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Stomach Ulcers & Stress

Stress can be blamed for a lot of things, but you can't blame it for the painful hole in the lining of your stomach, aka an ulcer. That's not to say that stress doesn't play a role in ulcers, but the long-held belief that stress is the culprit behind stomach ulcers is simply not true.

  1. Cause

    • Blame a bacteria called H. pylori. According to the National Digestive Disorders Clearinghouse, this common bug is responsible for 2/3 of all ulcers. Most other ulcers are caused by a class of drugs called NSAIDs, but you probably know them as aspirin and ibruprofen. Nowhere is stress listed as even a risk factor for ulcers, though drinking alcohol and smoking do put you at risk.

    Symptoms

    • What stress can do is make the symptoms of your ulcer worse,according to the Cleveland Clinic. Typically, you'll feel a burning sensation in your chest, often accompanied with vomiting, nausea and a lack of appetite.

    Escalation

    • Stress can irritate common symptoms by intensifying discomfort. The burning sensation may be replaced by sharp pain. You may vomit blood so dark that it resembles coffee grounds, and your bowel movements may be so dark that they look black. The National Digestive Disorders Clearinghouse says these symptoms are not to be taken lightly; they may be your body's way of saying the stomach or intestinal wall has been punctured or a blood vessel has ruptured. You may need surgery.

    Physiology

    • Stress makes your symptoms worse because it contributes to your body's making more stomach acid. Your body uses stomach acid to digest food,and the lining of your upper intestine and stomach protect those organs from acid. What happens with an ulcer is the acid breaks down the lining,creating a hole and weakening the protective covering between the organ and the acid, according to the Mayo Cinic.

    Treatment

    • Stress can also interfere with your recovery by delaying the time it takes for the medication to help you heal. Typically, you are treated with a medicine to rein in the production of acid and, if applicable, and another medication to kill the bacteria passed by human contact (like sharing drinks, food or a kiss) that causes the gastrointestinal infection.

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