The first important thing to note is that not all ulcers are stomach ulcers. Ulcers can occur anywhere on or in the body and are open sores or raw areas. Ulcers affecting the GI system are what’s known as peptic ulcers.
You can have two different types of peptic ulcer—duodenal ulcer, which affects part of the small intestine, and gastric ulcer, which affects the lining of your stomach. Gastric ulcers are commonly referenced as stomach ulcers.
What a Stomach Ulcer Is
A stomach ulcer occurs when the acids that help you digest food properly damage the walls of your stomach. This can happen for multiple reasons, including the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (known as NSAIDs) and an infection with a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori.
Pylori bacteria contribute to stomach ulcers by damaging the mucosal coating that protects the lining of your stomach. When this occurs, potent stomach acid can make its way through to the lining, and together, the bacteria and the acid cause the ulcer.
NSAIDs contribute to stomach ulcers in a slightly different way. NSAIDs work to reduce inflammation in the body by blocking enzymes that cause pain and inflammation. One of those enzymes, though, is a necessary component for protecting the stomach lining. When you take NSAIDs, this enzyme is blocked, which allows damage to the stomach lining and can cause an ulcer to form.
Interestingly enough, the common stereotype of a man with an ulcer caused by stress isn’t accurate. While stress can worsen stomach ulcers, it doesn’t cause them.
What a Stomach Ulcer Feels Like
If you have a stomach ulcer, the most obvious and common symptom will be stomach pain. This pain can be either dull or burning and is often felt between the belly button and breastbone.
You can feel the pain from a stomach ulcer at any time, but it may be more obvious when your stomach is empty. You may also experience discomfort when you eat or drink, and that painful sensation can last for minutes or even hours.
Beyond pain, stomach ulcers can also cause other symptoms, including:
- Bloating
- Burping
- Feeling of fullness
- Poor appetite
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
In some cases, an ulcer can perforate or tear, a situation known as a bleeding ulcer. When this happens, you may also experience nausea, blood in your stool or dark stools, back pain, and blood in your vomit. A perforated ulcer, which occurs when the ulcer burns through the stomach wall, is considered an emergency and typically requires prompt surgical treatment.
How a Stomach Ulcer Is Treated
If you’re experiencing a stomach ulcer, your health care provider may refer you to a gastroenterologist, a health care specialist who is specialty-trained in conditions affecting the GI system, including the stomach.
To confirm a diagnosis and help determine a treatment plan, he or she may perform a breath test to detect the presence of pylori bacteria. Blood tests and stool tests can also be used for the same purpose.
If a stomach ulcer is untreated, it can worsen and perforate. It’s important to seek a diagnosis and treatment plan to properly alleviate your symptoms.
How long do stomach ulcers last? That depends on multiple factors, including the underlying cause of your ulcer. If you have a stomach ulcer caused by Helicobacter pylori, you’ll be given an antibiotic to rid your body of the bacteria. You’ll typically be told to take the medication for two to three weeks to fully clear the pylori bacteria from your system. Depending on the severity of the infection, you may even be prescribed a combination of antibiotics.
In addition, to ease the symptoms associated with the ulcer and allow the stomach to heal, your doctor will also likely prescribe a protein pump inhibitor or other similar medication to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach.
Ulcers caused by NSAIDs will also be treated using medication to reduce the amount of acid in the stomach. Along with that medication, you may be prescribed another medication designed to coat and protect the ulcer itself as it heals.
The majority of ulcers respond to medication within 2 to 12 weeks. In severe cases or when medication therapy does not alleviate ulcer symptoms, surgery may be needed. Surgical treatment recovery time also varies, but symptoms improve for most people within six weeks. Your health care provider can advise about what treatment options will work best for your particular circumstances.
How to Prevent Future Stomach Ulcers
A stomach ulcer can recur, particularly if you begin taking NSAIDs again or if you smoke. There are some steps you can take to lower your risk of developing another ulcer:
- Take NSAIDs carefully. If you still require treatment using an NSAID, take the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible duration. Always take the medication with food or milk to ensure your stomach is coated to prevent irritation.
- Limit your alcohol consumption. While a small amount of alcohol may be fine, and in some cases has even been associated with the reduced presence of pylori bacteria, excessive alcohol can irritate the stomach lining and exacerbate an ulcer.
- Don’t smoke, or quit if you do smoke. Smokers are more likely to develop stomach ulcers, in part because smoking increases the risk of infection with pylori bacteria. But smoking is also a bad idea because smoking causes wounds, including ulcers, to heal more slowly or not at all.
- Limit spicy foods. There’s no evidence that spicy foods contribute to the formation of stomach ulcers, but if you have a sensitive stomach or are dealing with an ulcer, spicy foods can contribute to stomach pain.
