Bruce Springsteen has postponed the remainder of his September concerts with the E Street Band as the 73-year-old musician is treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease. 

“Over here on E Street, we’re heartbroken to have to postpone these shows,” Springsteen said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday evening. “First, apologies to our fabulous Philly fans who we missed a few weeks ago. We’ll be back to pick these shows up and then some. Thank you for your understanding and support.”

On Aug. 16, just a few hours before the band was set to perform one of two shows at Citizens Bank Park, Springsteen abruptly postponed the concerts due to an illness, though the singer’s diagnosis had not been revealed at that time. Last week, Springsteen announced that he and the E Street Band will return to the ballpark on Aug. 21, 2024 and Aug. 23, 2024. A limited amount of tickets are available. 

Peptic ulcer disease occurs when open painful sores or ulcers form on the lining of the stomach or the upper portion of the small intestine. While a thick layer of mucus typically protects the stomach lining from acids, many things can reduce that protective layer, allowing stomach acid to damage the tissue, according to Cleveland Clinic.

About one in 10 people in the United States will develop a peptic ulcer at some point in their life and can occur at any age. Duodenal ulcers, which occur inside the small intestine, usually appear between the ages of 30 and 50, while gastric ulcers, which occur inside the stomach, tend to occur later in life. It’s unclear which kind of ulcer Springsteen is suffering from. 

The most common symptom of peptic ulcer disease is a burning pain, according to Penn Medicine. Other common symptoms include pain that temporarily disappears after taking an antacid, bloating, heartburn, feeling full or bloated, being intolerant to fatty foods and feeling nauseous. Many people with peptic ulcer disease do not have symptoms. 

There are two causes associated with peptic ulcers. Heliobacter pylori bacteria, which live in the mucous layer that protects the stomach lining, are typically harmless but can cause inflammation of the stomach’s inner layer, causing an ulcer. Regular use of certain NSAID pain relievers, like ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, can also irritate the lining of the stomach and small intestine, causing an ulcer. 

Other risk factors include smoking, drinking, having untreated stress and eating spicy foods. While these alone will not cause a peptic ulcer to form, they can make ulcers worse and more difficult to heal. 

Peptic ulcers can sometimes heal on their own, but without proper treatment can lead to severe health complications like bleeding, perforation in the stomach wall and an obstruction that blocks the passageway from the stomach to the small intestine. 

For most people, peptic ulcer disease is treated with proton pump inhibitors, histamine receptor blockers, antibiotics and other protective medications. It generally takes between four to six weeks for peptic ulcers to heal, according to Mount Sinai. 

Ticketholders will receive information about rescheduled dates for the postponed shows in Syracuse, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Albany, Columbus, Washington, D.C. and Uncasville, Connecticut.