3 ms·

Stomach ulcers were thought to be caused by "stress," and increased acidity in the stomach caused by stress, and diet. It wasn't until 1982 that the bacterial

Stomach ulcers were thought to be caused by "stress," and increased acidity in the stomach caused by stress, and diet. It wasn't until 1982 that the bacterial cause was found, and it took years for the medical community to abandon the "caused by stress" explanation and apply real treatment. partly explained here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylori https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylori

kirsebaer 7y ago
Most people with this bacteria do not develop ulcers. Psychological stress does seem to increase development of ulcers -- it's a contributing factor. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25111233 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25111233 I notice in myself that I often get a sore throat after being stressed and not sleeping enough.
tomhoward 7y ago
I keep hearing this supposedly revelatory anecdote, as if caused by stress and bacterial infections are mutually exclusive factors. It's well known that chronic stress weakens the immune system, and makes it easier for a bacterial infection to take hold. So a more complete hypothesis is that stress can be the cause, whereas weakened immunity and consequent bacterial infection is the mechanism. Of course, anything else that causes the immune system to be weakened can also be a cause.
- UnFleshedOne 7y ago
  I don't think that's much more useful than saying a flu is caused by stress, is it?
  - tomhoward 7y ago
    It's not useful to try and explain an illness by a singular cause, when multiple factors are extant and important. Susceptibility to flu is influenced by immune system fortitude; that's uncontroversial. That stress is one factor (among several) that can weaken the immune system in an otherwise healthy person, is surely useful to consider when making life choices.
- xsmasher 7y ago
  Stress was neither necessary nor sufficient to produce the ulcers; it may have been involved in some cases, but it was not the "cause."
  - tomhoward 7y ago
    But H. pylori was also not sufficient to produce the ulcers; most people in the world have it, but far fewer develop ulcers. As user interpenetrate has articulated in more depth, the error is in the need to identify a single, simple "cause".

kirsebaer 7y ago

Most people with this bacteria do not develop ulcers. Psychological stress does seem to increase development of ulcers -- it's a contributing factor. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25111233 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25111233 I notice in myself that I often get a sore throat after being stressed and not sleeping enough.

tomhoward 7y ago

I keep hearing this supposedly revelatory anecdote, as if caused by stress and bacterial infections are mutually exclusive factors. It's well known that chronic stress weakens the immune system, and makes it easier for a bacterial infection to take hold. So a more complete hypothesis is that stress can be the cause, whereas weakened immunity and consequent bacterial infection is the mechanism. Of course, anything else that causes the immune system to be weakened can also be a cause.

UnFleshedOne 7y ago
I don't think that's much more useful than saying a flu is caused by stress, is it?
- tomhoward 7y ago
  It's not useful to try and explain an illness by a singular cause, when multiple factors are extant and important. Susceptibility to flu is influenced by immune system fortitude; that's uncontroversial. That stress is one factor (among several) that can weaken the immune system in an otherwise healthy person, is surely useful to consider when making life choices.
xsmasher 7y ago
Stress was neither necessary nor sufficient to produce the ulcers; it may have been involved in some cases, but it was not the "cause."
- tomhoward 7y ago
  But H. pylori was also not sufficient to produce the ulcers; most people in the world have it, but far fewer develop ulcers. As user interpenetrate has articulated in more depth, the error is in the need to identify a single, simple "cause".