1. The Location and Type of Pain
Pain is the most common symptom of a stomach ulcer and is typically described as a burning, gnawing pain. It can occur in just one spot or be spread across your digestive system and even extend to other areas of the body. Some people experience aching in the upper abdomen. Other people complain of stabbing pain that is felt across the whole gut.
To a certain extent, your symptoms depend on the location of your ulcer. Duodenal ulcers are usually felt in the upper abdomen, with the pain starting several hours after eating. You may find that eating again helps to relieve the pain. In contrast, gastric ulcers start immediately after eating and are not improved with food. In fact, eating can make the pain worse. Gastric ulcers generally cause more of a dull, aching pain that gets worse at night.
Ulcer pain typically lasts anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. You will probably find that antacids temporarily relieve the pain. After 2 or 3 hours, the pain may start up again.
Because ulcers can heal and then reoccur, you might find that the pain continues to come and go for several days or weeks, goes away entirely and then reappears again. People often notice that their ulcer pain develops a pattern. It may flare up in certain seasons or when they are under a lot of stress.
2. Gastrointestinal Symptoms
In addition to the pain, you can experience a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms. You might notice bloating and a feeling of fullness. Conversely, you might feel hungry with an empty feeling in your stomach. This can start as soon as 1 to 3 hours after eating. Nausea and vomiting are also possible symptoms. The vomiting often relieves the symptoms. Some people find that the ulcer leads to belching. It can also cause regurgitation--the sensation of acid backing up into your throat.
If you are experiencing loss of appetite and an unexplained weight loss, these too can be symptoms of a stomach ulcer. In addition, you may notice a change in your stools. The complications of your ulcer can cause your stools to appear black or to have streaks of dark blood in them.
3. Symptoms of Ulcer Complications
An untreated ulcer can occasionally develop complications. Some people are not even aware they have an ulcer until these symptoms appear. One of the more common complications of ulcers is bleeding. You might vomit up this blood or it can show up in your stools. Vomited blood tends to look like coffee grounds and can be bright red or reddish-brown. Since it is possible to have internal bleeding and not be aware of it, some people develop anemia as a result of the chronic blood loss. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue and shortness of breath.
Sudden, intense and steady pain can indicate perforation of your ulcer. Pain can be felt in one or both shoulders, and it may get worse if you breathe heavily. Changing positions can lead to severe discomfort, and your abdomen will become very tender to the touch.
Although vomiting is one of the symptoms of a stomach ulcer, repeated vomiting may be a sign of intestinal obstruction. This can be accompanied by a loss of appetite, weight loss, dehydration and an electrolyte imbalance. Having intestinal obstruction can cause you to feel overly full and bloated, even when you haven't eaten a lot.
