Stomach Ulcers (Gastric)

When a person feels burning in the gut either shortly after eating or some hours after eating, a gastric ulcer may be the cause. If this burning sensation is accompanied by blood in the feces, an ulcer is almost certainly indicated.

Not so long ago, physicians would ascribe gastric ulcers to stress or too much acid in the diet. Today we know that a major cause of such ulcers is a bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori, commonly referred to simply as H Pylori. This bacterium excretes a compound that damages the intestine by degrading the protective mucus lining and allowing stomach acid into direct contact with tissue, leading to inflammation and eventually to the formation of small holes.

Antibiotics provide a way to treat gastric ulcers effectively, though smoking and consumption of aspirin can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics and indeed aspirin can also be a direct cause of ulcer formation in some people.