What causes stomach acid?

Excessive stomach acid may be caused by factors such as improper diet, negative emotions, gastritis, reflux esophagitis, and gastric ulcers. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the underlying cause, and receive appropriate treatment under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Specific analysis is as follows:

1. Improper Diet

Long-term consumption of excessive spicy or cold foods—such as hot pot or skewers—or excessive alcohol intake and strong tea drinking may stimulate gastric wall cells to secrete too much stomach acid. It is advisable to adjust dietary habits by reducing the intake of irritating foods and beverages, maintaining regular meal times, and incorporating mild foods such as radishes and tomatoes, which can help alleviate discomfort.

2. Negative Emotions

Mental stress, anxiety, and similar emotional states may lead to dysfunction of the cerebral cortex, thereby affecting neural regulation of gastric acid secretion and potentially increasing acid production. It is recommended to relieve stress through outdoor exercise, meditation, or other relaxation techniques to help ease symptoms.

3. Gastritis

This condition may be associated with Helicobacter pylori infection or long-term poor eating habits. Once developed, it can damage the gastric mucosa, stimulating gastric wall cells to overproduce stomach acid. Symptoms may include stomach pain and bloating. Patients are advised to take medications such as bismuth potassium citrate tablets, colloidal pectin bismuth capsules, and clarithromycin capsules as prescribed by a doctor.

4. Reflux Esophagitis

This condition is often related to dysfunction of the esophageal sphincter and is primarily caused by the backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus, leading to inflammation. It can damage the esophageal mucosa and commonly presents with symptoms such as heartburn and acid regurgitation. Patients should follow medical advice to use medications such as enteric-coated esomeprazole magnesium tablets, rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated tablets, or lansoprazole tablets.

5. Gastric Ulcer

This is mainly caused by factors such as excessive alcohol consumption and long-term irregular eating patterns. The condition damages the stomach lining, which may lead to excessive gastric acid secretion. Symptoms may also include loss of appetite and weight loss. Patients are advised to use medications such as intravenous omeprazole sodium, cimetidine injection, or belladonna tablets as directed by a physician to improve symptoms.

In daily life, patients are encouraged to maintain a light diet, avoid staying up late, and consume fresh vegetables such as radishes, cabbage, and lettuce in moderation, which are beneficial for overall health.