What is ulcer disease? is it true that everyone has?

Ulcer is a case that is quite common in society. Even according to data recorded by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2012, the incidence rate of ulcer disease in Indonesia reached 40.8 percent. However, many people still do not fully understand what ulcer disease is.

You may still often hear the myth that everyone must have an ulcer, the problem is only whether the ulcer will recur into a disease. Is that right? Come on, find out more about ulcers in the following review.

What is ulcer disease?

Actually, there is no term ulcer disease in the medical world. Ulcer is just a term used by ordinary people to describe complaints caused by digestive disorders (indigestion). For example, complaints of stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, chest pain such as burning, bloating, gas, and sour mouth. So, the ulcer itself is not actually a disease, but a symptom that indicates a certain disease.

What diseases are marked by ulcers?

One of the causes of ulcers is acid reflux disease (GERD or stomach acid reflux). This disease occurs when stomach contents, including stomach acid, rise into the esophagus, causing nausea, vomiting, and chest pain.

Other diseases that may cause ulcers include stomach ulcers (inflammation of the stomach, intestines, or esophagus), stomach infections, and irritable bowel syndrome. In some rare cases, ulcers can indicate stomach cancer.

Is it true that everyone has an ulcer?

The assumption that everyone has an ulcer is wrong. Ulcer is not a tissue or an organ of the human body. Ulcer is also not a condition that must appear and be experienced by everyone. Only people who have certain diseases such as acid reflux disease and stomach ulcers will show symptoms, namely ulcers.

However, many people misunderstand and think that ulcers are the same as stomach acid. This is because in most cases, gastric complaints are caused by stomach acid disorders. Gastric acid itself is an enzyme that the body produces naturally. The point is to digest food. If you have too much stomach acid or if stomach acid rises into the esophagus, this will cause symptoms known as an ulcer.

So, not everyone has an ulcer. Simply put, saying that everyone has an ulcer is tantamount to saying that everyone has diabetes. This is certainly not true. Everyone has stomach acid just as everyone has sugar levels in their blood. However, stomach acid will not become ulcer disease if it is not triggered by risk factors.

What makes a person susceptible to ulcer disease?

There are several things that can trigger ulcers or diseases that cause ulcers. The following are risk factors that may make you prone to stomach ulcers.

Irregular eating patterns
Often eat spicy foods or those with high fat content such as fried foods
Unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking or drinking too much alcohol
Being overweight or obese
Are undergoing certain medications such as antibiotics, aspirin, steroids, and birth control pills
Stress or fatigue