What Causes Stomach Ulcers
A stomach ache is one thing, but the word ache doesn’t even close to properly describe the type of pain you’re going to be in if you have a stomach ulcer. Stomach ulcers are also called peptic ulcers or gastric ulcers and while having gastrointestinal upset is temporary, an ulcer is going to be a long term problem unless you do something about it. The burning and pain is caused by damaged stomach tissue lining, and the pain it creates is unbearable for most people. A look at what is damaging that lining and what causes stomach ulcers finds that it’s all about stomach acid. Prevacid is a good treatment medication for ulcers.
Now let’s not start thinking stomach acid is bad. It’s an essential component for you to be able to break down the food you eat and nourish yourself. It is only when the mucus that lines your stomach is weakened or there is just not enough of it that the stomach aide begins to damage the stomach lining. You may also have a duodenal ulcer, which is when the tissue lining is affected outside the stomach and in the small intestine. Sometimes the cause of stomach ulcers will be a helicobacter pylori infection, and we bet that has you imagining a bacterial helicopter too.
But back to a more serious note. If we are going to look at what causes stomach ulcers as far as personal choices go, for many people the reason the mucus on their stomach and intestine linings isn’t what it used to be is because off too much use of NSAID anti inflammatory drugs. The problem there is that those medications are so helpful for people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, and people who recurring gout will be using them too. Fosamax is another medication that you should use with caution if you’re known to be more at risk for a gastric ulcer.
We’ll look at the other cause of stomach ulcers as well, plus disprove the most common myth out there around why people get stomach ulcers. You’ll find out right soon, but let’s just say you don’t need to cut back on the Sriracha if you’re wild about the stuff and you can still load your sandwich with banana peppers if you like.
Fiery Discomfort
There may be plenty of poor health conditions where people may be unsure if something’s wrong, but a stomach ulcer is definitely not one of them. Peptic ulcer, duodenal ulcer, it doesn’t matter. The symptoms are never mild and the burning stomach pain is not going to be something you’ll choose to ignore. When an ulcer is really bad you may even vomit and / or vomit blood or have dark stools that may even look black. But more often it is the early onset of pain that leads a person to see a doctor and start on stomach ulcer treatment medication.
Next for what causes stomach ulcers is to say that people who smoke or drink excessively will be more at risk for them too. You may also want to know what might happen if an ulcer is left untreated. It can definitely be bad, and especially with that the stomach acid can actually eat a whole through the entire wall of the stomach and cause abdominal cavity infections. People have actually died from this (peritonitis) when they haven’t received treatment fast enough. Gastric cancer risk can be increased too.
Right, let’s get to those incorrect beliefs about what causes stomach ulcers. Some people may try to tell you that being stressed can cause ulcers, or that eating too much spicy food will make you have ulcers. Neither of those is true. Stress may make an ulcer worse, but it won’t the cause of developing them on its own. Same goes with spicy foods, if you eat a lot of them regularly or overdo it on backdraft wings even once you may find that your symptoms worsen. But this is not going to be any part of what causes stomach ulcers.
Blocking Required
Medications like Prevacid and Prilosec do the lion’s share of the fighting against ulcers for most sufferers, unless their doctor thinks a different treatment approach would be better. For most it will be regular using of proton pump inhibitor medications like these ones, and all that you need to know about them is that they make it so that there is less stomach acid in the stomach. Your doctor may advise you to take diet or lifestyle changes to go along with the medication though so that ulcers can be eliminated quickly.
That’s because using proton pump inhibitor meds long term may lead to increased risk of fracturing hips, wrists, or even spines. If you must continue you on an ulcer treatment medication your doctor may advise you take additional calcium supplements at the same time to counter this risk. That’s all for what causes stomach ulcers.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
