Symptoms of peptic ulcers

Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 24, 2024
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Upper abdominal pain is a symptom common to peptic ulcers, including dull, mild, or bloating pain, which is generally tolerable and varies in characteristics. For instance, the pain from a gastric ulcer is usually located in the upper abdomen, predominantly on the upper left side, and sometimes extends to the lower abdomen. It typically occurs about half an hour to an hour after meals and gradually eases after two to three hours. For duodenal bulb ulcers, the pain is generally around two fingers to the right of the belly button. It often presents as hunger-like pain in the upper abdomen, accompanied by nighttime pain. If it is a post-bulbar ulcer, it often causes back pain. Complex ulcers may exhibit characteristics of both types. Additionally, ulcers are generally associated with excessive stomach acid, leading to symptoms like acid reflux, heartburn, and abdominal bloating. If there is bleeding, it is often accompanied by black stools or even vomiting blood.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Etiology of Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcers include gastric ulcers, duodenal bulb ulcers, complex ulcers, and so on. It is currently believed that about 80% of peptic ulcers are related to infection with Helicobacter pylori. Additionally, poor dietary and living habits are closely linked to the formation of peptic ulcers, such as excessive smoking and drinking, overeating cold, greasy, spicy, and irritating foods, as well as strong tea, coffee, etc. Moreover, many medications can cause damage to the gastric mucosa, leading to gastric ulcers, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Furthermore, emotional excitement and major trauma and other stress responses can also lead to acute gastric mucosal lesions, resulting in peptic ulcers.

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Written by Li Xue Qing
Gastroenterology
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Peptic ulcer is what?

Peptic ulcers are a recurrent, periodic, and rhythmic disease characterized by upper abdominal pain. They mainly occur in the stomach and duodenum. The causes include excessive secretion of gastric acid, reduced protective function of the gastric mucosa, and infections caused by Helicobacter pylori. In terms of symptoms, there is mainly a tenderness in the upper abdomen. For diagnosis, gastroscope can be used to examine the mucosa for the presence of ulcers.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Clinical characteristics of peptic ulcer

The main cause of peptic ulcers is believed to be infection by Helicobacter pylori. Other factors such as smoking, alcohol, poor diet, living habits, medication use, or emotional issues can also play a role. Clinically, these ulcers are often characterized by upper abdominal pain. In the case of gastric ulcers, the pain is primarily in the upper left abdomen or below the sternum, and can manifest as dull pain, blunt pain, or a feeling of distension. This pain is often more apparent after meals, commonly occurring half an hour to an hour after eating, and usually subsides two to three hours later. Duodenal bulb ulcers are characterized by upper abdominal muscular pain, occurring around two centimeters above and to the right of the navel, sometimes accompanied by nighttime pain. If the ulcer is located behind the bulb, back pain can also occur. Peptic ulcers can lead to other complications, such as perforation, bleeding, or even cancer.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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The main causes of peptic ulcers

It is generally believed that Helicobacter pylori is closely related to gastric inflammation, ulcer formation, and malignancies. Therefore, the main cause of peptic ulcers should be the infection of Helicobacter pylori. Furthermore, certain conditions, such as connective tissue diseases and kidney diseases, may require long-term use of steroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This can damage the gastric mucosa and increase the secretion of gastric acid, thereby promoting the occurrence of peptic ulcers. Other factors like long-term poor dietary and living habits, such as smoking and consuming alcohol or spicy food, can also damage the gastrointestinal mucosa, thus leading to the development of peptic ulcers.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Clinical characteristics of peptic ulcer

Peptic ulcer is a common and frequently occurring upper gastrointestinal disease. The most likely cause may be infection by Helicobacter pylori, with other potential causes including irritation from smoking and alcohol, poor dietary and living habits, severe psychological stress, or medications, among others. The primary change is usually an excessive secretion of gastric acid, which irritates the gastric mucosa leading to self-digestion and the appearance of gastric or duodenal erosion and ulcers. Clinically, it often presents as long-term, periodic, rhythmic upper abdominal pain, which may be located in the upper left abdomen or slightly right of the navel, and is often accompanied by regurgitation, belching, acid reflux, nausea, etc. If there is ulcer bleeding, it often presents as black stools or even vomiting blood, among other symptoms.