Busy life, work pressure and erratic eating habits make stomach diseases increasingly common. However, many people are still subjective about symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, belching, reflux or bad breath, thinking that just resting will cure it. According to experts, underestimating abnormal signs can prolong the disease, even missing the time to detect stomach cancer.
One of the common misunderstandings is that pain and discomfort in the stomach always require medication. In fact, the activity of the digestive system is significantly affected by psychological state. Stress, anxiety, and anger can change peristalty and digestive function, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, heartburn, diarrhea or constipation. Therefore, in addition to treatment when there is physical illness, psychological adjustment, stress reduction, and maintaining a reasonable diet and lifestyle also play an important role.
Another concept is that stomach cancer only occurs in the elderly. In fact, the disease can still appear in young people. Factors such as family history, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria infection, unhealthy diet and lifestyle can increase the risk. People with first-degree relatives who have had stomach cancer should pay special attention and discuss with their doctor about appropriate monitoring plans.
Prolonged belching and heartburn should not be considered just signs of overeating. This condition may be related to gastroesophageal reflux, stomach ulcers, H. pylori infection or digestive dysfunction. If symptoms appear frequently, persistently or are accompanied by abdominal pain, weight loss, vomiting, patients should see a doctor to determine the cause.
Similarly, bad breath is not always due to poor oral hygiene. In addition to oral diseases, gastroesophageal reflux and H. pylori infection may also be related to this condition. When bad breath persists even after good oral hygiene, it is necessary to find the cause instead of just using deodorants.
In particular, gastritis is not benign in all cases. Chronic gastritis, especially atrophic gastritis, accompanied by intestinal dysplasia or dysplasia, may be related to the risk of stomach cancer. H. pylori is one of the important factors causing chronic inflammation and increasing the risk of cancer. Therefore, when H. pylori infection or precancerous lesions in the stomach are detected, patients need to be consulted by a doctor for treatment and periodic monitoring.
Experts recommend not self-diagnosing or self-medicating for a long time when digestive symptoms appear. Proactively examining, adjusting diet, limiting alcohol and tobacco, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and treating H. pylori as directed are important measures to help protect stomach health.
