videos for Peptic Ulcer

See full list of 5 related videos

Patient Surveys for Peptic Ulcer

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Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Peptic Ulcer.

Peptic ulcers: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Heartburn and indigestion usually signal the beginning of a gastric ulcer attack. Eating stretches the gastric wall and may cause or, in some cases, relieve pain and feelings of fullness and distention. Other typical effects include weight loss and repeated episodes of massive GI bleeding.

Duodenal ulcers produce heartburn, well-localized midepigastric pain (relieved by food), weight gain (because the patient eats to relieve discomfort), and a peculiar sensation of hot water bubbling in the back of the throat. Attacks usually occur about 2 hours after meals, whenever the stomach is empty, or after consumption of orange juice, coffee, aspirin, or alcohol. Exacerbations tend to recur several times per year and then fade into remission. Vomiting and other digestive disturbances are rare.

Ulcers may penetrate the pancreas and cause severe back pain. Other complications of peptic ulcers include perforation, hemorrhage, and pyloric obstruction. Ulcers may, on occasion, produce no symptoms.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Peptic ulcers: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Symptoms vary with the type of ulcer.

Gastric ulcers

Gastric ulcers are usually signaled by pain that becomes more intense with eating. The pain is usually constant because the gastric mucosa is sensitive to acid secretion. Nausea or anorexia may occur.

Duodenal ulcers

Duodenal ulcers produce epigastric pain that’s gnawing, dull, aching, or “hunger-like.” The pain is relieved by food or antacids and typically recurs 2 to 4 hours later. Weight loss or vomiting is typically a sign of malignancy or gastric outlet obstruction.

CLINICAL TIP: If the pain changes from rhythmic to constant or radiates, ulcer penetration into the pancreas or perforation may have occurred.

Well-localized midepigastric pain (relieved by food), weight gain (because the patient eats to relieve discomfort), and a peculiar sensation of hot water bubbling in the back of the throat are other reported signs.

 Exacerbations tend to recur several times a year, then fade into remission. Vomiting and other digestive disturbances are rare.

Complications

Both kinds of ulcers may be asymptomatic or may penetrate the pancreas and cause severe back pain. Other complications of peptic ulcers include perforation, hemorrhage, and pyloric obstruction.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer:

Abdominal discomfort is the most common symptom. This discomfort usually

• is a dull, gnawing ache.
  
  
• comes and goes for several days or weeks.
  
  
• occurs 2 to 3 hours after a meal.
  
  
• occurs in the middle of the night (when the stomach is empty).
  
  
• is relieved by food.
  
  
• is relieved by antacid medications.

Other symptoms include

• weight loss
  
  
• poor appetite
  
  
• bloating
  
  
• burping
  
  
• nausea
  
  
• vomiting

Some people experience only very mild symptoms, or none at all.

Emergency Symptoms If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away: sharp, sudden, persistent stomach pain bloody or black stools bloody vomit or vomit that looks like coffee grounds They could be signs of a serious problem, such as perforation--when the ulcer burrows through the stomach or duodenal wall. bleeding--when acid or the ulcer breaks a blood vessel. obstruction--when the ulcer blocks the path of food trying to leave the stomach.

(Source: excerpt from H_ pylori and Peptic Ulcer: NIDDK)

Peptic Ulcer as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions

When considering symptoms of Peptic Ulcer, it is also important to consider Peptic Ulcer as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Peptic Ulcer may cause:

• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain
• Gastrointestinal perforation
• Hypovolaemic shock
• Pancreatitis, acute
• Pyloric stenosis (adult / acquired)

- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

• Diagnostic Testing for a Diagnosis of Peptic Ulcer
• Research Alternative Diagnoses for Peptic Ulcer
• How serious is Peptic Ulcer?
• More about Peptic Ulcer
• Online Diagnosis
• Self Diagnosis Pitfalls
• Pitfalls of Online Diagnosis
• Symptoms of the Silent Killer Diseases
• Lesser known silent killer diseases
• Books on signs and symptoms

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Peptic Ulcer:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Peptic Ulcer. This signs and symptoms information for Peptic Ulcer has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Peptic Ulcer signs or Peptic Ulcer symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Peptic Ulcer may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Peptic Ulcer symptoms.

 » Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Peptic Ulcer

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