Home  Peptic Ulcer Facts and figures Course
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Course Acute peptic ulcers appear suddenly and heal up quickly. There may be more than one ulcer. They do not tend to produce any symptoms and they heal without scarring the tissue. Chronic peptic ulcers normally appear as just one ulcer, which results in more damage, causing pain and discomfort. Scar tissue may be left when they heal. In some cases, the ulcer will cause damage to a blood vessel, resulting in bleeding. You should contact your doctor immediately if:
You vomit blood.
You see blood in your faeces when you go to the toilet (red or black colour).
If a person is continuously losing blood from a bleeding ulcer, they will become anaemic, causing them to feel tired and weak.
The ulcer may actually be so big that it makes a hole in the intestinal wall (perforation). This is very dangerous and you should seek immediate medical assistance if you experience:
Another complication of peptic ulcers is a blockage of the digestive system (intestinal obstruction), usually at the area where the stomach and duodenum meet. As ulcers heal and leave scar tissue, the area between the stomach and duodenum may narrow. The route of food out of the stomach will then be restricted and this may result in vomiting. |
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