Doctors debunk 5 common myths about gastritis

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Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach wall, or gastritis, is a common disease in the modern world. Many people associate its development with an unhealthy lifestyle or diet, but this is not always correct. A gastroenterologist spoke about the most common myths about this disease and refuted them.

The doctor names the first myth, which says that gastritis occurs from eating unhealthy food. This statement is incorrect in most cases, since fast food or smoked meats affect the work of the heart and blood vessels, and the stomach is practically not affected. Inflammation of the mucous membrane can be triggered by alcohol or tobacco use. Also, gastritis is not “inherited”. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori is responsible for its development, it enters the body mainly in childhood, but is not transmitted from parents.

Another myth refuted by the doctor concerns a strict diet for gastritis. He says that this is not so, with an illness it is important not to deny yourself any food, but to give up bad habits that really worsen the condition of the stomach. In addition, the expert says that you should not abuse aspirin-based drugs. They thin the blood and are a prevention of heart attacks or strokes, but at the same time harm the stomach. It is better to take paracetamol-based drugs, they are safer in this case.

The last myth that was heard in a conversation with journalists is the statement that gastritis is always accompanied by heartburn and belching. This is not true, gastritis has almost no symptoms, it is detected only during an analysis of the stomach wall. At the same time, he does not recommend performing gastroscopy under the age of 40, since the probability of detecting the disease in this case is very low.