Can I swim if I have gastritis?

Gastritis is a common inflammatory disease that affects young men and women. It is mainly caused by long-term consumption of overly cold or overheated food, rough food, strong tea, strong coffee, liquor, spicy food, etc., which can cause long-term stimulation to the gastric mucosa and lead to repeated damage to the gastric mucosa, causing gastritis. In addition, smoking can also cause gastritis. The pain is unbearable when gastritis attacks, so you should also take gastritis into consideration in your daily activities. With the arrival of summer, many people choose to swim to cool off. But can people with gastritis swim?

Clinical manifestations of gastritis:

1. Acute gastritis

The onset is acute and the clinical symptoms vary in severity. The most common is acute simple gastritis, the main symptoms of which are upper abdominal pain, abdominal distension, belching, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, etc. Those caused by Salmonella or Staphylococcus aureus toxins are often accompanied by diarrhea, fever, and even dehydration and shock. Acute erosive hemorrhagic gastritis may cause vomiting of blood and black stools. The main clinical manifestations of acute suppurative gastritis are systemic sepsis and acute peritonitis. The symptoms of acute corrosive gastritis are the most obvious, manifested as severe pain in the mouth, throat, behind the sternum, and upper abdomen after swallowing corrosives, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and even vomiting blood. The mucous membranes of the lips, mouth, and throat can produce caustic scabs of different colors, which help to identify various corrosive agents.

2. Chronic gastritis

The clinical manifestations of different types of gastritis may vary, but the symptoms lack specificity, and the severity is often inconsistent with the severity of the lesion. Some patients may be asymptomatic.

(1) Upper abdominal pain or discomfort Most gastritis patients experience upper abdominal pain or discomfort. Most upper abdominal pain is irregular and has nothing to do with diet. The pain is generally diffuse upper abdominal burning pain, dull pain, bloating, etc.

(2) Upper abdominal distension and early satiety Some patients experience abdominal distension, especially a noticeable feeling of fullness after meals. It is often caused by food retention in the stomach, delayed emptying, and indigestion. Early satiety refers to a feeling of fullness soon after eating despite having a clear sense of hunger, and a significant reduction in food intake.

(3) Belching, acid reflux, and nausea Belching indicates that there is an increase in gas in the stomach, which is discharged through the esophagus, temporarily relieving upper abdominal distension. Acid reflux is caused by increased gastric acid secretion.

(4) Others: Patients with severe atrophic gastritis may experience weight loss, glossitis, and diarrhea; patients with autoimmune gastritis may also have anemia.

1. Eat less fried food: Because this type of food is not easy to digest and will increase the burden on the digestive tract, eating too much will cause indigestion and increase blood lipids, which is not good for health. 2. Eat less pickled foods: These foods contain more salt and certain carcinogens, so they should not be eaten too much. 3. Eat less raw, cold and irritating foods: Raw, cold and irritating foods have a strong irritating effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa, and can easily cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal inflammation. 4. Regular diet: Studies have shown that eating regularly, at regular times and in regular amounts, can form a conditioned reflex, help the secretion of digestive glands, and facilitate digestion. 5. Eat at regular times and in regular quantities: Eat a moderate amount at each meal, and have three meals a day at regular times. At the designated time, you should take the initiative to eat regardless of whether you are hungry or not, to avoid being too hungry or too full. 6. Appropriate temperature: The temperature of food should be neither hot nor cold. 7. Chew slowly to reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. The more you chew your food, the more saliva you will secrete, which has a protective effect on the gastric mucosa. 8. Choose the right time to drink water: The best time to drink water is in the morning on an empty stomach and 1 hour before each meal. Drinking water immediately after a meal will dilute the gastric juice, and soaking rice in soup will also affect the digestion of food. 9. Pay attention to prevent cold: When the stomach gets cold, the function of the stomach will be damaged, so pay attention to keep the stomach warm and avoid cold. 10. Avoid stimulation: Do not smoke, because smoking causes the stomach blood vessels to constrict, affecting the blood supply to the stomach wall cells, reducing the resistance of the gastric mucosa and inducing stomach problems. You should drink less alcohol and eat less spicy foods such as chili peppers and pepper. 11. Supplement vitamin C: Vitamin C has a protective effect on the stomach. Maintaining a normal level of vitamin C in gastric juice can effectively exert the function of the stomach, protect the stomach and enhance the stomach's disease resistance. Therefore, eat more vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C.