Skipping breakfast, late meals, late nights, alcohol and stress are common habits of young people that in time upset the stomach and invite digestive problems.
People often use the term "stomach pain" for pain or discomfort in the area above the navel (the epigastrium), which may be related to gastroesophageal reflux, stomach and duodenal ulcers or gastritis. Besides Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and the effects of certain medicines, irregular eating and living habits can also make symptoms appear more often and more severely. If your children or grandchildren are busy studying or working, you may want to review the following habits together.
Skipping breakfast and eating too fast
Because they are busy or want to sleep a little longer, many young people skip breakfast. Irregular eating leaves the body tired and short of energy; for people who already have stomach problems, letting the stomach get too empty can make the pain and gnawing feeling more noticeable. Even so, you should not think that skipping breakfast directly causes stomach ulcers or cancer. What matters is eating on time, having a nutritious breakfast and not leaving too long a gap between meals.
Eating too much at once makes the stomach work hard, easily causing a tight, bloated feeling and indigestion. Eating in a hurry, chewing poorly, or eating while working or scrolling on your phone also makes it hard for the body to recognize when it is full. Chew well, eat slowly and keep each meal to a sensible size.
Late-night eating and greasy food
Studying or working late often means a late-night meal. Eating close to bedtime, especially greasy food, easily causes reflux, heartburn and acid regurgitation, and makes sleep worse. If you are hungry in the evening, choose something easy to digest, eat a moderate amount and do not lie down right away.
Fast food is often high in salt, fat and sugar but low in fiber; eating it often can easily lead to an unbalanced diet, weight gain and digestive problems. Spicy food can cause a burning feeling in some people, while greasy dishes tend to cause bloating and slow digestion. If you have stomach symptoms, notice which foods bother you and adjust, rather than cutting out all spicy or fatty foods.
Alcohol, fizzy drinks and coffee
Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, and drinking often or heavily can easily cause inflammation and damage. Fizzy soft drinks cause gas and bloating, and drinking too many sugary drinks is not good either. Caffeinated coffee can make heartburn and discomfort worse in some people. When you have digestive symptoms, it is even more important to cut down on these drinks.
Staying up late and long-term stress
Staying up late for a long time upsets the body clock. Lack of sleep also increases stress, making people with digestive problems feel worse. The gut and stomach are closely connected to the nervous system, so prolonged pressure can affect gut movement and pain perception, making abdominal pain, bloating and nausea worse. Office workers should organize their working and rest hours sensibly, get enough sleep, exercise regularly and find ways to relieve pressure.
When to see a doctor
Do not buy medicine and take it for long periods on your own without a doctor's guidance. See a doctor if you often have acid regurgitation, nausea, bloating or upper abdominal pain, or notice anything unusual. In particular, see a doctor early if you have:
- Vomiting of blood or black stools.
- Severe abdominal pain.
- Unexplained weight loss.
Trusted clinic for stomach pain in Ho Chi Minh City
Ky Hoa Medical Center has nearly 20 years of experience in medical care in Ho Chi Minh City, with a team of highly qualified doctors and a careful, transparent way of working. For stomach pain, our Internal Medicine doctors take time to listen, examine carefully and explain clearly so that you fully understand your condition, then agree together on a treatment and follow-up plan.
Endoscopy is performed on site, so you can complete check-ups in one place, which makes follow-up visits easier.
The center operates under Operating License No. 00449/HCM-GPHĐ, with a list of medical techniques approved by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health (Decision 471/QĐ-SYT), and is a primary care facility contracted with Ho Chi Minh City Social Security, accepting health insurance (BHYT) visits on Saturdays as well. The practising certificates of our 24 doctors are published on our Doctors page.
You can come to Ky Hoa Medical Center for an Internal Medicine consultation: simply walk in during opening hours and take a queue number. When needed, the doctor will order a digestive endoscopy or suitable laboratory tests to find the cause.
Ky Hoa Medical Center
Address: 266A - 268 3 Thang 2 Street, Hoa Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 6:30 - 11:30 and 13:00 - 17:00 (closed on Sunday)
Hotline: 028.3868.1097
Source: Suc Khoe & Doi Song (Health & Life) newspaper