🩹 Gastric vs Duodenal Ulcer Pain Pattern Simulator

Gastric Ulcer Location and Pain Onset

Placeholder: gastric ulcers sit along the lesser curvature.

• Lesser curve: Common site (Placeholder note)
• 15–30 min: Onset after meal (Placeholder note)
• Epigastric: Pain region (Placeholder note)
• Eating: Typical trigger (Placeholder note)

Where gastric ulcers form

Placeholder: mucosal defect along lesser curvature of stomach.

Typical onset timing

Placeholder: pain begins soon after food enters stomach.

Food-Aggravated Gastric Pain Pattern

Placeholder: eating increases gastric acid contact with ulcer.

• ~1 hr post-meal: Peak pain (Placeholder note)
• Often decreased: Weight trend (Placeholder note)
• Fasting/antacids: Relief method (Placeholder note)
• Food avoidance: Symptom fear (Placeholder note)

Why pain rises after eating

Placeholder: distension and acid secretion irritate the ulcer base.

Behavioral consequence

Placeholder: patients reduce intake, risking weight loss.

Placeholder highlight: eating worsens gastric ulcer pain reliably.

Duodenal Ulcer Location and Pain Onset

Placeholder: duodenal ulcers form just past the pylorus.

• Duodenal bulb: Common site (Placeholder note)
• 2–3 hrs later: Onset vs meal (Placeholder note)
• Epigastric, boring: Pain region (Placeholder note)
• Empty stomach: Typical trigger (Placeholder note)

Where duodenal ulcers form

Placeholder: lesion in duodenal bulb beyond pyloric sphincter.

Typical onset timing

Placeholder: pain appears when stomach empties of food.

Food-Relieved Duodenal Pain Pattern

Placeholder: food buffers acid, temporarily easing duodenal pain.

• Minutes: Relief onset (Placeholder note)
• Often increased: Weight trend (Placeholder note)
• ~2–3 hrs later: Return of pain (Placeholder note)
• Frequent snacking: Coping habit (Placeholder note)

Why food relieves pain

Placeholder: food buffers acid reaching the duodenal ulcer.

Behavioral consequence

Placeholder: patients eat more often, may gain weight.

Placeholder highlight: eating relieves duodenal ulcer pain temporarily.

Nocturnal Pain as a Key Differentiator

Placeholder: night pain strongly suggests duodenal ulcer disease.

• ~70%: Duodenal night pain (Placeholder note)
• ~10%: Gastric night pain (Placeholder note)
• 1–3 AM: Peak night hour (Placeholder note)
• Fasting acid peak: Mechanism (Placeholder note)

Why night pain occurs

Placeholder: prolonged overnight fasting raises unopposed acid.

Clinical use

Placeholder: nocturnal pain history helps localize the ulcer.

Placeholder highlight: night pain favors duodenal, not gastric, ulcer.