Chronic Gastric Ulcer Symptoms And What You Need To Know

Chronic, Rhythmic Upper Abdominal Pain After Eating Is A Common Symptom
Gastric ulcers often occur at the gastric angle and typically present as chronic, periodic, and rhythmic upper abdominal pain. This discomfort usually appears after meals due to stomach expansion and increased tension on the ulcer surface.

Location Of The Ulcer Influences The Type Of Symptoms Experienced
If the ulcer is located near the esophagus, it may cause complications such as vomiting blood or passing black stools. In contrast, an ulcer in the pyloric region can lead to pyloric obstruction, where food cannot pass easily from the stomach into the intestine. This can result in early satiety — feeling full after eating only a small amount — along with nausea and vomiting due to the backflow of stomach contents.

Severe Complications Like Perforation Require Immediate Medical Attention
When an ulcer becomes deep enough to perforate the stomach wall, stomach contents may leak into the abdominal cavity, causing sudden and intense abdominal pain, tenderness, rebound tenderness, and muscle rigidity. This is a medical emergency requiring immediate hospitalization and surgical intervention to clean the abdominal cavity and repair the damage.

Potential For Malignant Transformation Should Not Be Overlooked
Some gastric ulcers have the potential to become cancerous over time. Warning signs include unexplained weight loss and a significant decrease in appetite. In such cases, diagnostic tools like gastroscopy combined with biopsy are essential for accurate diagnosis and timely treatment planning.