What is a peptic ulcer?

A peptic ulcer is a sore or a breakdown in the lining of your stomach or small intestine. It happens when the juices that help breakdown food damage the lining of your stomach or intestine. Ulcers usually affect people who are 25-64 years of age, however, more children in recent years are being found to have ulcers. Also, those in the older age groups can still be found to have peptic ulcers.

The two main causes are a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (HP) and anti-inflammatory pain medicines like aspirin, ibuprofen (one brand: Motrin), and naproxen (one brand: Naprosyn). Steroids like prednisone and medicines for osteoporosis can also cause ulcers especially if they are not used as directed.

How can I tell if I have a peptic ulcer?

You may feel bloated or full. Pain may start soon after you eat. Three or four hours after eating a meal, you may get pain or an empty feeling in your stomach that gets better after you eat again or take an over-the-counter antacid (such as Tums). Some symptoms of peptic ulcer disease, however, do not “follow the book”.

Other signs include belching, feeling sick or dizzy, vomiting, heartburn, and a bad taste in your throat. Some people may develop black colored stools from bleeding in the stomach or upper intestine.

Your doctor may do a blood or stool test to see if you have anemia or HP infection. You may need an upper endoscopy (when the doctor looks inside your stomach with a tiny camera on the end of a tube inserted through your mouth).

How are peptic ulcers treated?

Peptic ulcers are treated with medicine that stops your stomach from making acid. If you have HP infection, you will need to take antibiotics and acid-reducing tablets or capsules for a period of time as directed by your physician.

If you smoke, quitting will help your ulcers heal and will help stop them from coming back. If you are taking a medicine that may cause ulcers, your doctor can suggest a different one. While you have an ulcer, decreasing or stopping caffeine intake as well as other acid containing beverages or foods will help. Alcohol increases acid production in the stomach and should also be curtailed especially if one has an active ulcer.

You should start to feel better within several days of starting the medicine for the ulcer. Some people need to take medicines for one to two months or longer. Tell your doctor if you still have symptoms, you lose weight, the pain gets worse, you see blood in your vomit or you have black, tarry stools. Some patients with HP infection do not have complete eradication of the bacterium with the first set of medications. It is important to tell your physician if you don’t improve or if your improvement in symptoms does not continue.

Where can I get more information?