About 4 million Americans suffer from stomach ulcers, and 350,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Most ulcers are small painful sores that are generally about the size of a pencil eraser. Stomach ulcers have multiple causes including:

- Excess stomach acid.

- Irritants (spices, alcoholic beverages, coffee, carbonated beverages, aspirin, tobacco)

- Certain microorganisms such as helicobacter pylori that can cause gastritis and ulceration of the stomach and duodenum.

- Stress or nervous tension.

Sign Symptoms Of Stomach Ulcers

belching

general discomfort in the stomach

loss of appetite or, rarely, increased appetite

nausea

vomiting

loss of weight

Stomach Ulcer Treatment

Do NOT drink milk. For a long time, people thought milk’s smooth texture would coat and soothe painful ulcers. It is now known that the protein and calcium in milk stimulate acid production and can make ulcers worse.

Yogurt unlike milk can soothe an ulcer.

Reduce stress in your life.

Drink plenty of water. Drink at least 2 quarts of water daily when ulcers are active. Drinking water helps dilute acid in the stomach.

Cut back on coffee. Both regular and decaffeinated coffee increase levels of stomach acids. Causing extreme discomfort.

People who smoke are much more likely to get ulcers than those who don’t.

Stay away from aspirin and ibuprofen. Long term use of these pain killers can cause stomach ulcers.