What type of ulcer is worse at night?

Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of a peptic ulcer.

Table of Contents Show

What causes peptic ulcers?
Other causes
Products & Services
When to see a doctor
Get the latest health information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox.
Thank you for subscribing
Do ulcer symptoms get worse at night?
Which ulcer causes pain at night?
Do duodenal ulcers cause pain at night?
How can you tell the difference between a gastric and duodenal ulcer?

Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of a peptic ulcer. The pain may be dull or burning and may come and go over time. For some people, the pain may occur when the stomach is empty or at night, and it may go away for a short time after they eat. For other people, eating may make the pain worse.

Many people who have peptic ulcers don’t have any symptoms. They may not develop symptoms until an ulcer leads to complications.

You should call or see your doctor right away if you have symptoms that could be caused by a complication. These symptoms include

black or tarry stool, or red or maroon blood mixed with your stool
red blood in your vomit or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
sudden, sharp, or severe abdominal pain that doesn’t go away
feeling dizzy or fainting
a rapid pulse or other symptoms of shock
a change in or worsening of your peptic ulcer symptoms

What causes peptic ulcers?

The most common causes of peptic ulcers are Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Other causes of peptic ulcers are uncommon or rare.

People with certain risk factors are more likely to develop ulcers.

H. pylori

H. pylori infection is a common cause of peptic ulcers. Researchers are still studying how people become infected with H. pylori bacteria. The bacteria may spread from person to person through contact with an infected person’s vomit, stool, or saliva. Food or water contaminated with an infected person’s vomit, stool, or saliva may also spread the bacteria from person to person.

NSAIDs

Taking NSAIDs—such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen—is another common cause of peptic ulcers. NSAIDs relieve pain, but they also make the stomach lining more prone to damage and ulcers. Some types of NSAIDs are more likely to cause ulcers than others.

You have a higher chance of developing a peptic ulcer due to NSAIDs if you take

NSAIDs for a long time
a type of NSAID that is more likely to cause an ulcer
high doses of an NSAID or more than one NSAID
NSAIDs along with other medicines that increase the risk for ulcers
NSAIDs and you are also infected with H. pylori

Other causes

Less common causes of peptic ulcers include

infections caused by certain viruses, fungi, or bacteria other than H. pylori
medicines that increase the risk of developing ulcers, including corticosteroids, medicines used to treat low bone mass, and some antidepressants, especially when you take these medicines with NSAIDs
surgery or medical procedures that affect the stomach or duodenum

Less common causes of peptic ulcers also include certain diseases and health conditions, such as

diseases that can affect the stomach, such as cancer or Crohn’s disease
injury, blockage, or lack of blood flow that affects the stomach or duodenum
life-threatening health conditions that require critical care
severe chronic diseases, such as cirrhosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a condition that occurs when one or more tumors—called gastrinomas—cause your stomach to make too much acid

In rare cases, doctors can’t find the cause of peptic ulcers. Doctors may call ulcers with unknown causes idiopathic peptic ulcers.

A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of your stomach, small intestine or esophagus. A peptic ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer. A duodenal ulcer is a peptic ulcer that develops in the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). An esophageal ulcer occurs in the lower part of your esophagus.

Peptic ulcers are open sores that develop on the inside lining of your stomach and the upper portion of your small intestine. The most common symptom of a peptic ulcer is stomach pain.

Peptic ulcers include:

Gastric ulcers that occur on the inside of the stomach
Duodenal ulcers that occur on the inside of the upper portion of your small intestine (duodenum)

The most common causes of peptic ulcers are infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Stress and spicy foods do not cause peptic ulcers. However, they can make your symptoms worse.

Products & Services

Book: Mayo Clinic on Digestive Health

Symptoms

Burning stomach pain
Feeling of fullness, bloating or belching
Intolerance to fatty foods
Heartburn
Nausea

The most common peptic ulcer symptom is burning stomach pain. Stomach acid makes the pain worse, as does having an empty stomach. The pain can often be relieved by eating certain foods that buffer stomach acid or by taking an acid-reducing medication, but then it may come back. The pain may be worse between meals and at night.

Many people with peptic ulcers don't even have symptoms.

Less often, ulcers may cause severe signs or symptoms such as:

Vomiting or vomiting blood — which may appear red or black
Dark blood in stools, or stools that are black or tarry
Trouble breathing
Feeling faint
Nausea or vomiting
Unexplained weight loss
Appetite changes

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you have the severe signs or symptoms listed above. Also see your doctor if over-the-counter antacids and acid blockers relieve your pain but the pain returns.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic

There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form.

Get the latest health information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox.

Subscribe for free and receive your in-depth guide to digestive health, plus the latest on health innovations and news. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Email address

ErrorEmail field is required

ErrorInclude a valid email address

Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Thank you for subscribing

Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care.

If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at [email protected].

Do ulcer symptoms get worse at night?

Tummy pain It can last from a few minutes to a few hours, and often starts within a few hours of eating. You may also wake up in pain during the night. Taking antacids (indigestion medicines) may relieve the pain temporarily, but it'll keep coming back if the ulcer isn't treated.

Which ulcer causes pain at night?

Pain that wakes a patient at night is common for duodenal ulcers. At one time ulcers were believed to be the result of too much stomach acid.

Do duodenal ulcers cause pain at night?

The most common ulcer symptom is a dull or burning pain in your belly between your breastbone and your belly button (navel). This pain often occurs around meal times and may wake you up at night. It can last from a few minutes to a few hours.

How can you tell the difference between a gastric and duodenal ulcer?

Gastric and duodenal ulcers are peptic ulcers, which are open sores in the lining of the digestive tract. Gastric ulcers form in the lining of the stomach. Duodenal ulcers develop in the lining of the duodenum, which is the upper part of the small intestine.