What is Gastritis:
Gastritis is a term used to describe a group of conditions with one thing in common, inflammation of the lining of your stomach. Gastritis may occur suddenly or it can occur slowly over time. In some cases, gastritis can lead to ulcers and an increased risk of stomach cancer. For most people, however, gastritis isn't serious and improves quickly with treatment.
Symptoms of Gastritis:
-A gnawing or burning ache or pain (indigestion) in your upper abdomen that may become either worse or better with eating
-Nausea
-Vomiting
-Loss of appetite
-Belching or bloating
-A feeling of fullness in your upper abdomen after eating
-Weight loss
Blood in your vomit or black stools may be a sign of bleeding in the stomach, which may indicate a serious problem requiring immediate medical attention.
Causes of Gastritis:
Gastritis develops when your stomach's protective layer becomes weakened or damaged as it helps protect the walls of your stomach from the acids that help digest your food. Inflammation starts when the barrier is weakened and digestive juices attacks the stomach lining. Gastritis is associated with various factors like medications, medical and surgical conditions. However factors like physical stress, social habits, chemicals, and infections are also known to cause gastritis. Some of the more common causes of gastritis are listed here.
- Bacterial infection (H. Pylori)
- Regular use of pain relievers ( aspirin, ibuprofen)
- Excessive alcohol use
- Stress
- Bile reflux disease
- Your own body attacking cells in your stomach (autoimmune gastritis)
- Other diseases and conditions ( HIV/Aids, parasitic infections, connective tissue disorders, liver/kidney failure.)
Treatment and drugs used for Gastritis:
Each specific cause has its own treatment. Gastritis caused by NSAIDs or alcohol are relieved by avoiding of those substances. Gastritis caused by H. pylori infection is treated by eradicating the bacteria with anti-biotic. Gastritis treatment incorporates medications that treat and reduces stomach acid in order to relieve signs and symptoms of gastritis.
1) Medications to treat stomach acidPain and inflammation are caused by stomach acid irritation on the lining. Drugs that reduces and neutralizers stomach acids are used, such as:
-Antacids. Over-the-counter antacids can be available in liquid or tablet form for treatment of mild gastritis. Fast relief is obtained as an antacid neutralizes stomach acid.
-H2 blocker. This is used if antacids do not provide relief and helps reduce stomach acid production. H2 blockers relieve symptoms for a longer period of time than antacids. They usually start to work within an hour.
2) Medications to shut down acid 'pumps.' Proton pump inhibitors are used to reduce acid production by blocking action of tiny pumps within acid-secreting cells of your stomach. It may take a little longer for a proton pump inhibitor to help your symptoms than an H2 blocker, but relief will last longer.
3) Medications to treat H. pylori Combination such as two antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor are often used, sometimes with bismuth added to the mix. Antibiotics destroy the bacteria, and the proton pump inhibitor relieves pain and nausea, heals inflammation and increases antibiotics' effectiveness.
For H.pylori, the most effective treatment is the ‘‘triple therapy’’. It involves taking two antibiotics to kill bacteria and an acid suppressor to reduce amount of acid produced. This combination therapy clears up to 90% of H. Pylori cases if it is taken correctly for the full course.
Lifestyle modification plays a huge role in preventing gastritis.
Prevention of Gastritis:
1) Eat smart: Eat small and frequent meals to ease effects of stomach acid. Avoid spicy, acidic, fried and fatty food.
2) Limit or avoid alcohol: Excessive alcohol can irritate stomach lining and cause inflammation and bleeding.
3) Don't smoke: Smoking increase susceptibility to gastritis and ulcers as it increases stomach acid and slows healing of lining. It is also a risk factor for stomach cancer.
4) Switch pain relievers: Avoid taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as it increases stomach irritation and can cause inflammation. Use mild pain relievers like paracetamol.
5) Follow your doctor's recommendations: Take over-the-counter antacid or acid blocker recommended by your doctor to prevent gastritis from recurring.
6) Proper hygiene and food preparation: It is always wise to wash hands thoroughly, to eat food that has been properly prepared, and to drink water from a safe, clean source to avoid H. pylori infection.
Lifestyle and home remedies for Gastritis:
1) Practice good eating habits: Eat moderately at regular timing and relaxing while eating.
2) Maintain a healthy weight: By maintaining a healthy weight, it can help reduce heartburn, bloating and constipation that cause digestive problems.
3) Get plenty of exercise: Exercise at least 30 minutes a day to stimulate breathing and heart rate in order to increase activity of intestinal muscle to move food through the intestine quickly.
4) Manage stress: Handle stress effectively as it can increase stomach acid production and slows down digestion.
Diagnosis
Gastritis is diagnosed through one or more medical tests:
-Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: The doctor eases an endoscope, a thin tube containing a tiny camera, through your mouth (or occasionally nose) and down into your stomach to look at the stomach lining. The doctor will check for inflammation and may remove a tiny sample of tissue for tests. This procedure to remove a tissue sample is called a biopsy.
-Blood test: The doctor may check your red blood cell count to see whether you have anemia, which means that you do not have enough red blood cells. Anemia can be caused by bleeding from the stomach. Your doctor may order a blood test to check for the presence of H. pylori antibodies. A positive test shows that you've come in contact with the bacteria at some time in your life, but it doesn't necessarily indicate a current infection.
-Stool test: This test checks for the presence of blood in your stool, a sign of bleeding. Stool test may also be used to detect the presence of H. pylori in the digestive tract.
Upper gastrointestinal X-ray. These X-rays of your stomach and small intestine check for signs of gastritis and other digestive problems. They're often taken after you swallow a liquid (barium) that coats the lining of your digestive tract, making it show up more clearly on the X-rays.
-Breath test.: This simple test can help determine whether you're currently infected with H. pylori bacteria.
Prognosis
Most people recover from gastritis. Depending on the many factors that affect your stomach lining, gastritis symptoms may flare up from time to time. Overall, gastritis is generally a common, mildly troubling ailment that responds well to simple treatments.
On occasion, rare forms of gastritis can be serious or even life threatening. Severe, ongoing symptoms or internal bleeding should alert your doctor to search for a more serious underlying cause.
Complications
Left untreated, gastritis may lead to stomach ulcers and stomach bleeding. Some forms of chronic gastritis may increase your risk of stomach cancer, especially if you have extensive thinning of the stomach lining and changes in the lining's cells.
Endoscopy : Gastritis hemorrhagic
Video Endoscopy of Severe gastritis
