1. Take the Tummy Trouble Quiz
2. Digestive Disease Myths Slideshow Pictures
3. Heartburn? Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid Slideshow

Medical Author:

Michael W Stratemeier, MD

Coauthor:

Lisa Vignogna, MD

Medical Editor:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

View Full Profile

Most people with peptic ulcers get better when treated with the appropriate medicine.

• Treatment for H pylori bacteria is usually successful if medications are taken as prescribed.
• Although ulcers can cause discomfort, they are rarely life threatening.

Ulcers can have several complications. These usually develop in people who do not receive appropriate treatment.

Bleeding: Ulcers in the stomach or duodenum may bleed.

• Usually, this is because the blood vessel (artery) supplying the area of the ulcer has been damaged by stomach acid.
• Sometimes this is the only sign of an ulcer.
• Bleeding may be slow or fast.
• Slow bleeding is typically from a small blood vessel; the usual result is low blood count (anemia), and symptoms are tiredness (fatigue), lethargy, and pallor.
• Fast bleeding is typically from a larger artery, and symptoms including vomiting acidified blood, which looks something like coffee grounds, or bloody or black, tarry stools.

Perforation: When an ulcer gets very bad, it can eat all the way through the intestinal wall.

• The resulting hole in the intestine is called perforation.
• The contents of the intestine (food, bacteria, and digestive juices) can then spill out.
• These substances can injure other tissues and cause serious infection.

Obstruction: An ulcer causes inflammation.

• If this inflammation becomes chronic (ongoing, long lasting), it can cause swelling and scarring.
• Over time, this scarring can completely block off the digestive tract.
• This blocks food from passing, causing vomiting and weight loss.

Must Read Articles Related to Peptic Ulcers

Gastrointestinal Bleeding Gastrointestinal bleeding either comes from the upper GI or lower GI tract. Upper GI bleeding can be caused by ulcers, gastritis, varices, cancer, or inflammati...learn more >>

See the Entire Peptic Ulcers Topic Guide »