Pain
The pain can feel aching, burning or gnawing. It's usually felt in the area between the belly button and breastbone or in the back. Pain can come and go for days or weeks and last for minutes to hours at a time. Some people may experience pain relief after taking an antacid or eating. Pain can occur when the stomach is empty early in the morning or once food has digested approximately one to three hours after a meal.
Dyspepsia
Dyspepsia is a group of the common symptoms of peptic ulcers. Bloating and a feeling of fullness may occur after eating small amounts and belching frequently. A feeling of acid that backs up into the throat is called regurgitation. Mild nausea and vomiting may relieve symptoms for a short period of time.
Emergency Symptoms
People with peptic ulcers should seek emergency treatment if any of these symptoms are present, such as sudden onset of severe pain in the abdomen, stools that are tarry, bloody or black in color, experience severe episodes of vomiting without blood, vomiting something that looks like coffee grounds, which is a sign of hemorrhage, and vomiting the entire contents of the stomach, which is a sign of intestinal obstruction.
Risk Factors
People who smoke, drink alcohol or have a family history of peptic ulcers are at risk of developing peptic ulcers from H. pylori. Another risk factor is the long-term use of NSAIDs because of the damage to the stomach and small intestine, which could cause bleeding. Other serious health problems that are risk factors include: congestive heart failure and taking medications such as warfarin (Coumadin), Fosamax, which is used to treat osteoporosis, and corticosteroids such as prednisone.
Significance
Ulcer pain may be felt in one place in the body or spread throughout the abdomen. Duodenal ulcers are typically felt in the upper part of the stomach several hours after eating once food has digested. It may be relieved by eating again for a time. The pain is described as a gnawing type of pain. Gastric ulcers are described as a dull, aching pain that is felt at night and after eating. Food typically causes the pain to worsen. Some ulcers have no symptoms until they become bleeding ulcers.
Tags: after eating, peptic ulcers, food digested, hours after, lining stomach, once food