Here’s some food for though: the reason behind your stomach ulcer may not be what you think it is.

“Theres really not a lot of evidence that suggests that diet, in and of itself, spicy foods versus bland foods, are going to lead to the development of ulcers,” explains Dr. H. Scott Harris, a gastroenterologist on the medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System.

In fact, he says there are a lot of things associated with stomach ulcers that are simply not true. “I always like the one when people say, ‘he’s giving me an ulcer’ and you know that clearly life events stress people’s stomachs and they get symptoms.” That doesn’t mean it’s an ulcer.

There’s only one way to tell if you have an ulcer, and that’s with a visit to your physician. “As I always explain it –we burned ourself with a match of flame or something and you have that kind of whiteish spot on your skin. That’s exactly what they look like in the intestinal track.”

So, what really causes an ulcer? An overactive buildup of acid and other juices made by the stomach. This buildup can be caused by certain anti-inflammatory medications and lifestyles. “A lot of the patients we see that have reflux symptoms are overweight, and have bad lifestyle habits: smoking, alcohol, dietary habits,” adds Dr. Harris.

Warning signs of an ulcer can include: feeling fuller faster, heavy boating, or dull pain in your stomach, even pains that could wake up you up in the middle of the night. That’s when you should contact your doctor immediately.