Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) is a break in the inner lining of the stomach, first part of the small intestines or sometimes the lower esophagus.
An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer. An ulcer in the duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer. The most common symptoms of a duodenal ulcer are waking at night with upper abdominal pain or upper abdominal pain that improves with eating.
With a gastric ulcer the pain may worsen with eating. The pain is often described as a burning or dull ache. Other symptoms include belching, vomiting, weight loss, or poor appetite.
Common causes include the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and Non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Other less common causes include tobacco smoking, stress, Crohn disease and liver cirrhosis. H. pylori can be diagnosed by testing the blood for antibodies, a urea breath test, testing the stool for signs of the bacteria, or a biopsy of the stomach which is obtained with an Upper Gl Endoscopy (EGD).
Signs and symptoms of a peptic ulcer can include one of the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Hematemesis (vomiting of blood)
- Melena (tarry, foul-smelling feces due to iron from hemoglobin)