What Is a Gastric Ulcer?
2. Causes
Gastric ulcers are usually caused by a bacterial infection, specifically Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium often resides in the stomach anyway, but it not usually a problem for us. Some medications can cause the lining of the stomach to become inflamed, and this can increase the risk of an infection occurring.
The acidity of the stomach also helps to protect us against infections internally. If the levels of acidity were to drop, then it can increase the likelihood of an infection taking hold. Likewise, too much stomach acid can also cause problems. It is often thought that eating spicy foods and prolonged stress can cause gastric ulcers. This is not likely to be the case, however, but they can make the symptoms worse.
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