What Causes Stomach Ulcers and How to Prevent Them

Stomach ulcers are also called peptic or gastric ulcers and they are literally exposed sores that can be found in the inner lining of the stomach. Our stomach has a super powerful acidic cocktail which is necessary to break down food. Did you know that the hydrochloric acid present is so powerful it can dissolve a steel blade? Now, normally our stomach has a thick mucus-containing protective lining but when this lining is lost or there is some injury, the stomach can get exposed to this strong acid. What do you think will happen next? You will get a bloody oozing ulcer. This may get exacerbated due to the presence of certain bacteria like Helicobacter pylori or due to the regular use of some medications like painkillers.

What Causes Stomach Ulcers And How To Treat Them?

As mentioned above, these peptic ulcers can be caused by injury or loss of the protective lining. A certain bacterium called Helicobacter pylori can cause ulcers though we don’t know why it does not happen to everyone as this bug is universally present in all our guts. Some of us are overly sensitive to this bacterium and may develop some kind of inflammation in the stomach lining. The other major cause is medication which can literally inflame the inner lining of the stomach and small intestine and cause bleeding ulcers.

Can Stress Cause Stomach Ulcers And How To Prevent Them?

Our gut normally has very tight control on all the bugs which grow in large numbers. Lowered immunity can mean a chance for the bad ones to grow more in numbers while the good bacteria die out. Helicobacter pylori is one such opportunistic bug. It does nothing when the immune system works normally, but with prolonged stress and a weakened immune system, it can cause ulcers due to increased growth. The opinions are highly divided though- many studies have shown that stress has no part to play at all.

How To Reduce The Risk Of Getting Stomach Ulcers?

Eating the wrong kinds of food can worsen symptoms- like oily and very spicy foods, experiencing some form of stress, smoking and consuming alcohol on a regular basis can all cause or increase your likelihood of getting stomach ulcers. So the best way to prevent them is to eat properly, eat good quality and nutritious food and not drink or smoke regularly.

Conclusion

So what have we learnt till now? Ulcers can be caused by poor diet, a genetic propensity for developing ulcers, consumption of alcohol or specific medications and smoking. Symptoms may get worse at night, when we go to sleep. For most people though, it is a minor annoyance which goes away but for others it can be pretty painful and disrupt their normal routine. You should rush to a doctor if you notice blood in your vomit or stool or the pain in your stomach becomes unbearable.