Frequent hiccups can be a warning sign of stomach inflammation.

　　Most hiccups are occasional events, but frequent hiccups may be caused by certain diseases. If you frequently experience belching and hiccups, or even hiccup involuntarily without eating, it may indicate a Helicobacter pylori infection in your stomach.

　　Helicobacter pylori infection can cause gastritis. Most patients may experience symptoms such as upper abdominal pain, stomach pain, postprandial fullness, loss of appetite, and belching. Symptoms may fluctuate in severity and may recur or persist for a long time. It is recommended that family members of patients with Helicobacter pylori infection also undergo Helicobacter pylori testing to prevent cross-infection.

　　Persistent hiccups are called "hiccups".

　　Persistent hiccups can be a medical condition called hiccup syndrome. Frequent hiccups or hiccups lasting more than 24 hours are called intractable hiccups.

　　Some cases of hiccups occur due to excessive stress in the patient. Often, examinations show that the patient has no organic lesions, and treatment is difficult. Doctors can usually only relieve the patient's hiccups.

　　Experts offer advice on how to prevent gastritis:

　　Dietary problems are the main cause of chronic gastritis

　　Professor Huang Suiping, an expert from the Family Doctor Online Medical Committee and director of the Department of Gastroenterology at Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, pointed out that the main cause of chronic gastritis is dietary problems. First, it is due to unclean food, which contains pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, one of which is Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacter pylori is not only the main cause of chronic gastritis, but can also cause gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and even gastric cancer. Second, it is due to irregular eating habits, such as overeating or irregular eating patterns. Overeating can cause gastric acid secretion disorders, which can damage the gastric mucosa. Irregular eating patterns prevent gastric acid from being neutralized by food in time, which can damage the gastric mucosa and cause gastritis or ulcers. It can also affect the gastric emptying function, causing bile reflux into the stomach, which can damage the barrier function of the gastric mucosa and lead to gastritis. Besides diet, emotional problems are also a cause of chronic gastritis. Traditional Chinese medicine has a saying that worry injures the spleen and anger injures the liver. Excessive thinking, depression, and anger can all affect the function of the spleen and stomach. Secondly, there is the issue of individual constitution. People with weaker spleen and stomach are more prone to stomach problems under the influence of various factors than people with stronger spleen and stomach.

　　Eating smaller, more frequent meals to soothe the stomach is unreliable; prevention of chronic gastritis should focus on addressing the underlying causes.

　　Many people believe that "to nourish the stomach, one must eat small, frequent meals," but Professor Huang Suiping points out that this is a misconception. Professor Huang advises everyone to eat three meals a day at regular times and in appropriate portions, avoiding small, frequent meals and overeating. Poor eating habits are a major cause of chronic gastritis.

　　Professor Huang Suiping reminds everyone to prevent chronic gastritis by addressing the underlying causes and changing unhealthy eating habits such as irregular eating patterns and overeating. She also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a calm and cheerful mood, with stressed office workers taking time to de-stress after get off work through exercise and hobbies to alleviate negative emotions. Furthermore, Professor Huang points out that protecting the spleen and stomach should be tailored to individual constitutions. For example, those with spleen deficiency should avoid cold foods and instead consume warming foods such as astragalus, codonopsis, and Chinese yam. Those with a hot constitution should limit spicy and hot foods to avoid further heatiness and instead consume nourishing and moisturizing foods such as sand ginseng, dendrobium, and ophiopogon japonicus.

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