Peptic ulcer

The most common symptom or sign of an ulcer is pain in the abdomen. It often starts within a few hours of eating. Other symptoms include:

• bloating or feeling full or gassy
• indigestion, heartburn or acid reflux
• intolerance to fatty foods
• nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting (being sick)
• extreme weakness or dizziness
• weight loss.

In some people ulcers may bleed or perforate (make a hole in the stomach or the duodenum so food and bacteria go into the abdomen) or the area around them may become scarred, blocking up the intestines.

You should talk to a healthcare provider if you think you have a peptic ulcer so that you can get some treatment and pain relief.

Call 111 to get urgent medical help if you:

• have black, tarry stools (poo)
• vomit blood
• feel sharp, sudden, severe pain. 

As well as seeking help from a healthcare professional, there are things you can do to care for yourself:

• Eat a well-balanced diet and have regular meals.
• Eat smaller meals and eat your evening meal 3–4 hours before going to bed.
• Identify and avoid food and drinks that make the pain worse (eg, alcohol, coffee, spicy food)
• Antacids can offer short term relief and may help protect the lining of the stomach. You can buy antacids from your local pharmacy.
• Stop smoking. 

There are two main types of peptic ulcer, named according to their location.

• Stomach ulcers are ulcers in the stomach. They are also called gastric ulcers.
• Duodenal ulcers are ulcers in your duodenum (the first part of your small intestine). 

Peptic ulcers can also occur in your oesophagus (the tube that carries food and liquid from your throat to your stomach).

Image credit: blausen.com wikimedia commons

The most common causes of peptic ulcers are bacterial infection and long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAID).

Bacterial infection

The majority of peptic ulcers are caused by infection with a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Most people with H. pylori infection don't have symptoms of peptic ulcer. The H. pylori bacteria make a substance that damages the mucous lining of the stomach so it can be damaged by acids that break down food during digestion. The bacteria also make the body produce more acid which makes the problem even worse. Read more about H. pylori. 

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAID)

After H. pylori, the next most common cause of ulcers is taking long term or high dose anti-inflammatory medicines, eg, aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These can work in the same way as a bacterial infection, leaving your stomach open to attack from digestive acids. If you are taking anti-inflammatory drugs long term for pain relief you should talk to your healthcare provider about how you can protect yourself from developing ulcers. 

Other causes

• Smoking increases your risk of developing ulcers and slows the healing if you have one.
• Increase in age.
• Family history of peptic ulcers especially if there is a family history of H.pylori infection.
• Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory disease of the intestines).

See your healthcare provider if you have peptic ulcer symptoms of a peptic ulcer. They may want to test if you have H. pylori infection (with a faecal antigen test or breath test) and you may need further tests such as an X-ray of your stomach and gut or an endoscopy/gastroscopy (to look inside your stomach).

Treatment for your ulcer will depend on what caused it. Medication treatment options include:

• Antacid medicines which can offer short term relief and may help protect the lining of your stomach. You can buy antacids from your local pharmacy.
• Medications to reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach. These are called proton pump inhibitors.
• Medications to protect the lining of the stomach from further damage.
• Antibiotic medicines to treat H. pylori infection. Read about H. pylori and how it's treated.
• A review of safe treatments for pain relief if you have pain.

With treatment, most ulcers heal in a few months. They can return, but they're less likely to come back if you complete your course of treatment and make appropriate lifestyle changes. 

Sometimes peptic ulcers can involve cancer and a repeat gastroscopy may be done to check that the ulcer is healing.   

Apps reviewed by Healthify

You may find it useful to look at some Digestive health apps and Pain management apps.