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Overview of Duodenal Ulcer 
Peptic ulcer is a small erosion in the gastrointestinal tract. The most common type is a duodenal ulcer. It occurs in the first 12 inches of small intestine beyond the stomach. Stomach ulcers are called gastric ulcers. An ulcer is not contagious or cancerous, and can affect all ages. Duodenal ulcers are almost always not cancerous. Stomach ulcers may become malignant.
Causes of Duodenal Ulcer
Cause is due to either non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, an infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria, or excessive acid secretion. They do not appear to be caused by stress or anxiety.
Signs and Symptoms of Duodenal Ulcer
Symptoms are pain that has the following varcharacteristics: burning, boring or gnawing feeling that lasts 30 minutes to 3 hours, pain that is often interpreted as heartburn, indigestion or hunger, pain that is usually in the upper abdomen and occasionally below the breastbone, pain that occurs in some persons immediately after eating (in others, it may not occur until hours later, and often awakens one at night), pain that comes and goes, weeks of intermittent pain may alternating with short pain-free periods. Pain may be relieved by drinking milk, eating, resting or taking antacids. Other symptoms are appetite loss, weight loss, weight gain, recurrent vomiting, blood in the stool, and anemia.
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