Hunger Doesn’t Cause Ulcer: An Addendum to How Being a Student Can Cause You Ulcer

In her insightful article, Being a Student Can Cause You Ulcer, Eguma shared a vivid personal experience of life as a student and how factors like irregular eating, hostel living conditions, and untreated water contributed to ulcer development. Her story captures the reality of how disruptive ulcers can be, especially for young people juggling studies and survival.

However, one common belief still needs to be addressed. Many people think ulcers are directly caused by hunger. They assume that skipping meals or staying too long without food is what “creates” an ulcer. The truth is quite different. Hunger does not cause ulcers. What it does is make the pain of an existing ulcer more noticeable and more uncomfortable.

So, what really causes ulcers?

H. pylori – The Primary Culprit

At the root of most ulcer cases is a spiral-shaped bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This bacterium has a unique ability to survive in the harsh acidic environment of the stomach. It burrows into the stomach’s protective lining, weakening it over time. Once this lining is compromised, stomach acid begins to damage the tissue underneath, forming painful sores known as ulcers.

Studies show that 70 to 90 percent of peptic ulcers are linked to H. pylori infection. Many people carry the bacteria without knowing it, often contracting it from contaminated food, water, or even saliva. However, not everyone infected will develop ulcers. Ulcers usually appear when H. pylori infection combines with other harmful triggers in the body.

How Lifestyle and Medications Play a Role

Eguma’s story rightly highlighted poor diet and irregular meals, which can irritate the stomach lining. But here is the key detail:

• Skipping meals and poor dieting on their own do not cause ulcers. In the presence of H. pylori, however, even small injuries to the stomach lining fail to heal and instead develop into persistent sores.

• NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and diclofenac, weaken the stomach’s protective barrier. Used frequently or in high doses, they create openings that H. pylori exploits to form ulcers.

• Alcohol, smoking, and other substances further irritate the lining and slow healing, again making H. pylori infection more damaging.

  
  

In short, lifestyle factors and medications may injure the stomach lining, but it is usually the presence of H. pylori that prevents healing and allows ulcers to thrive.

Management and Treatment

Treatment focuses on removing the cause, reducing acid, and protecting the stomach lining.

• Antibiotics: To kill H. pylori if present (e.g., Clarithromycin, amoxicillin)

• Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs): Reduce acid production (e.g., omeprazole, esomeprazole).

• H2 Blockers: Lower stomach acid (e.g., famotidine).

• Protective medications: Such as sucralfate or bismuth compounds, to shield the stomach lining.

Why Hunger Gets Blamed

The belief that hunger causes ulcers stems from the timing of the pain. When the stomach is empty, acid has nothing to act on except the sore. This makes the pain feel sharper and more intense, leading people to assume that hunger is the cause. The reality is that the ulcer already existed, and hunger only makes it more painful.

Final Thoughts

Hunger is not the cause of ulcers. The real culprit is H. pylori infection, often worsened by factors like prolonged use of NSAIDs, alcohol, smoking, and poor dietary habits. Skipping meals does not create ulcers; it only magnifies the discomfort of an ulcer that is already present.

Understanding this difference is important. It shifts the conversation from myths to facts and guides people toward seeking proper medical care instead of relying on assumptions. So, the next time you hear someone say, “Ulcer comes from not eating on time,” you can share the truth: ulcers are caused by bacteria and harmful triggers, not by hunger itself.

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