Got a stomachache when winter arrives? The risk of gastric ulcer is four times higher! Doctors reveal the truth: "5 habits" may be the murderer behind the scenes
Is “stomach disease” prone to occur in winter? Study reveals: prevalence rate is 4 times higher than in summer
Is winter actually the most common season for “stomach diseases”? Dr. Qian Zhenghong, director of the Liver Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, said in a social post that European medical papers pointed out as early as 40 years ago that peptic ulcers are particularly likely to occur in winter and least in summer, with the prevalence differing by up to four times. . South Korea’s large-scale retrospective analysis report in 2021 also revealed similar results.
The study included a total of 14,636 patients with peptic ulcers and 3,575 patients with peptic ulcer bleeding from 2012 to 2016. The analysis found that the highest proportion of peptic ulcers occurred in winter (30%), followed by spring, summer, and The lowest was in autumn (21.3%), with a difference of nearly 1.4 times. The highest proportion of ulcer bleeding occurs in winter (32.8%), and the lowest proportion occurs in autumn (19.8%).
“So most studies generally believe that winter is the most common season for peptic ulcers, gastric bleeding, gastric perforation, and even death from gastric diseases!”
Why do I get stomachache easily when winter comes? Medical analysis of “5 potential causes”
As for why winter is the most common time for gastric diseases? What living habits are related to it? Dr. Qian Zhenghong summarizes the possible causes and mechanisms as follows:
Physiological response. Cold weather and sudden drops in temperature can easily cause “sympathetic nerve excitement” to maintain body temperature, and blood vessels will also contract accordingly. This condition causes poor blood circulation in the gastric mucosa, making ulcers prone to occur. Therefore, when the weather is cold, placing small heating objects such as warm packs on the stomach seems to be less likely to cause stomach pain. This may be because it suppresses stomach pain by promoting blood flow.
Smoking and drinking. In winter, many people smoke and drink more in order to keep warm. Especially in winter, there are more occasions for dinner parties and drinking, which makes stomach problems more likely.
Increase in heavy-flavored foods. In winter, people like to eat spicy food such as spicy pot, ginger duck, and shochu chicken. Foods with strong flavors may harm the stomach.
Helicobacter pylori infection. Past studies have pointed out that the proportion of Helicobacter pylori infection is higher in winter and lower in summer; Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of peptic ulcer.
Increased drug use. The wet and cold weather in winter makes arthritis prone to attacks, which also leads to an increase in the use of “anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs”. In addition, “steroid” drugs are used for chronic lung diseases and asthma; cardiovascular diseases that are common in winter must be treated with “aspirin” and “anticoagulant drugs”. The above drugs can easily cause ulcer bleeding and worsen peptic ulcers.
After suffering from cancer, he ate a light diet, quit smoking and drinking, and “1 food” actually caused him to bleed heavily in his stomach.
If you do not encounter the above conditions or habits, but your stomach pain is still severe, may it be caused by specific foods? Dr. Qian Zhenghong explained that he recently admitted a male patient in his 60s who had a history of gastric cancer and was still undergoing anti-cancer treatment. His condition has been stable for the past year, and he has not experienced any complications; however, he was recently hospitalized due to sudden massive bleeding and dizziness. A gastroscopy revealed that it was caused by bleeding from a gastric tumor.
The doctor discussed the patient’s recent diet with the patient and said that after suffering from cancer, he had given up smoking and drinking, rarely ate out, and his eating habits had gradually become lighter; besides stomach medicine, he had not taken any other medications. After further questioning, I learned that because winter coincides with the production season of “citrus fruits”, before the bleeding, he ate one orange a day, which was rich in water and delicious, so he ate it more uncontrollably.
Dr. Qian Zhenghong reminds the public that oranges are rich in vitamin C, potassium and polyphenols. Although they contain multiple nutrients, citrus fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and ponkans are “acidic fruits” and may increase gastrointestinal wounds or ulcers. Due to the risk of bleeding, it is recommended that patients with stomach problems or gastroesophageal reflux should avoid it. The general public also needs to pay attention to their intake. Eating too much is still not enough.
Finally, Dr. Qian Zhenghong said that winter may be the most common season for gastric diseases, and he reminded the public to pay attention to their eating habits and avoid eating foods that are too spicy or too fatty. Remember to eat more fruits and vegetables to supplement the fiber needed by the human body, especially yams, pumpkins, okra, lotus roots, and red/white radish, which can promote the health of the gastrointestinal tract and can be eaten in moderation to protect the gastric mucosa.
Further reading:
