Ulcer Risk Factors

  • Helicobacter Pylori : It is a type of bacteria, which is also known as the H. pylori. It is considered as the cause of most of the cases of stomach ulcer in the world. H. pylori are found into the stomach, and it can damage the acid secretion and the tissues of the duodenum and stomach tissues. This may result into the ulcer and inflammation. This bacterium can spread through the food and water. When the bacteria reduce the acid level in the stomach, the stomach produces more acid to maintain the acid level that causes irritation in the stomach lining. H.pylori also weakens the immune system that can also affect the inflammation in the stomach.

  • Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs : The NSAID drugs include the medicines for period pains and headaches. For example, ibuprofen and aspirin are mostly responsible for the ulcer in many cases. NSAID affect the stomach for its ability of producing the mucus that makes the stomach more susceptible to the acid and pepsin effects. These drugs also affect the blood flow in the stomach and cell recovery process.

  • Acid and Pepsin : Acid and pepsin are digestive fluids that strongly contribute for the ulcer. Generally, in healthy situation, these fluids cannot be harmful for the stomach. Stomach can protect the tissues from being affected by producing the lubricant mucus.

  • Smoking : Researchers believe that smoking cigarettes increases the chances of getting the stomach ulcer. Smoking also causes the recurrence ulcer in most of the cases.

  • Alcohol : Regular and heavy drinking of alcohol may cause the ulcer situations in aged men. However, scientists have not discovered the relation between the ulcer and alcohol, but in most of the cases, ulcer are found with the persons who drink regularly.

  • Genetics : It was studied that most of the patients with ulcer have family history of ulcer. Therefore, it is also believed that genetics play important role in the stomach ulcer in many cases.

  • Caffeine : Caffeine containing foods and beverages can increase the acid secretion into the stomach. This secretion may make the situation worse to the patients with stomach ulcer.

  • Stress : However, stress cannot be directly related to the emotional stress, but many patients complain that emotional stress increases the pains of ulcer.

  • Age : It is also studied that people with more than 60 years age are more likely to get stomach ulcer. These people have weakened immune system, so that the ulcer bacteria can easily affect the stomach tissues.

    To conclude, it is clear that H. pylori is the leading cause of stomach ulcer or peptic ulcer. Other factors also increase the risk of stomach ulcer infection, but they can be avoided by healthy diet. Many medicines and home remedies are available to control the effects of these risk factors.