Difference Between a Duodenal Ulcer and Gastric Ulcer

Duodenal Ulcer vs Gastric Ulcer

Due to a lot of circumstances and environmental factors, we can’t help or avoid having gastrointestinal problems. Millions of people suffer from this kind of problem every year from a variety of gastrointestinal disturbances.

Some of the most common gastrointestinal problems are duodenal and gastric ulcers. Duodenal ulcers are different from gastric ulcers.

First, the anatomy of both diseases is different. In a duodenal ulcer, ulceration occurs at the duodenum. The duodenum is part of the small intestine. The small intestine comprises the duodenum, ileum, and jejunum. While in a gastric ulcer, ulceration occurs in the stomach.

How are they diagnosed? Gastroenterologists, or doctors specializing in the gastrointestinal system, advise the patient to undergo endoscopy. In performing endoscopy, the patient is being sedated. Then a thin tube with a camera is inserted into the mouth and will advance to either the duodenum or stomach. When the doctor sees ulceration, he or she can confirm that it is an ulcer.

What are the causes? A gastric ulcer is primarily caused by H. Pylori, a bacterium. It also causes duodenal ulcers. Usage of anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-bleeding drugs can also cause ulceration. Smoking and obesity also cause ulceration.

What are the symptoms? Both types of ulcer cause pain, particularly gastric pain, climbing up to the esophagus. However, with a gastric ulcer, pain cannot be relieved by eating foods. In a duodenal ulcer, it can be relieved by eating. In a duodenal ulcer, there is bleeding in the stool called melena. In gastric ulcers, there is blood when the patient vomits called hematemesis. In gastric ulcers, pain occurs 1-2 hours after eating. In duodenal ulcers, pain occurs 3-4 hours after eating.

Treatments of both ulcers rely on antibiotics to lessen the number of H. pylori bacteria. Examples of these are amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and tetracycline. In cases of hypersecretion of acid, antacids are given such as Zantac to neutralize the acidity of the stomach. In gastric ulcers, patients are advised to avoid foods which cause hyperacidity and irritation, such as, spicy foods; creamy and milky foods, such as, milk, cheese, and ice cream. Chocolates and coffee are to be avoided as well. In duodenal ulcers, no special diet is needed. However, there are findings that alcohol can aggravate duodenal ulcers. So to avoid this phenomenon, they are advising people to stop drinking alcohol.

Summary:

1.

Gastric ulcers occur in the stomach while duodenal ulcers occur in the duodenum.
2.

Gastric ulcers cause stomach pain 1-2 hours after eating. Duodenal ulcers cause pain 3-4 hours later.
3.

Gastric ulcer pain cannot be relieved by eating. Stomach pain in duodenal ulcers can be relieved by eating.
4.

Gastric ulcers cause hematemesis or vomiting of blood while duodenal ulcers cause melena or blood in the stool.
5.

A gastric ulcer has a special diet while duodenal ulcers do not.

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