Digestive Health Peptic Ulcer Disease Print 10 Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer Complications Medically reviewed by linkedin Medically reviewed by Priyanka Chugh, MD on December 05, 2019 Priyanka Chugh, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Learn about our Medical Review Board Priyanka Chugh, MD Written by Written by Sharon Gillson Sharon Gillson is a writer living with and covering GERD and other digestive issues. Learn about our editorial policy Sharon Gillson Updated on December 05, 2019 Peptic Ulcer Disease Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Coping Tom Merton/OJO Images/Getty Images Peptic ulcers can cause some discomfort, but they are rarely life-threatening. If, however, you display any of several warning signs, seek medical attention immediately. These symptoms could mean complications such as perforation, bleeding, and obstructions have occurred. They may require surgical intervention. Warning Signs for Peptic Ulcers These symptoms could be a warning sign of complications that can occur with peptic ulcers.Vomiting blood.Vomiting food eaten hours or days before.Difficulty swallowingNauseaBlack or tar-like stools (an indication that there is blood in the stools)Sudden, severe pain in the abdominal areaPain that radiates to the backPain that doesn't go away when you take medicationUnintended weight lossUnusual weakness, usually because of anemia Symptoms of Peptic Ulcers Complications of a Peptic Ulcer Three of the serious complications of a peptic ulcer are a perforation, bleeding, and a blockage. Perforation is a hole in the wall of your stomach or small intestinal. A perforated ulcer is a very serious condition where an untreated ulcer can burn through the wall of the stomach (or other areas of the gastrointestinal tract), allowing digestive juices and food to seep into the abdominal cavity. Bleeding occurs if there is a broken blood vessel in the stomach or small intestine. An ulcer has eaten its way into a blood vessel. This will cause red or black blood in vomit or in your stool. A blockage occurs when food is prevented from moving from your stomach into your duodenum. Ulcers located at the end of the stomach, where the duodenum (start of the small intestine) is attached, can cause swelling and scarring, which can narrow or close the intestinal opening. Food is then prevented from leaving the stomach, resulting in vomiting the contents of the stomach. What Causes Peptic Ulcers? Ulcers form when the protective lining of the stomach or duodenum (known as the mucosa and submucosa) becomes eroded. Small ulcers may not cause any symptoms, but large ulcers can cause serious bleeding. Most ulcers occur in the first layer of the inner lining. If the ulcer erodes beyond that, a hole can open that goes all the way through the intestine, called a perforation of the intestinal lining. A perforation is a medical emergency. Despite the popular belief that peptic ulcers are caused by spicy foods or stress, the reality is that most of the time, peptic ulcers are caused by infection with a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H pylori). and use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Most ulcers can be treated with medications, including antibiotics. But surgery may be needed in some cases. Causes and Risk Factors of Peptic Ulcers Who Gets Peptic Ulcers? About 25 million Americans develop at least one ulcer during their lifetime. Ulcers can develop at any age but are rare among teenagers and even rarer in children. Duodenal ulcers usually occur for the first time between the ages of 30 and 50. Stomach ulcers are more likely to develop in people older than 60. While duodenal ulcers occur more frequently in men than women, stomach ulcers develop more frequently in women than men. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Gas pain? Stool issues? Sign up for the best tips to take care of your stomach. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Di saverio S, Bassi M, Smerieri N, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of perforated or bleeding peptic ulcers: 2013 WSES position paper. World J Emerg Surg. 2014;9:45. doi:10.1186/1749-7922-9-45 Søreide K, Thorsen K, Harrison EM, et al. Perforated peptic ulcer. Lancet. 2015;386(10000):1288-1298. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00276-7 Cedars Sinai. Ulcers. Michigan Medicine. University of Michigan. Peptic Ulcer Disease. Updated November 7, 2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Helicobacter pylori and Peptic Ulcer Disease. Updated September 28, 2006. Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard Medical School. Peptic Ulcer. 2014. Additional Reading "H. pylori and Peptic Ulcer." NIH Publication No. 05–4225 October 2004. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). 22 Aug 2007 "What I need to know about Peptic Ulcers." NIH Publication No. 05–5042 October 2004. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). 22 Aug 2007 William D. Chey, M.D., F.A.C.G., A.G.A.F., F.A.C.P., Benjamin C.Y. Wong, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.G., F.A.C.P., "American College of Gastroenterology Guideline on the Management of Helicobacter pylori Infection." doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2007.01393.x. American College of Gastroenterology. 22 Aug 2007 Continue Reading