Could the ulcer question just vary based on the type of ulcer? I know that h. pylori is a big culprit in people who have ulcers but are otherwise healthy, but IBD causes ulcers too (putting the "ulcerative" in "ulcerative colitis")—and since stress is a driver of IBD flares, those are certainly ulcers by way of stress. But they occur in different portions of the gut, usually.

> "ulcers aren't caused by stress, they're caused by bacteria" to "no actually ulcers might really be mainly caused by stress."

Por que no los dos? H. pylori needs to artificially buffer its micro-environment in order to survive. Anything which disrupts the production of stomach acid or digestive proteins could give it an edge.

Anecdata of 1, but I had a bout of bad chronic heartburn after eating at some sketchy food joint. I was popping omeprazole like crazy. Somehow in researching this, the topic of hydrogen forming bacteria came up. I somehow hypothesized that PPIs were actually exacerbating the problem, because the higher pH was allowing the bacteria to survive. I put myself on a high prebiotic/probiotic diet, stopped the PPIs and antacids, and it resolved completely by a few weeks later. I could easily see a similar thing happening with heliobacter.

Ulcers are not all the same just like cancer is not all the same. H pylori still causes gastric ulcers.

Also the “medical-science” institution you are imagining with a collective self-esteem doesn’t exist in any cohesive way. You memorize, read, diagnose and treat.

And please don’t lump us in with phDs