Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers

Peptic ulcers are small areas of the lining of the stomach and duodenum which have been digested by the gastric juices and acid. One of the most important risk factors for developing peptic ulcers is infection with a bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori. Most people infected by these bacteria do not know about the infection until they develop peptic ulcers or inflammation of the gastric lining called gastritis. The most common symptom of peptic ulcer is a burning pain in the upper abdomen (just below the breastbone), sometimes associated with nausea, vomiting and weight loss. Serious complications of peptic ulcers include bleeding, black stools, vomiting blood or dark coffee-ground material, and or perforations (holes in the stomach or duodenal wall which usually requires immediate surgery). Occasionally, stomach ulcers may signal an underlying stomach cancer. More info about Peptic Ulcers

The most common symptom of peptic ulcers is a burning pain in the upper abdomen, sometimes associated with nausea, vomiting and weight loss.