How to Recognize the Symptoms of Stomach Ulcers

Medically reviewed by Roy Nattiv, MD

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 Approved

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An ulcer is a lesion that develops on the skin, such as a pressure ulcer, or mucous membranes of the body, such as a stomach ulcer. The symptoms are acute for some people and mild for others. If you are experiencing any ulcer symptoms, see your doctor immediately.

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Recognizing Symptoms

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Pay attention to pain in your abdomen anywhere between your breastbone and your belly button. The pain can vary in severity and duration, lasting anywhere from a couple of minutes to several hours. It often occurs between meals as your stomach empties and could be described as a burning, stabbing or aching pain. The extent of the pain will depend on a number of factors including your age and the location of the ulcer.^{[1]
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- Often pain caused by ulcers can be temporarily relieved by eating foods that buffer the acid in the stomach, or by taking an over-the-counter antacid medication.
- If your stomach pain is caused by ulcers, flare-ups may occur at night and whenever you are hungry.
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Watch for other symptoms of ulcers that sufferers have reported. All of these symptoms don't occur for all people. That means you may experience just a few symptoms, or a combination of any of them.^{[2]
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- An increase in the amount of gas and burping.
- A feeling of fullness and an inability to drink a lot of liquids.
- Being hungry a couple of hours after eating a meal.
- Mild nausea, most common on first waking in the morning.
- An overall feeling of being tired and not feeling well.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weight loss.
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Recognize the symptoms of a severe ulcer. If left untreated, ulcers can cause internal bleeding and other problems, leading to a medical emergency.^{[3]
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- Vomiting, especially if it looks like coffee grounds and/or if blood is present, can be an indication of advanced ulcers.
- Dark, tarry or pasty stool may also be a sign of severe ulcers.
- Bloody stools.
Ulcers are a serious condition that require medical treatment. Over-the-counter products may provide temporary relief, but they do not treat the condition. Your healthcare provider, on the other hand, can help you treat the underlying cause of your ulcer.
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Know if you are more likely to get stomach ulcers. While stomach ulcers can present for any number of reasons, to most any individual, people most at risk to develop them include:^{[4]
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- People infected by the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria, or those who are more susceptible to it such as people with low stomach acid.^{[5]
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- People who regularly take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen.
- People with a family history of ulcers.
- People who regularly drink alcohol.^{[6]
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- People who have illnesses or diseases associated with the liver, kidney, or lung.
- People older than 50 years of age.^{[7]
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- People who have or had a digestive disease or illness like Crohn's disease.

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Quick Tips for People Suffering From Ulcers

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While most stomach ulcers will heal on their own, some severe stomach ulcers will need to be diagnosed with an endoscope and treated with medication. An endoscope is a small, lighted tube that your gastroenterologist will guide down your esophagus. Only your doctor can perform this. In the meantime, try some of these quick fixes before you see your practitioner.^{[8]
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Take an acid-blocking medication.^{[9]
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Roy Nattiv, MD
Board Certified Gastroenterologist

Expert Interview. 14 October 2020.} An acid-blocking medication is sometimes recommended by doctors to see if symptoms improve. That is because stomach ulcers can be caused by an imbalance between the digestive fluids in the stomach and duodenum.
- If you're found to have H. pylori, you will generally be prescribed a round of antibiotics that also act as acid suppressors.^{[10]
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Stop smoking, drinking, and taking NSAIDs. Smoking and drinking can both cause imbalances in digestive fluids, while NSAIDs can disrupt the balance and irritate the stomach lining if taken in high dosages.^{[11]
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Expert Interview. 14 October 2020.} Discontinue all three while you are waiting for a diagnosis from your doctor.^{[13]
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4
Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Eating more frequently or focusing on one specific food group like diary may offer momentary relief, but ultimately this could lead to your body producing even more stomach acid. Focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in proteins, unsaturated fats, and complex carbohydrates. Try to incorporate fresh fruits or vegetables into every meal, choose whole grains whenever possible, and rely on lean proteins when you can.^{[14]
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- Avoid foods that cause you discomfort. For many people, this includes coffee, caffeinated beverages, fatty foods, chocolate, and spicy foods.^{[15]
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- Try to stick to a regular meal schedule. Avoid snacking late at night.
Drinking milk may provide temporary relief, but it's like taking one step forward and two steps back. Milk will coat the lining of your stomach wall for a short while. But milk will also stimulate the production of more stomach acid, which ultimately aggravate the ulcers even more.

List of Foods to Eat and Avoid with a Stomach Ulcer

Foods to Eat with a Stomach Ulcer

Foods to Avoid with a Stomach Ulcer

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What dietary changes will help with stomach ulcers?

Roy Nattiv, MD
Board Certified Gastroenterologist
Dr. Roy Nattiv is a Board-Certified Pediatric Gastroenterologist in Los Angeles, California. With over 20 years of experience he specializes in a broad range of pediatric gastrointestinal and nutritional illnesses such as constipation, diarrhea, reflux, food allergies, poor weight gain, SIBO, IBD, and IBS. He completed his pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and his fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). While at UCSF, he was a California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) fellowship trainee and was awarded the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) Fellow to Faculty Award in Pediatric IBD Research. Dr. Nattiv received his undergrad degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his medical degree (MD) from the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Roy Nattiv, MD

Board Certified Gastroenterologist

Expert Answer

Try to eat a low-acid diet. Eliminate acidic foods and avoid caffeine and chocolate.

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Can stomach ulcers cause bloating?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

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Expert Answer

Yes, stomach ulcers can cause bloating along with a number of other symptoms.

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Will taking Mobic aggravate your digestive system?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

It is possible. Mobic is a NSAID which may irritate the lining of your stomach or cause a disruption in the balance of your stomach acid.

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A considerable percentage of stomach ulcers are not directly caused by stress or diet, they are caused by Helicobacter pylori, which is a bacteria - not a virus. A Nobel Prize was awarded to Australian scientists Barry Marshall and Robin Warren for this discovery.

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Before discovering the connection between ulcers and the H. pylori bacteria, doctors used to tell patients to control their ulcers through diet and lifestyle changes. Although we now know that the bacteria causes most ulcers, it is still true that lifestyle and diet can aggravate symptoms. Diligently managing stress through practices like prayer, yoga or meditation, getting plenty of exercise and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet that is low in fat and spices will help to control ulcer symptoms for some people.

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Warnings

If left untreated, ulcers can perforate the wall of the stomach or intestines, causing internal bleeding and potentially life-threatening infections.^{[16]
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