Gastritis

Q My endoscopy showed "atrophic gastritis" and "intestinal metaplasia," and I'm scared it will lead to stomach cancer. Can Korean medicine prevent it?

A. Atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia somewhat raise stomach cancer risk, but they do not immediately become cancer. A realistic goal is to keep up regular endoscopic follow-up while slowing progression through mucosal recovery and management of H. pylori and lifestyle factors.

Q I have gastritis and reflux esophagitis together, plus I tested positive for H. pylori. Do I have to treat all of these separately?

A. Gastritis, reflux esophagitis, and H. pylori often influence one another, so they should be managed together. H. pylori eradication is done alongside internal-medicine treatment, while mucosal recovery and gastric motility are managed together with Korean medicine for efficiency.

Q Is there anything I can do at home right away when my stomach suddenly burns and my epigastrium hurts?

A. Slowly eat small amounts of lukewarm water or warm porridge, and immediately avoid irritating foods, coffee, and painkillers. If pain is severe or you have black stools or blood in vomit, go to the hospital right away.

Q What habits should I build to avoid recurrence?

A. Eating slowly and in small amounts, keeping regular meal times, avoiding coffee and painkillers on an empty stomach, quitting smoking, drinking less, and managing stress are key. Small habits make as much difference as medication.

Q My stomach is weak, so I worry herbal medicine will burden it more. Is it okay for a gastritis patient to take herbal medicine?

A. A Korean medicine doctor prescribes based on your stomach condition, minimizing the burden. On the contrary, herbal medicine is composed to help the weakened stomach lining recover and aid digestive function, making it suitable for gastritis patients.

Q I'm in early pregnancy with severe morning sickness and gastritis symptoms too. Can I get treatment during pregnancy?

A. During pregnancy, safety comes first. Please tell us you're pregnant first; we guide mainly through lifestyle management, and when treatment is needed, we proceed cautiously only within a range safe for pregnant women.

Q I'm taking acid suppressants and a mucosal protectant from an internal medicine clinic. Is it okay to take herbal medicine together?

A. It's fine to take them together if you space out the timing. We usually advise taking herbal and Western medicine about 1-2 hours apart, and as symptoms improve, we gradually reduce the Western medicine.

Q I take painkillers often because of my back and joints, and my stomach burns more each time. How should I handle gastritis caused by painkillers?

A. Painkillers (NSAIDs) are a common cause of gastritis and ulcers by reducing the stomach lining's protective function. It's best to avoid an empty stomach, reduce painkiller use, and combine lining recovery treatment.

Q I was diagnosed with chronic gastritis over five years ago. Can such long-standing gastritis really get better?

A. Long-standing chronic gastritis can also become comfortable once the stomach lining's recovery power revives. Usually, consistent treatment over 2-3 months aims to noticeably reduce burning and bloating.

Q It gets better with treatment, but my stomach burns again under stress like exams or presentations. How do you manage stress-induced gastritis?

A. The stomach and brain are closely connected via the autonomic nervous system, so stress alone can disrupt acid secretion and mucosal blood flow. A Korean medicine approach that calms the stress response along with stomach recovery treatment is effective.

Q What is gastritis?

A. It is a state of inflammation in the stomach lining, causing burning, bloating, and epigastric pain. Common causes are irritating foods, stress, Helicobacter, and drugs like painkillers, and it tends to occur when the stomach's recovery power declines.

Q I work shifts, so my meal times are irregular and I often get by on cup noodles and instant coffee at night. Can I still be treated even if it's hard to change my meal times?

A. Irregular meals and irritating late-night snacks are the biggest factors that make stomach lining recovery difficult. Treatment proceeds even if you can't completely change your work schedule, but adjusting within what's possible makes the effect much faster.

Q I love spicy food and coffee. Which foods especially worsen gastritis?

A. Spicy food, hot food, coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks, and salty irritating foods are typical. Coffee on an empty stomach and painkillers directly irritate the stomach lining, so be especially careful.

Q As an office worker, it's hard to come often on weekdays. Realistically, how often do I need to visit?

A. You don't need to come every day. We usually proceed with acupuncture once or twice a week and daily herbal medicine, and using Saturday appointments too, office workers can be treated while maintaining their routine.

Q I'm looking for a place to treat gastritis in Dong-gu, Incheon. How does the first visit proceed?

A. At the first visit, we listen in detail about your symptoms, diet, current medications, and test results, and examine the state of your stomach. Based on that, we decide the treatment plan, herbal prescription, and lifestyle guidance together.

Q What should I prepare before my consultation?

A. If you organize when your symptoms are worst, which foods or situations make them worse, the medications you are taking (especially painkillers and acid-reducing drugs), and recent endoscopy or H. pylori test results, your consultation will be faster and more accurate.

Q I've taken PPIs (acid suppressants) for over a year, and it recurs the moment I stop. Do I have to take medication for life?

A. Acid suppressants only quickly suppress symptoms; the weakened stomach lining remains, so it recurs easily when you stop. By raising the lining's recovery power and gastric motility, we can aim for a state without reliance on medication.

Q The endoscopy says it's only "mild superficial gastritis," but I have burning and epigastric pain every day. My symptoms are worse than the test shows—can Korean medicine help?

A. It is very common for endoscopy findings and actual symptoms not to match. Functional problems where stomach motility and sensation have become hypersensitive account for a large part, and this is an area where Korean medicine shows its strength.