What Does an Ulcer Feel Like?

Ulcer pain varies with the person. Sometimes it feels better when you eat. Perhaps it wakes you up at night. There are several kinds of ulcers, so it helps to know what types there are so you can determine whether what you are feeling is really an ulcer.

Many people describe a burning pain in the abdomen, slightly higher than the stomach and slightly lower in the duodenum. However, you can feel the pain anywhere from the breastbone to the navel, and the pain can last from just a few minutes to a few hours. 

The pain may be worse on an empty stomach, and you may feel some relief if you eat foods that neutralize stomach acid (milk is a popular choice) or take antacids.  Flare-ups may be worse at nighttime than during the day. The symptoms do not necessarily occur regularly. You may have symptoms one day, then not have them again for a few weeks.

Other Symptoms

Less typical symptoms include vomiting blood. If this happens, call your doctor immediately. He or she will see you quickly or refer you to your local emergency room. 

You may also pass blood in your stool, which requires a trip to the doctor to determine the cause and rule out other illnesses. You may also experience nausea, vomiting that does not involve blood, unintended weight loss, or changes in appetite.  

Types of Ulcers

Ulcers generally range in size from one-quarter inch to three-quarters of an inch, and they form in the mucus membranes of your digestive system.

• Gastric ulcers - Ulcers on the lining of the stomach are known as gastric ulcers.
• Duodenal ulcers - Those just below the stomach at the start of the small intestine (duodenum) are known as duodenal ulcers.
• Esophageal ulcers - Ulcers in the esophagus are called esophageal ulcers. They are less common than gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Together, bastric and duodenal ulcers are known as peptic ulcers. 

Peptic Ulcers

Peptic ulcers occur because the pepsin and hydrochloric acid (the digestive juices), attack the duodenum or the stomach lining the same way they work to digest food. Eventually, the attacks wear down the lining and the ulcer forms. If ulcers are untreated, they can lead to more serious problems, such as bleeding ulcers, perforated ulcers, or an obstruction of the opening of the small intestine, thus trapping food in the stomach. 

Bleeding Ulcers

If you have a bleeding ulcer, you may feel tired and weak in addition to the symptoms described in the previous paragraphs. A bleeding ulcer is one that has reached the blood vessels in the stomach or duodenum. 

The blood then gets into your digestive tract and does not travel through the circulatory system, as intended.

A perforated ulcer usually causes sharp, sudden, severe pain. It almost always requires surgery and a hospital stay.

Getting Help With Ulcers

Even though antacids or acid blockers from your local drug store may alleviate symptoms, they do not cure ulcers. Further, some symptoms of ulcers can also be caused by other illnesses or conditions which may require a physician’s care. For example, unexplained weight loss is also a symptom of some types of cancer. You need to know what you have in order to treat it properly.

If you think you have an ulcer, contact your doctor or health practitioner. With a few simple tests, you can find out whether you have an ulcer. Treatment can begin, and you can enjoy our life – and your meals – once again. If ulcers go untreated, you put yourself in the running for a bleeding or perforated ulcer, both of which require much more extensive care than an ulcer caught at an earlier stage.