Perforated Peptic Ulcer Symptoms

When peptic ulcers are left untreated and undiagnosed, they can create complications and take the form of perforated peptic ulcers. Peptic ulcers can occur in the stomach (gastric ulcers), in the esophagus (esophageal ulcers), and the upper portion of the small intestine (duodenal ulcers). Perforated peptic ulcer disease can occur as a result of the hole in the stomach, duodenal or esophagus wall. This hole can cause a lot of trouble in the affected areas as a result of bacterial infection and inflammation. Perforated peptic ulcer is mostly caused due to a bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori, which is a corkscrew shaped bacterium. It is actually not known how this bacteria transmits from one person to another, but usually close contact like kissing, sharing cigarettes, alcohol, etc., can be the cause.

Symptoms of Perforated Peptic Ulcer

The symptoms vary depending upon the situation, whether the person is suffering from acute perforated peptic ulcer or chronic perforated peptic ulcer. It was surprising to know, but most of the time, a person suffering from perforated ulcers, never experiences any severe symptoms, except for mild abdominal pain. However, many a time, the symptoms may be disturbing. Have a look.

• Abdominal pain right from the navel to the breast bone.
• Blood vomiting due to the damage of the blood vessels in the stomach, esophageal or duodenum lining. The vomit may appear to be blackish red.
• Blood in stool may also appear due to the same reason.
• Anemia
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Unexplained weight loss due to obstruction from narrowed digestive passage, which makes the patient feel fuller, or makes him/her vomit.
• Appetite loss
• Melena. It is a condition which makes the feces smell foul and tarry. This is because of the oxidization of iron and hemoglobin.
• Perforated peptic ulcer makes the acid level way too high for the mucus to protect the lining. Therefore, another symptom may include waterbrush, which is a condition wherein the saliva rushes into the body after an episode in order to balance the acid in the esophagus.
• Patients may also suffer from various health conditions like peritonitis, pancreatitis, pyloric stenosis, etc.
• Complications due to the avoidance of the symptoms may also lead to gastrointestinal bleeding as well.
• Another common symptom is experiencing extreme pain while the stomach is empty. This pain usually subsides after eating food, especially those which reduce the acid levels in the stomach.
• The pain in the stomach is recurring in nature. Which means that the pain tends to disappear and come back after some days. The pain usually flares up during the night, usually because of an empty stomach.

Treatment for Perforated Peptic Ulcers

As soon as you notice the aforementioned symptoms, it is highly important to get yourself checked by a healthcare specialist as soon as possible! The treatment will depend upon the signs and symptoms that you are suffering from. The symptoms like vomiting blood, blood in stool etc. can be treated by cauterizing the affected blood vessel via endoscopic treatment. However, if this treatment doesn't prove to be fruitful then other options including surgery may be considered. For symptoms that involve obstruction leading to a narrowed intestinal opening, treatment like endoscopic balloon dilation may be used. This involves using a balloon to open up the narrowed passage. Surgery is the last resort if this treatment fails. Medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) usually help patients prevent the recurrence of these ulcers. Also, refraining yourself from alcohol and smoking will definitely contribute in decreasing the risk of developing a perforated peptic ulcer.

I hope this article will help you identify the symptoms, which otherwise tend to get neglected. Do consult with your doctor as soon as possible to prevent complications. Have a safe tomorrow!