Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Causes Gastritis?
• What Are the Symptoms of Gastritis?
• How Is Gastritis Diagnosed?
• What Is the Treatment for Gastritis?
• What Is the Prognosis for Gastritis?

Gastritis is an inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the lining of the stomach. It can occur suddenly (acute) or gradually (chronic).

Gastritis can be caused by irritation due to excessive alcohol use, chronic vomiting, stress, or the use of certain medications such as aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs. It may also be caused by any of the following:

• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori): A bacteria that lives in the mucous lining of the stomach; without treatment, the infection can lead to ulcers, and in some people, stomach cancer.
• Bile reflux: A backflow of bile into the stomach from the bile tract (that connects to the liver and gallbladder)
• Infections caused by bacteria and viruses

If gastritis is left untreated, it can lead to a severe loss of blood and may increase the risk of developing stomach cancer.

Symptoms of gastritis vary among individuals, and in many people there are no symptoms. However, the most common symptoms include:

• Nausea or recurrent upset stomach
• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Indigestion
• Burning or gnawing feeling in the stomach between meals or at night
• Hiccups
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting blood or coffee ground-like material
• Black, tarry stools

To diagnose gastritis, your doctor will review your personal and family medical history, perform a thorough physical evaluation, and may recommend any of the following tests:

• Upper endoscopy. An endoscope, a thin tube containing a tiny camera, is inserted through your mouth and down into your stomach to look at the stomach lining. The doctor will check for inflammation and may perform a biopsy, a procedure in which a tiny sample of tissue is removed and then sent to a laboratory for analysis.
• Blood tests. The doctor may perform various blood tests, such as checking your red blood cell count to determine whether you have anemia, which means that you do not have enough red blood cells. They can also screen for H. pylori infection and pernicious anemia with blood tests.
• Fecal occult blood test (stool test). This test checks for the presence of blood in your stool, a possible sign of gastritis.

Treatment for gastritis usually involves:

• Taking antacids and other drugs (such as proton pump inhibitors or H-2 blockers) to reduce stomach acid
• Avoiding hot and spicy foods
• For gastritis caused by H. pylori infection, your doctor will prescribe a regimen of several antibiotics plus an acid blocking drug (used for heartburn)
• If the gastritis is caused by pernicious anemia, B12 vitamin shots will be given.
• Eliminating irritating foods from your diet such as lactose from dairy or gluten from wheat

Once the underlying problem disappears, the gastritis usually does, too.

You should talk to your doctor before stopping any medicine or starting any gastritis treatment on your own.

Most people with gastritis improve quickly once treatment has begun.

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Gastritis – Better Health Channel

Summary

Read the full fact sheet

• Gastritis is inflammation (irritation) of the stomach lining.
• Common causes include infection, anti-inflammatory medication and alcohol.
• Treatment options include avoiding exposure to known irritants, and medication to reduce the amount of gastric juices.

Gastritis is inflammation (irritation) of the stomach lining. This may be caused by many factors including infection, alcohol, particular medications and some allergic and immune conditions. Gastritis can be either acute (with severe attacks lasting a day or two) or chronic (with long-term appetite loss or nausea). In many cases, gastritis has no symptoms (asymptomatic).

Some forms, including chronic atrophic gastritis, have been associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer. Treatment options include avoiding exposure to known irritants and taking medication to reduce the amount of gastric juices.

Symptoms of gastritis

In many cases, gastritis has no symptoms. Common symptoms can include:

• loss of appetite
• pain in the upper abdomen just under the ribs
• nausea or indigestion
• hiccups
• vomiting
• blood in the vomit
• blood in the bowel actions, if the stomach lining has ulcerated (this turns stools black and is called melaena)
• weight loss.

The stomach

The stomach is an organ of the digestive system, located in the abdomen just below the ribs. Swallowed food is mixed with gastric juices containing enzymes and hydrochloric acid. The lining of the stomach, called the epithelium, is layered with multiple folds. The epithelium is coated with mucus (gastric mucosa) secreted by special glands. Inflammation caused by gastritis occurs in this lining.

Causes of gastritis

Gastritis can be caused by many different factors, including:

• medication such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
• infection with the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, the organism responsible for the majority of stomach and duodenal ulcers
• alcohol
• protracted vomiting
• overproduction of gastric juices, which is a stress response in some people
• the backflow of bile from the small intestine (duodenum)
• some allergic and immune conditions – for example, pernicious anaemia
• exposure to radiation.

Diagnosis of gastritis

Diagnosing gastritis involves a variety of tests, including:

• Endoscopy – a thin flexible tube is threaded down the oesophagus into the stomach. The endoscope is fitted with a small camera so the physician can look at the stomach lining. If the gastric mucosa is reddened, this may indicate gastritis. A biopsy is needed for confirmation.
• Biopsy – small tissue samples are taken during an endoscopy and tested in a laboratory. The pathologist will look for changes, including the presence of inflammatory cells and epithelium damage.

Treatment for gastritis

Treatment for gastritis may include:

• Identifying the cause – once the cause is identified, steps can be taken to avoid exposure. For example, if alcohol is triggering the inflammation, you can abstain or reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. Anti-inflammatory drugs taken to help manage other conditions may need to be stopped or replaced with an alternative.
• Medication – tablets are available to reduce the acid content in the gastric juices. You may need to take these medications for a few weeks or months, depending on your situation.
• Dietary modifications – such as limiting or avoiding alcohol and caffeine, which can irritate the stomach lining.
• No treatment – often gastritis is found by chance during an endoscopy. If Helicobacter pylori is not present, and there are no other features seen on biopsy, there is usually no need to treat the gastritis.

Helicobacter pylori infection

The Helicobacter pylori bacterium causes gastritis and is also responsible for most peptic ulcers. A peptic ulcer is a hole in the lining of the stomach, duodenum or oesophagus. Helicobacter pylori bacterium is thought to be a cause of indigestion and a contributing factor in the development of stomach cancer.

The germs live in the lining of the stomach and the chemicals they produce cause irritation and inflammation. Diagnosis includes a special breath test to check for gaseous by-products of the bacteria. Treatment includes a combination of different antibiotics, followed by breath tests to make sure the medication has worked.

Where to get help

• Your doctor
• NURSE-ON-CALL Tel. 1300 60 60 24 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)
• Gastroenterologist

Things to remember

• Gastritis is inflammation (irritation) of the stomach lining.
• Common causes include infection, anti-inflammatory medication and alcohol.
• Treatment options include avoiding exposure to known irritants, and medication to reduce the amount of gastric juices.

• The Centre for Digestive DiseasesExternal Link, Sydney, Australia.
• Urea breath test [patient information online], The Centre for Digestive Diseases, Sydney, Australia. More information hereExternal Link.

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Gastritis – symptoms and treatment, signs of stomach gastritis.

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10/31/2018

Signs, symptoms and treatment of gastritis

Gastritis is an inflammatory process in the gastric mucosa. This disease provokes a violation of the absorption of food and digestion. This is the most common disease among the rest in the digestive system. Most often, gastritis occurs in individuals of advanced and middle age. It comes in acute and chronic forms. Acute appears when the disease progresses for the first time, and chronic – is constantly present in the patient’s life. If acute gastritis is not treated in time, it will gradually become chronic.

The causes of this disease

The causes of gastritis can be different, but the most important is a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. It is found in 80-90% of cases. People become infected with it due to non-compliance with their own hygiene. Helicobacter is a dangerous bacterium because it destroys the cells that produce hydrochloric acid. Because of this, a large amount of acid is produced in the human body and this disrupts the process of digestion of food.
Also, there are other important reasons:

• Unhealthy diet. When a person adheres to the wrong food intake, overeats or, on the contrary, is undernourished, this leads to gastritis. The diet should not contain fatty foods along with sauces that are spicy. It is worth adding foods rich in fiber and plant foods to your menu.
• Use of drugs. Some drugs (painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-clotting agents) irritate the mucous membrane, and this leads to an inflammatory process.
• Alcoholic drinks, drugs.
• Frequent stress, food allergy.

Appearance of symptoms of gastritis

This disease is manifested by various signs. It all depends on the degree and type of the disease. The main signs are:

1. Decrease or loss of appetite.
2. Sudden pains in the abdomen, and a feeling of fullness while eating.
3. Belching, vomiting or heartburn.
4. Unpleasant smell from the oral cavity, the color of the feces changes, the stomach swells.
5. Headache, palpitations, high salivation.
6. Chronic gastritis has symptoms that are more difficult to identify (a coating of the tongue, constipation, fatigue, bloating, diarrhea, abdominal noises during meals).

Treatment

Therapy directly depends on the type of gastritis. For example, when gastritis is acute, the patient needs to wash his stomach with a solution to cleanse food. You need to be hungry all day, but it is allowed to drink ordinary water, tea, as well as various decoctions (from mint, rosehip, chamomile). Basically, food should be liquid or mashed (soups, cereals, jelly, soufflé). After a while, you can gradually introduce some products (dairy products, boiled vegetables), and then return to the previous diet. But, it is better to refrain from fatty, fried, sweet, spicy and fresh baked goods. Also, a gastroenterologist prescribes various drugs to restore the stomach. If gastritis has complications, then the person is hospitalized in a medical facility.

In order to avoid such a problem, you need to take care of yourself, your diet and hygiene. If symptoms or concerns appear, do not delay, consult a doctor. Our clinic employs professionals who are ready to provide high-quality medical care.

Sign up for a consultation with a gastroenterologist by calling

8 (8652) 99-88-55

or on the website of the Clinic of Innovative Technologies

Gastritis: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment in Kaliningrad

Gastritis is an inflammatory disease of the gastric mucosa, which leads to the development of dystrophic changes, the replacement of functional glandular epithelium with connective tissue and the loss of the main functions of the organ. Pathology is common in adults and children in all countries of the world – unbalanced nutrition, aggressive environmental factors, neuro-emotional stress, as well as the presence of specific microorganisms determine the high level of morbidity.

Types gastritis

There are two main variants of the inflammatory process depending on its activity:

• Acute (corrosive) . Most often it develops as a reaction to a serious impact – a chemical burn, the intake of toxic substances, alcohol and certain drugs, the use of low-quality food or drinks. Also, acute gastritis can be a secondary manifestation of systemic inflammatory diseases, metabolic disorders, infectious processes. There are several subspecies of acute inflammation of the gastric mucosa, depending on the cause and severity of infiltration.
• Chronic . The long-term influence of various negative factors leads to the formation of a permanent damaging effect on the stomach tissue. The glandular epithelium gradually ceases to produce gastric juice, and the recovery processes are disrupted. Chronic gastritis can periodically worsen and move into an active phase. If treatment is not prescribed in time, this can lead to the development of more serious diseases – ulcerative defects or cancerous structures.

Chronic gastritis is of three types:

• • Autoimmune (A) . A malfunction of the immune system leads to an attack on the body’s own cells. Antibodies that are produced in specific structures of the stomach cause mucosal atrophy in this type of chronic gastritis.
  • Bacterial (B) . The most common cause of chronic gastritis is the spiral microorganism Helicobacter pylori, which, under adverse conditions, is activated and leads to a change in the normal functioning of gastric tissues.

• • Reflux (C) . Chronic gastritis can also develop as a result of the backflow of bile acids into the stomach cavity.

According to the localization of the process, the disease is divided into:

• antral gastritis – in the pyloric region;
• gastritis of the body of the stomach;
• pangastritis – diffuse changes.

Separate forms of pathology are also distinguished:

• Surface. The easiest variant of the course of gastritis – the disease does not affect the acid-producing glands of the stomach.
• Erosive. It is characterized by the development of defects in the mucosa and submucosal layer – the appearance of erosion. More often than others, it is associated with the activity of Helicobacter and, in the variant of chronic gastritis, becomes the cause of peptic ulcer.
• Hyperacid. It is characterized by increased production of hydrochloric acid and the development of an aggressive environment in the stomach, which causes secondary damage.
• Atrophic. Replacement of the glandular epithelium with fibrotic structures leads to insufficient activity of gastric juice and digestive disorders.

• Phlegmonous. Associated with purulent fusion of stomach tissues.

There are specific and rare forms of acute or chronic gastritis – radiation, fungal, parasitic, allergic (eosinophilic), polypous, NSAID-associated. There are also secondary ones – with an ulcer or stomach cancer.

Signs and treatment of gastritis

Acute gastritis is characterized by a large affected area, severe inflammation and a rapid increase in symptoms.

A typical clinical picture includes the following complaints:

• severe abdominal pain;
• heartburn;
• nausea;
• profuse vomiting;
• occurrence of bloody impurities;
• dizziness;
• severe acute weakness;
• fever;
• flatulence;
• stool disorders – diarrhea.

Chronic gastritis, unlike acute gastritis, can be completely asymptomatic for a long time. Most people consider themselves healthy for a long time, but non-specific symptoms may appear from time to time:

• bad breath;
• belching;
• heaviness after eating;
• soreness on prolonged fasting;
• dull pain in the upper third of the abdomen;
• burning sensation in the stomach;
• nausea;
• lack of appetite;
• diarrhea;
• flatulence.

Chronic gastritis is manifested by unpleasant sensations, which usually increase after a violation of the diet – eating fried foods, smoked meats, spicy dishes. Symptoms of anemia or vitamin deficiency due to malabsorption of nutrients may also appear – pallor, brittle hair and nails, fatigue, hormonal imbalance.

The diagnosis is established at the appointment with a gastroenterologist, to confirm it and determine the type of gastritis, the doctor needs to obtain the results of additional studies. fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS) is the “gold standard” – only visualization of the morphological structure and mucosal biopsy are evidence of the presence of acute or chronic gastritis. It is also necessary to conduct a test for the activity of Helicobacter pylori, an analysis of feces for occult blood. Other diagnostic methods allow you to establish the severity of the course of the disease and its effect on all body systems.

Treatment should be started immediately – acute gastritis can cause gastrointestinal bleeding or other life-threatening conditions, and chronic gastritis is often complicated by gastric or duodenal ulcers.

Treatment chronic gastritis

The tactics of therapy for this form of the disease depends on the etiological factor. If Helicobacter pylori infection is established, anti-Helicobacter pylori treatment is prescribed. The scheme includes antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), drugs containing bismuth.

Symptomatic treatment of gastritis includes the following prescriptions:

• Diet. It is important to exclude all mechanical, thermal and chemical damage to the mucosa. Meals should be steamed, boiled or baked in the oven.
• Replacement therapy. Chronic gastritis with insufficient function of acid-producing glands requires the appointment of natural gastric juice, hydrochloric acid, and enzyme preparations.
• Antacids. Variants of pathology with hyperfunction of the stomach imply the creation of additional protection of its mucosa in acute or chronic gastritis. Preparations are used that neutralize hydrochloric acid – calcium and magnesium carbonate, others.
• Coating agents. Medications, a decoction of flax seeds and folk remedies create a protective shell that prevents damage to the mucosa when chronic gastritis is detected.
• Antisecretory drugs. Reduce the production of their own hydrochloric acid. The class includes PPIs and h3-histamine receptor blockers. Medicines of such groups are prescribed for a long course.
• Iron and vitamin B12. If signs of anemia are detected in a clinical blood test, it is necessary to compensate for the complication caused by chronic gastritis.
• Antihistamines. The appointment of blockers of specific H1-histamine receptors is justified if gastritis is associated with allergic reactions.

Treatment of acute gastritis

The treatment of acute simple gastritis often requires urgent measures. The main task of the initial stages of treatment is the elimination of the damaging factor and the normalization of the acid-base state of the gastric environment.

Gastric lavage or fasting for 24 hours may be necessary, followed by a strict diet. It is important to exclude all aggressive factors, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and to stop taking medications if it is not dangerous to health.

Drug therapy for acute gastritis is usually limited to symptomatic medications:

• saline solutions to restore fluid balance;
• antispasmodics and painkillers – for severe pain;
• antiemetic – in cases of regular vomiting.

If you respond to the problem in time and follow all the appointments of the gastroenterologist, the prognosis for recovery is favorable. However, advanced cases of the acute form turn into chronic gastritis and can disturb patients for a long time during their lives.

Treatment of erosive gastritis

Erosions are formed as a result of increased acid production, as well as the aggressiveness of the gastric environment. Therefore, the treatment of erosive acute or chronic gastritis should primarily consist of measures that can normalize the acid balance in the stomach and stop the formation of mucosal defects. It is imperative to follow a strict diet – all foods that can additionally irritate the mucous membrane are excluded. Medications are also prescribed:

• proton pump inhibitors;
• H2-histamine receptor blockers;
• antacids;
• enzyme preparations;
• prokinetics.

If the relationship between erosive gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection is reliably proven, antibiotics are prescribed that can destroy pathogens.

The state of exacerbation of chronic gastritis with the formation of erosions is often associated with manifestations of gastric bleeding, which must be stopped. Injections of various hemostatic agents may be prescribed.

Rehabilitation after stopping the acute period of the disease includes mineral water therapy – there are special sanatorium-resort institutions for this.

Treatment of atrophic gastritis

It is believed that glandular cells that have transformed into connective tissue structures permanently lose their functions and cannot be restored. Autoimmune processes in the body are difficult to influence – immunotherapy and the appointment of hormonal drugs do not give the expected results. Therefore, the main direction of treatment of atrophic chronic gastritis is the maintenance of normal functions of the stomach in the digestive processes, enzyme replacement therapy and the correction of emerging complications of the underlying disease.

If a significant content of Helicobacter pylori is detected, the eradication of the microorganism is also carried out according to the schemes generally accepted in gastroenterology.

The main groups of drugs that compensate for atrophic chronic gastritis:

• digestive aids – enzymes of gastric juice and pancreas;
• mucosal protection preparations containing bismuth or aluminium;
• medicines that improve gastrointestinal motility;
• antianemic – substances with iron or vitamin B12 in the composition.

Chronic gastritis requires the formation of new habits and lifestyle, but with the right approach, the dysfunction of the stomach is completely compensated.