Pain is often described as burning, gnawing, or stabbing and is located in the central upper abdomen. Typically, pain occurs when the stomach is empty of food and only acid is present, thus pain between meals or during the night is common. Consuming food, milk, or antacids often relieves the pain. Sometimes pain will be felt with the first few mouthfuls of a meal. The stomach area may also be tender.
Ulcers sometimes occur in the pylorus, the narrowed exit of the stomach.
Swelling around the ulcer may make this opening narrower, preventing food from leaving the stomach, causing nausea and vomiting. If the ulcer erodes into a blood vessel, there may be bleeding, resulting in black bowel movements, or vomiting of blood. Rarely, an ulcer erodes completely through the lining causing a perforation, resulting in severe, acute pain requiring urgent surgery. It is important to tell your doctor if your pain is becoming more troublesome, if you are having difficulty eating, if you are loosing weight, or if you suspect that you have bleeding from your stomach or intestine. Pain in the region mentioned above may strongly suggest an ulcer.