Hunger or H. Pylori
What really is the culprit when it comes to ulcer?
It is a common misconception that ULCER is caused by hunger. Many theories have also been posited to support this claim. One of such is: “The bile liquid drops at 3 particular times of the day, if it drops while there’s no food in the intestine, that will lead to ulcer.”
Firstly, Ulcer is caused by acid, while the bile is alkaline in nature. The stomach has a protective mucus layer over its lining to protect it from the acid it secrets for the purpose of food digestion. When this mucus layer is damaged due to one reason or another, the acid gets to the lining underneath, erodes it and a sore/an ulceration is formed.
The mucus layer can be damaged due to two major reasons:
- Excessive secretion of acid and
- Attack of the mucus layer by H. Pylori
The former is caused by intake of NSAIDS ( Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) e.g aspirin and ibuprofen, smoking, zollinger Ellison syndrome amongst others. This accounts for about 20% of ulcer cases. In the remaining 80%, H. Pylori is the culprit.
I tested positive for H. Pylori 2 weeks ago. Ironically, I had developed interest in the topic a few months earlier and I planned to write on it. So, it simply got more interesting. Taking antibiotics, enduring terrible side effects and researching about it, I found another reason migrational escapists (people that plan to leave Nigeria 🙃) should know about in order to buttress their points: 80% of people in underdeveloped and developing countries are living with H. Pylori.
80% of people in underdeveloped and developing countries are living with H. Pylori.
H. Pylori is a bacteria. It can be transmitted form one person to another through saliva and feaces. it lodges in the stomach and aided with its spiral shape, it burrows through the mucosal layer of the stomach and causes a breakage in the protective layer. Although the transmission process isn’t fully understood yet, high rates of occurrence are found in places with overcrowded dwelling, low healthcare and unhygienic environments. All these characterize underdeveloped and developing countries in varying degrees.
While only 40% of people in developed countries have H. Pylori, the percentage is dropping, unlike in underdeveloped and developing countries where the percentage is relatively constant or even rising.
That 80% of people in developing countries live with H. Pylori does not mean they have all developed ulcer. Only 10–20% (due to external factors and genetic predisposition) get ulcer as a result and in about 5%, it can lead to gastric cancer. The remaining larger percentage live with H. Pylori relatively undisturbed by it. Therefore, tests are only conducted when symptoms of ulcer, gastritis, gastric cancer are experienced or the signs are observed.
In conclusion, ulcer is caused by either H. Pylori or excessive secretion of acid in the stomach. After diagnosis, treatment is commenced to either kill the H. Pylori or to regulate acid production and also heal the sore/ulceration.
Thanks for reading.
