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.