| Gastritis | |||||
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- What is gastritis?
- Symptoms of gastritis
- Causes of gastritis
- Treatment of gastritis
- Important gastritis facts
Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach, which can cause a great deal of irritation and discomfort.
Mild gastritis may not even produce any symptoms, but it still needs to be treated.
Gastritis can be acute (sudden onset) or chronic (occurs gradually over time), but the effects are basically the same - an irritated stomach lining that causes pain, sometimes quite severe. Severe pain normally indicates that there is quite a lot of damage of the stomach lining and this needs to be treated quickly to prevent further damage and complications.
If gastritis becomes too severe or does not heal properly, it can cause ulcereration of the stomach lining, which eventually can erode the lining and cause a gastric (or peptic) ulcer, which is a more serious condition.
- Bloating
- Burping
- Feeling of fullness (even when not a lot of food has been eaten)
- Gas
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Upper abdominal pain
- Vomiting (of blood) may occur if there is ulceration
Gastritis is caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Alcohol - heavy drinking causes a great deal of damage to the body and in particular damages the lining of the stomach
- Bacteria - especially Helicobacter pylori, e.coli
- Bile - if there is a back-flow of bile from the small intestine into the stomach, this can irritate the stomach lining
- Medications - aspirin, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), naprogesic all cause the stomach to be irritated (but there are others)
- Stress - overproduction of acid in the stomach, which irritates the lining, is triggered by stress in some people
- Vomiting - if there is an excess of vomiting (such as in bulimia) this can cause a great deal of damage to the stomach lining
Diagnosis and testing
Initially, a doctor will do the following to diagnose gastritis:
- Examine the stomach area for pain or discomfort, by pressing down on various parts of the abdomen while the patient is lying down
- Get a full medical history of symptoms
- Prescribe over-the-counter medication
If conservative treatment does not resolve symptoms, then a special test will need to be performed by a specialist (gastroenterologist):
- Endoscopy (or gastroscopy) - this is a diagnostic test which is performed under light sedation to definitely diagnose the cause of the stomach pain; procedure is as follows
- Light intravenous sedation is given to the patient
- Gastroenterologist inserts a sterile, flexible tube with a camera at one end inside the mouth and through the eosophagus into the stomach
- Images are taken of the stomach lining
- A small amount of the stomach lining is taken to perform test to determine cause of gastritis and to ensure it is not due to a malignancy
- The procedure is usually performed on a day patient basis with patients spending only a few hours in the surgery
- Follow-up includes a breath test to determine if treatment has killed off all the helicobacter pylori bacterium
Conventional treatment
Treatment depends on the findings of the endoscopy:
- If no bacterial infection is found, then usually no treatment advice is given other than dietary and to learn to relax
- If bacterial infection is found, especially if it is of the Helicobacter pylori bacterium, a combination of antibiotics and other stomach medications is recommended to eradicate the bacteria; follow-up course of treatment may be required if the first treatment did not work
Treatment for gastritis:
- Avoid alcohol - drinking needs to be stopped, or at least greatly reduced to give the stomach lining a chance to heal properly
- Avoid the food triggers - spicy food, citrus fruit, acidic foods, chocolate, coffee, fatty foods, which can all cause gastritis symptoms to get worse
- Dietary modification - eat very bland foods which are easily digested and do not cause much acid to be produced in their digstion, such as cracker, rice, toast, ripe bananas, clear soup, baked or boiled potatoes, plain pasta until symptoms have cleared; avoid meat and other protein foods as these will cause a great deal of acid to be produced to break down the proteins in order to be digested and absorbed
- Medication - there are various medications which are used to prevent and treat the symptoms of gastritis
- Antacids - these are the first line of defence for mild to moderate gastritis, most contain calcium to provide protection for the stomach lining and help with healing; there is some controversy with their use, especially as most contain aluminium, which has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease
- Antibiotics - these are prescribed in combination with the PPI or H2 blocker drugs to get rid of the helicobacter pylori bacterium
- Histamine-2 receptor antagonist - these drugs work to inhibit acid production in the stomach, inhibiting histamine from switching on acid production; they help heal the irritation of the stomach lining
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) - these drugs (H2 blockers) work to inhibit acid production in the stomach, to help heal the irritation of the lining more quickly
- Other drugs - other drugs work to reduce stomach acid production and promote healing, sucralfate and misoprostol
- Reduce stress - stress can cause excessive acid production which greatly irritates the stomach lining because if it is happening too much, the mucous lining gets eroded by the acid which gets to the lining to cause erosion and pain ensues
- Stop smoking - smoking causes problems with the stomach lining
Alternative / complementary treatment
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
Even if gastritis is present, it needs to be diagnosed by a medical professional as the same symptoms could be confused with many other gastric disorders.
- Diet modifications - certain diet modification may be required to help with this disorder
- Avoid alcohol - alcohol is a known irritant to the stomach lining and should be completely avoided until symptom are resolved; heavy drinking can cause gastritis
- Avoid certain foods - some foods can make symptoms worse in some people - coffee, tomato and tomato products, chocolate, citrus foods and juices and in some really sensitive people the herbs peppermint and spearmint can also aggravate symptoms
- Chew food properly - chewing allows the food to be breaken up into smaller portions which do not require as much gastric juices to be produced in the stomach to break them down further for absorbtion
- Eat easily digested foods - to prevent high acid production in the stomach, it is advised to eat foods which are easily digested - bananas, rice, thin porridge, toast, crackers,
- Eat small meals - while the stomach lining is inflammed it is recommended to eat small meals to prevent the high and prolonged acid production required to break down a large meal
- Increase fibre intake - fibre can help with symptoms of chronic gastritis especially the soluble and mucilaginous fibres which protect the stomach lining from further damage; try adding a small amount of fibre each day, to build up tolerance help relieve symptoms slowly
- Limit liquids with meals - do not drink lots of water with a meal, drink it about 15 minutes before or 30 minutes after the end of a meal; the excessive water may dilute gastric juices which can cause insuifficient digestion and aborbtion which can cause chronic gastritis and other digestive disorders
- Herbs - some herbs either help to relieve symptoms or even work on healing the inflammation
- slippery elm is the best herb for gastritis (as well as for other gastric disorders)
- Chammomile - this herb has calming and anti-inflammatory properties which can be used in cases of mild to moderate gastritis to relieve symptoms and relax
- Marshamllow - a mucliaginous herb which provides protection of the stomach lining in the same way as slippery elm does; one caution is that it can lower blood sugar levels and cause "avitaminosis" (prevent proper absorption of vitamins and minerals) if used for prolonged periods
- Peppermint - as a tea, peppermint can help to calm the stomach and helps with proper digestion, especially if taken after a meal
- Slippery elm - this is an excellent herb which provides a mucilaginous (mucous-like, moist and sticky) layer around the stomach lining, protecting it from the acid in the gastric juices and greatly relieving symptoms and allows the stomach lining to heal and can assist with all types of gastritis, from mild to severe; slippery elm is available in tablet or powder form - the powder needs to be mixed with water (or a little juice) and quickly drank to get the most benefits; this is a very safe herb that is not known to produce any adverse side effects when it is used correctly
- Lifestyle modifications - are recommended to help relieve ymptoms, accelerate healing and prevent recurrence
- Avoid reclining after meals - it is important to sit up straight after meals to allow proper digestion to take place; lying down can interfere with this process in a gastrointestinal system that is compromised and cause acid to come into the eosophagus which can burn
- Relax - stress is a trigger that causes more production of the acidic gastric juices, learn to relax by any type of method - meditation, yoga, deep breathing, visualisation
- Stop smoking - smoking irritates the mucous lining of the stomach, making symptoms worse and preventing complete healing
- Minerals - there
are two minerals which are especially beneficial for this condition
- Magnesium - this is an excellent mineral to calm muscles and other body tissue, which are inflammed and may be tense due to gastritis
- Zinc - this vitamin has been shown in studies to help promote quicker healing of gastritis (and ulcers) and provides a reduction in symptoms, especially if it is combined with carnosine
- Nutrients - there are various nutrients which are especially beneficial for this condition
- Bromelain - this is an enzyme which is found naturally in pineapples and can help with proper digestion; it is found to reduce stomach pain and other symptoms, especially if it is used with other enzymes
- Cabbage juice - the juice of cabages has been traditionally used to treat and prevent gastritis (and ulcers) which has been shown in studies to be an effective treatment that promotes healing
- Digestive enzymes - these enzymes may be beneficial to assist with digestion in the stomach and intestine
- Essential fatty acids - the essential fatty acids provide anti-inflammatory properties to reduce severity of symptoms and promote healing
- Probiotics - the ratio of "good" and "bad" bacteria may be disturbed by gastritis and supplementation is required to rebalance the intestinal flora with acidophillus
- Vitamins - certain vitamins may be of assistance in people with gastitis
- Folic acid - studies show that this nutrient may be malabsorbed in people with gastritis, so supplementation is advised
- Vitamin A - this vitamin is essential in keeping the mucous membranes of the stomach lining healthy, which are damaged by the gastric acids and supplementation may be necessary
- Vitamin B12 - this B vitamin is required as it particularly stimulates the immune system to work properly and repair damage caused by helicobacter pylori; in addition, this nutrient may be malabsorbed as the intrinsic factor may not be produced adequately
- Vitamin C - this nutrient is lowered when conventional medication is used to treat gastritis that is caused by helicobacter pylori; in addition supplementation is advised as this vital nutrient may help to heal the tissues of the stomach lining; studies have shown it can heal gastritis caused by helicobacter pylori in some people and in addition, it may not be absored properly due to the gastritis
- Vitamin E - studies have shown that this nutrient may be beneficial in preventing malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract in those with chronic gastritis
- Recurrent, long-term gastritis can develop into stomach cancer in some people
- Gastritis can lead to severe ulceration and erosion of the stomach lining from the stomach acid if it is not treated
- Sometimes gastritis can lead to the development of a peptic ulcer (an ulcer in the stomach)
- It is estimated that around 50% of the world's population could be infected with higher than normal levels of the helicobacter pylori bacterium
- Slippery elm powder, an excellent herb for gastritis, can interfere with the aborption of some medications so ensure the herb and medication are taken at least 2 hours apart
- Many vitamins and minerals may be malabsorbed (not absorbed properly) in people with gastritis so supplementation may be required
Last reviewed: 14 January 2007 || Last updated: 21 August 2007
Related Articles
references
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To learn more, go to the Digestive Disease (USA) web site.
NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
