Medical Questions » Stomach Questions » Question No. 950
| Question: | What sort of acid causes stomach ulcers? Why do we have acid in our stomachs? |
| Answer: | Hydrochloric acid is known to most high-school students as a potent acid that can eat through many substances and cause nasty burns on your skin. This acid is also naturally produced in the body, and in its correct place in the stomach does no harm to the body but aids food digestion.
Specialised cells lining the stomach make the acid and release it in response to the sight or smell of food. We also start to produce more saliva when food is nearby, and if the food is not forthcoming, we are left drooling and with an ache in the gut, because no food has been eaten to soak up the saliva and acid. We normally end up eating the food we expect, and the acid works in the stomach to break it down to its basic components. Further digestive enzymes are added to the food when it passes out of the stomach into the small intestine.
The cells lining the stomach protect themselves from attack by the acid with a thin layer of mucus. If there is excess acid or insufficient mucus present, the acid may be able to attack the stomach wall. Many factors can produce either or both of these stomach problems. The most common triggers are smoking, stress, alcohol, and aspirin-type medications that are used in treating arthritis (eg. nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—NSAID). Anxiety can cause excess acid to be produced, which can then eat into the stomach. Smoking can reduce the mucus secretions that protect the stomach, while aspirin and some anti-arthritis drugs can directly damage the mucus layer. In recent years, a bacteria {Helicobacter pylori) has been identified in association with many ulcers, and it is believed that this bacteria may damage the mucus lining of the stomach.
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