GERD & Ulcers: Are They Both Caused By The Same Thing?

It can be miserable when dealing with acid reflux and other gastrointestinal issues.  Belching, bloating, gas, and burping can cramp your lifestyle. Whether you’re dealing with GERD or ulcers, it’s painful and annoying. While there are things you can do to manage symptoms, it’s essential to get to the root cause of the issues to get some relief. 

What is GERD Caused From?

GERD is a gastroesophageal reflux disease commonly referred to as acid reflux.  When the contents of your stomach return to your esophagus, acid reflux happens. A valve at the end of your esophagus doesn’t close properly when the food arrives in the stomach. You can then experience the acid reflux symptoms as the acid flows back up through the esophagus. Conventional medicine believes that low stomach acid is the culprit for experiencing acid reflux symptoms, but holistic medicine believes it is caused by too little stomach acid. 

Eating a typical American diet can cause many health issues, as a lot of the food is processed and devoid of healthy nutrients. When people experience gastrointestinal problems and visit their medical doctor, they are often directed to take acid-reducing drugs. Unfortunately, this is probably detrimental to the stomach, as acid is needed to digest food properly. When the acid level is reduced, it can cause the food not to be digested properly, resulting in numerous other issues. 

What Causes Ulcers?

Peptic ulcers are sores that develop on the lining of the upper part of the small intestine and inside the lining of the stomach. The most common symptom of an ulcer is pain in the abdomen. There are two types of peptic ulcers: gastric ulcers on the inside of the stomach and duodenal ulcers which are fount on the upper portion of the small intestine. When you have an ulcer, you want to find out what is causing it,  and then treat it to hopefully  get some relief from the symptoms. 

There are two leading causes of peptic ulcers. Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). While spicy foods and stress aren’t the ultimate root cause of ulcers, they can irritate them and make symptoms worse. Depending on the root cause of your ulcer, it’s essential to treat it properly. 

Are GERD and Ulcers Caused From The Same Thing?

As you can see, GERD and ulcers are not caused by the same things. GERD can result from lifestyle choices or other factors, while peptic ulcers are caused by bacteria or overuse of certain over-the-counter medications. Many toxic chemicals are in your food and other things that you use daily. These can contribute to Gerd symptoms.      If you have an ulcer caused by the bacteria H. Pylori, you must take care of it properly, so it doesn’t return and cause more health issues. It’s crucial to find a doctor with experience and knowledge in digging deep to get to the root cause of your health issues and help you come up with a specific treatment plan to help you. 

Let Us Help You 

Dr. Mashner at The Gut Authority has experience helping many patients suffering from gastrointestinal issues. Whether you’ve just started with stomach issues or have suffered for years, there is hope for healing. Give our office a call today to schedule your first appointment. We pride ourselves on serving our clients in the Pascagoula/Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile/Gulf Shores, Alabama areas.