Table of contents:
- Various measures to prevent gastritis
- 1. Take NSAIDs as directed by your doctor
- 2. Avoid H. pylori bacterial infection
- 3. Reduce alcohol consumption
- 4. Stop smoking
- Prevention of gastritis is done so that symptoms do not recur
- 1. Improve your diet
- 2. Reduce stress
- 3. Follow the doctor's treatment well (the main prevention of gastritis)
One of the most common gastric problems is gastritis. This condition indicates inflammation of the stomach, causing various symptoms, such as nausea and heartburn. The good news is, gastritis can be prevented. However, what are the precautions that can be taken to avoid gastritis? Come on, see the following reviews.
Various measures to prevent gastritis
The appearance of ulcer symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea, and bloating can be a sign of inflammation of the stomach if they occur frequently enough. Gastritis can occur due to a variety of causes, from a poor diet to H. pylori infection.
Don't worry, there are various ways to prevent gastritis that you can do, including:
1. Take NSAIDs as directed by your doctor
NSAIDs are pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin. This drug can be used to relieve headaches, muscle pain, or various complaints of pain in the body. Usually this drug is prescribed when the drug paracetamol (acetaminophen) is not effective enough to relieve pain.
Unfortunately, this drug should not be used long term or excessive doses can cause problems. This drug is known to cause both acute and chronic gastritis.
Acute gastritis indicates that gastritis appears and occurs suddenly, usually with a more severe level of pain but that goes away quickly. Meanwhile, chronic gastritis indicates that the condition has been developing for a long time and continues to worsen.
After research, it turns out that this painkiller can thin the protective lining of the stomach. If the medicine is continuously taken, the protective layer can be lost and the stomach becomes susceptible to irritation due to various things, for example stomach acid and certain substances in food. Over time, the irritated stomach lining will become inflamed and cause gastritis.
After looking at the explanation above, it can be concluded that the preventive measure for gastritis that you can take is to be careful when using NSAIDs.
Moreover, these drugs are very easy to get in stalls and pharmacies without a doctor's prescription. So, don't use NSAIDs if you don't need them.
2. Avoid H. pylori bacterial infection
Bacterial infection is one of the causes of gastritis. In fact, these bacteria live in the digestive systems of some people and do not cause problems when there are only a few.
However, it will be a different story if the numbers are very large and out of control. These bacteria can cause infection, causing gastritis. Even according to studies on World journal of gastroenterology In 2014, H. pylori bacterial infection was at risk of causing cancer in the stomach.
Some of the precautions you can take to prevent bacterial infections that cause gastritis include:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and clean running water. Do this before eating, after using the toilet, or traveling outside.
- Avoid raw food or food that is not clean, for example street food.
- Eat yogurt to increase the number of good bacteria in the digestive tract.
3. Reduce alcohol consumption
Drinking alcohol has been linked to various health problems, one of which is gastritis. Yes, drinks that contain alcohol can stimulate the cells in the stomach to produce more stomach acid.
This excess stomach acid can later cause inflammation of the stomach. So, it is unmistakable that you should limit your alcohol consumption as a preventative measure for gastritis.
You are allowed to drink one glass of alcohol a day at a rate of 59 ml. Avoid drinking alcohol 2 or 3 hours before bedtime.
4. Stop smoking
The next precaution that you can apply is to quit smoking. Cigarettes contain various chemicals that can exacerbate pre-existing inflammation, leading to gastritis.
Not only gastritis, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, smoking also increases other stomach problems, such as GERD (increased stomach acid into the esophagus).
Prevention of gastritis is done so that symptoms do not recur
If someone already has gastritis, the symptoms can recur at any time if triggered. Therefore, patients must take medication to relieve symptoms while avoiding various restrictions. If you are in this position, it would be better to prevent gastritis, right?
A person diagnosed with gastritis must change his lifestyle. If not, gastritis symptoms can recur and get worse. Preventive measures so that gastritis symptoms do not return, include:
1. Improve your diet
People who have gastritis become sensitive to certain types of food. The reason is, some foods can trigger gastritis symptoms, for example spicy, sour and fatty foods. Well, the most appropriate preventive measure for gastritis in this case is to avoid these foods.
Improving diet is not only choosing the right type of food, food portions must also be considered. So, the next step to prevent gastritis is to make sure the food portions are not excessive. You better eat small portions, but more often.
Then, avoid the habit of drinking lots of water in the middle of a meal or after. This habit can trigger your stomach to become bloated and uncomfortable.
2. Reduce stress
Stress has a lot to do with the health of your digestive system. When you are stressed, the cortisol hormone will be higher and stimulate the body to produce more acid. In addition, the production of prostaglandins also increases, which will trigger heartburn and cramps in the stomach.
So, so that the symptoms of gastritis do not recur, the precautions you need to take are to reduce stress as much as possible.
Stress can be reduced if you temporarily divert your thoughts with other things, such as taking a vacation, doing a favorite hobby, or playing sports. Thoughts that are distracted from these problems (stressors) can make the brain clearer. As a result, it will be easier for you to find solutions and make decisions at the same time.
3. Follow the doctor's treatment well (the main prevention of gastritis)
The precaution that you must obey if you already have gastritis is to follow the treatment recommended by your doctor. Usually the doctor will give medical gastritis drugs, including:
- Acid neutralizing drugs, such as antacids
- Drugs that suppress the production of stomach acid, such as PPI (proton pump inhibitor) drugs or h-2 receptor blockers
- Antibiotics to kill bacteria that infect the stomach
Always read the rules of use before using the drug. Tell your doctor if you have certain health problems. In addition, talk again if the medicine you are taking has annoying side effects. Ask your doctor to prescribe another drug that is safer but with the same effectiveness.
x