Gastric Ulcer Symptoms

One of the primary symptoms felt by someone with a gastric ulcer is a gnawing or burning pain in the upper middle stomach or just below the breastbone which will last from 30 minutes to sometimes over 3 hours. Unfortunately a large number of people mistake this kind of pain for heartburn because it is so similar, whilst others just mistake it as hunger pains. For some people the pain caused by a gastric ulcer will wake them up during the night and for others it may come on immediately after they have eaten or meal or it may occur some 2 to 3 hours later on.

Gastric ulcers occur when there is an imbalance between the amount of stomach acid secreted and an enzyme called pepsin and the natural defenses of the stomach mucosal lining. The Helicobacter Pylori bacterium, a spiral shaped bacterium that lives in the acid environment of the stomach, can also be a cause of gastric ulcers. Obesity, smoking, and excessive use of anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin can also contribute to the development of gastric ulcers.

The pain of a gastric ulcer may cause you to awaken at night. It may occur immediately following a meal or may occur some two to three hours later. With some patients, the pain of an ulcer is relieved by food or milk and with others they may avoid eating in an effort to avoid the pain associated with eating. The pain from a duodenal ulcer is typically relieved by food, but the pain from a gastric ulcer is usually exacerbated by food. There are many patients who report that a delay in eating will cause a more severe gastric ulcer pain. Based on what we know, these patients may likely be suffering from a duodenal ulcer.

The other symptom to watch for is the most alarming situation of internal bleeding. This bleeding will normally make itself apparent in stools. This isn’t always the case however, and the ulcer could cause internal bleeding which goes un-noticed for a long period of time. Jerry Lewis learned that he had internal bleeding for a very long time going completely un-noticed. However, the painkillers he was taking had suppressed all other symptoms of his gastric ulcer, which I’m sure didn’t help the situation! If a patient starts to notice such symptoms, do not hesitate to seek medical attention, it is much better to seek advice and catch a condition early than it is to sit on it and it be too late.

Stomach ulcer symptoms naturally, your best bet is to change your eating habits. Certain foods can irritate ulcers and should be avoided which include spicy and fried foods, fatty foods and acidic foods. Although many people think that milk is a good way to relieve ulcer symptoms it should be taken in small amounts as the milk proteins can cause more gastric acids to be made which can irritate your ulcer. You should also avoid aspirin, tea, coffee, ibuprofen, alcohol and cigarettes. Another natural way to relieve symptoms of a stomach ulcer is to make sure your diet is rich in soluble fiber. Some say that cabbage can help heal an ulcer as it contains glutamine which has been shown to heal ulcers and is also very high in fiber.

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