The Hunger Myth: What is the exact cause of Stomach Ulcers.

You might have been told while growing up that ulcer is caused by lack of food or starvation. Well, I might have to give you a shock by telling you that it is absolutely untrue, though it might not be absolutely false, hunger is not necessarily the causative agent of ulcer.

Now, let's delve into the cause of ulcer which is also called stomach ulcer and professionally called peptic ulcer. Ulcer is the breakage or damage to the lining of the stomach to cause a burning, sharp and painful sensation in the stomach of the affected individual.

  Stomach ulcers have causative agents that are primarily Helicobacter pylori bacteria and excessive usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It also has other causative agents that might be considered secondary including tobacco smoking, surgery performed on the stomach, e.t.c.

Although stomach ulcer cannot be directly caused by lack of food or starvation, lack of food could ensure a convenient environment for rapid increase of ulcer in the stomach. I know you might be wondering what I meant by the above statement, let me explain it better. When you miss meals or starve yourself frequently for a long period of time, your stomach can produce excess amount of acid, then, the lining protecting your stomach from acids found in the stomach will be damaged. You can then imagine what happens when the acid seeps into your stomach, it will increase the possibility of having wounds in the stomach. So, the damage to the stomach lining would be of great help to Helicobacter pylori  also known as H.pylori.

  So, as you have read it above, lack of food might not directly cause stomach ulcer but it could aggravate it if the bacteria H.pylori is already present in the stomach.

  If you're suffering from any of the following symptoms;

★ Severe abdominal pain

★ Vomiting and nausea

★ Bloating, e.t.c.

I would advise you see a physician as soon as possible.

Conclusion:

Whether missing meals is linked to stomach ulcer or not, ensure you eat well and stay healthy.