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Q: 

Are stomach ulcers caused by bacteria?

By Anonymous December 3, 2018 - 10:11am
 
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HERWriter Guide

Hello Anon

Thank you for writing!

Yes, these ulcers are often caused by bacteria.

A stomach ulcer (more appropriately called a peptic ulcer) occurs when the protective mucosa in your stomach that normally keeps you safe from all the acid down there begins to wear away, leaving your tissue exposed.

It is often associated with a bacterium known as Heliobacter pylori (H. Pylori) however other reasons, such as chronic aspirin or ibuprofen ingestion, can cause them as well. An ulcer can occur in the stomach itself (known as a gastric ulcer) or just outside the stomach in the first portion of the small intestine, called a duodenal ulcer.

Typical symptoms are what you would expect if your acid was eating away your tissue! Burning pain, gnawing pain, abdominal pain, fullness in the abdomen, nausea, bloating, pain just under the breast bone or rib cage, and loss of appetite are common.

A gastric ulcer is usually worse with food (because the ulcer is in the stomach and the acid content increases with food) whereas the duodenal ulcer is typically worse a few hours after a meal as the food travels out of the stomach into the small intestines.

I hope this information helps.
Best,
Susan

December 3, 2018 - 2:54pm
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