What Is Important to Know About Gastritis?


Usually, the term gastritis is used to describe different conditions concerning inflammation of your stomach’s lining. It might be acute or chronic and different gastritis types can be caused by a variety of factors.

Most of the time, it will only be minor and disappear soon after you received treatment. However, some types may cause ulcers or put you at a higher risk to develop cancer. Additionally, it’s important to follow the correct diet as it can affect your overall and digestive health.


Some common symptoms of gastritis

Tarry, black stools

Vomiting substances that look like ground coffee or blood

Appetite loss

Hiccups

A gnawing or burning feeling in your stomach at night or in between your meals

Indigestion

Vomiting

Pain in the abdomen and bloating

Recurrence of upset stomach or nausea


Certain risk factors of developing gastritis

Bacterial infection

One of the human infections worldwide that are most common is HP/helicobacter pylori, but only certain patients that have HP might develop either some disorders of the upper gastrointestinal or gastritis. Doctors feel that a patient’s vulnerability of this bacterium might be inherited, and sometimes may be caused by lifestyle choices, like your diet and smoking.


By using regular pain medications

Some pain medications such as naproxen (Anaprox, Aleve), aspirin, and ibuprofen (Motrin IB, Advil or others), may be the reason for both chronic and acute gastritis. By using these types of pain medications regularly or either using too many, can reduce the main substance which helps to preserve your stomach’s protective lining.


Your age

Older patients are at a higher risk to develop gastritis, due to the fact that the lining of their stomach generally gets thinner with age. Furthermore, autoimmune disorders or HP infection is more common among older patients as with younger patients.


Excessive use of alcohol

Alcohol may erode and irritate the lining of your stomach, which can cause the stomach to be extra vulnerable to any digestive juices. Thus, it will be much more likely to cause acute gastritis.


Stress

Stress that is severe caused through bad infections, burns, injuries, or major surgeries, may also put you at a risk to develop this condition.


Autoimmune gastritis

This condition can occur if the body attacks cells within the lining of your stomach and wears away the protective barrier of your stomach. It’s most commonly found in patients with other disorders of the autoimmune system. This can include diabetes type 1 and Hashimoto’s disease, as well as be related to vitamin B-12 deficiency.


A good diet for gastritis

Certain foods can help to manage and also lessen symptoms which may include:

Probiotics like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, and kombucha

Caffeine free drinks

Non-carbonated drinks

Low acidity foods, or with extra alkaline like vegetables

Foods low in fat like turkey breast, fish, and chicken

Any foods high in fiber like beans, carrots, broccoli, oatmeal, and apples


Foods you need to avoid

Some foods, especially with high bad fat contents can worsen your inflammation, and others may irritate your stomach’s lining, such as:

Symptomatic or allergenic foods

Foods that are spicy, fried and fatty

Carbonated drinks and fruit juices

Some fruits and foods that are acidic such as tomatoes

Coffee and alcohol


When to contact your doctor

You need to contact the doctor immediately for medical care if you experience any symptoms such as:

Chest pain

Shortness of breath

Vomiting blood

Pallor

Sweating unexplained

Vomiting some yellow or green substances repeatedly

Rapid heartbeat

Feeling faint or fainting

Abdominal pain accompanied by fever

If you are not able to take in medications, food, and fluids without vomiting


What happens once you are diagnosed with the condition?


Treatment usually will be recommended once it’s confirmed you have gastritis. Choices of treatment can depend on what actually is the cause of your condition. Certain treatments will target the cause first to try and eliminate it.


Most of the time, treatments are focused on reducing acids within the stomach, as well as to eliminate the symptoms. Your doctor can recommend avoiding anything that may trigger symptoms.

The stomach normally heals as time goes by and once they identified the underlying reason it will be corrected, and the healing process can begin. It’s important to discuss a treatment plan with your doctor and know exactly what you can expect and what will be best for your condition.