Conditions and symptoms
What Is a Duodenal Ulcer? Why Medicine Labels Mention It
Duodenal ulcer · say it: doo-oh-DEE-nul UL-serAlso written: peptic ulcer, ulcer in the duodenum, DU
Short answer
A duodenal ulcer is an open sore in the lining of the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine just after the stomach.
What it means
The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine, right after the stomach. A duodenal ulcer is a sore where the protective lining has worn away. The most common causes are infection with H. pylori bacteria and NSAID pain relievers. It can cause burning upper belly pain, often between meals or at night, bloating or nausea. Black or tarry stools, vomiting blood, or sudden severe belly pain need emergency help, as they can mean bleeding or perforation.
It appears on labels as an approved use of acid-reducing medicines such as proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers, sometimes combined with antibiotics to clear H. pylori. It also appears as a warning on NSAID and corticosteroid labels, which can cause or worsen ulcers, especially in people who have had one before.
Duodenal and gastric (stomach) ulcers are both peptic ulcers. Heartburn and GERD are about acid coming up into the esophagus, which is a different problem.
Where you may see it
- 'Indications' sections of proton pump inhibitor and H2 blocker labels
- NSAID labels and leaflets under stomach bleeding warnings
- Endoscopy (gastroscopy) reports
📄 How it looks on a report
Endoscopy: 8 mm clean-based duodenal ulcer. H. pylori biopsy taken.
🙅 What it does not mean
- An ulcer is not usually caused by stress or spicy food alone.
- It does not mean cancer; duodenal ulcers are rarely cancerous.
- Pain going away does not always mean the ulcer has healed; finish the treatment you are given.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Duodenal ulcer”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Duodenal ulcer”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Amoxicillin
a penicillin-class antibacterial medicine that works against bacteria
- Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride
an antihistamine (an antihistaminic agent) given by injection into a vein or deep into a muscle
- Famotidine
A histamine-2 (H2) receptor blocker, a type of medicine that lowers stomach acid.
- Omeprazole
a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a type of medicine that lowers the amount of acid in the stomach
- Prednisone
a corticosteroid, a type of steroid medicine that works like the adrenocortical (adrenal gland) steroids the body makes naturally
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Duodenal ulcer” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “peptic ulcer”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.