Gastritis is an inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the liner of the stomach. It can occur suddenly (acute) or gradually (chronic).
What Causes Gastritis?
Gastritis are often caused by irritation because of excessive alcohol use, chronic vomiting, stress, or the use of certain medications like aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs. it's going to even be caused by any of the following:
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori): A bacteria that lives within the mucous lining of the stomach; without treatment, the infection can cause 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 cause a severe loss of blood and should increase the danger of developing stomach cancer.
What Are the Symptoms of Gastritis?
Symptoms of gastritis vary among individuals, and in many of us there are not any symptoms. However, the foremost common symptoms include:
- Nausea or recurrent indigestion
- Abdominal bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Indigestion
- Burning or gnawing feeling within the stomach between meals or in the dark
- Hiccups
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting blood or coffee ground-like material
- Black, tarry stools
How Is Gastritis Diagnosed?
To diagnose gastritis, your doctor will review your personal and family medical record , perform a radical physical evaluation, and should recommend any of the subsequent tests:
- Upper endoscopy. An endoscope, a skinny tube containing a small camera, is inserted through your mouth and down into your stomach to seem at the stomach lining. The doctor will check for inflammation and should perform a biopsy, a procedure during which a small sample of tissue is removed then sent to a laboratory for analysis.
- Blood tests. The doctor may perform various blood tests, like checking your red blood corpuscle count to work out whether you've got anemia, which suggests that you simply don't have enough red blood cells. He or she will also screen for H. pylori infection and pernicious anaemia with blood tests.
- Fecal occult biopsy (stool test). This test checks for the presence of blood in your stool, a possible sign of gastritis.
What Is the Treatment for Gastritis?
- Treatment for gastritis usually involves:
Taking antacids and other drugs (such as proton pump inhibitors or H-2 blockers) to scale back 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 anaemia , B12 vitamin shots are going to be given.
- Eliminating irritating foods from your diet like lactose from dairy or gluten from wheat
Once the underlying problem disappears, the gastritis usually does, too.
You should ask your doctor before stopping any medicine or starting any gastritis treatment on your own.
What Is the Prognosis for Gastritis?
Most people with gastritis improve quickly once treatment has begun.
