home Consultations Terry gastritis symptoms and treatment. Gastritis of the stomach - symptoms and manifestations. Factors causing gastritis

Terry gastritis symptoms and treatment. Gastritis of the stomach - symptoms and manifestations. Factors causing gastritis

Stress, irregular, unbalanced nutrition with a predominance of harmful foods often leads to the development of gastroenterological disease - gastritis. There can be many causes, symptoms vary, depending on the nature of the disease (acute, chronic), general health and exposure to external factors. The main methods of treating this disease include: professional help in a hospital, getting rid of the disease at home. In both cases, a special diet and medications are required.

Methods for treating gastritis at home

Gastritis is a very insidious disease that can occur in children, adults, and even during pregnancy. Doctors say the cause of its occurrence is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, high stress, poor diet, and trauma to the gastric mucosa. Several types of disease should be distinguished:

Hypoacid– there is minimal production of stomach acid and juice.
Hyperacid– gastritis, accompanied by increased acidity in the stomach.

The symptoms of this disease are:

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
weakness;
feeling of discomfort in the stomach;
lack of appetite;
heartburn, unpleasant belching with hyperacid gastritis.

Gastritis can be treated in hospital or at home. But it is imperative to follow the doctor’s advice and prescriptions, and if your health worsens or there is no positive trend, you must contact your doctor for a second consultation. If you neglect treatment, this can lead to the formation of an ulcer, and peptic ulcers are much more difficult to fight. How to treat gastritis at home:

adhere to proper nutrition;
during treatment, take medications prescribed by your doctor;
drink mineral water;
use traditional medicine for treatment.

Therapeutic diet

A prerequisite during the treatment of chronic gastritis is to follow a diet and follow all the doctor’s instructions regarding the preparation of foods. Without proper nutrition, the process of treatment and restoration of the stomach lining is very difficult, and the likelihood of relapse of the disease increases by 95%. Particular attention should be paid to the diet during an exacerbation of chronic gastritis, which is especially observed after suffering stress or during seasons when the body is especially weakened - in spring and autumn. The choice of treatment and diet depends on the type of disease and is prescribed by a doctor.

Dishes prepared with a large use of fat, oil and various spices (salt, seasonings, garlic).
Products that provoke increased secretion of juice by the stomach. These include: coffee, alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks, legumes, sausages, cabbage, smoked meats.
Foods that a priori negatively affect the lining of the stomach, for example, fatty meat, radishes, mushrooms.
I eat it hot, since exposure to high temperatures negatively affects the already inflamed lining of the stomach.

Lean fish, meat.
Fruit jelly, puree.
Low fat dairy products.
It is advisable to use a minimum amount of seasonings and salt.
It is useful to drink Borjomi mineral water to restore acidity. The recommended dose is 1 glass half an hour before meals.

For gastritis, during treatment, when there is low acidity in the stomach, it is important to follow several rules:

Eat food at a specific time every day. It is necessary to draw up a menu and a nutrition schedule, conditionally dividing the diet into 5 meals.
Chew food thoroughly - during chewing, more gastric juice is produced, and well-chopped pieces of food do not injure the esophagus and gastric mucosa.
The process of absorbing food should take place slowly.

Pickles, richly seasoned, spicy dishes.
Alcoholic drinks.
Dishes prepared by baking or frying in oil or fat.
Fatty, stringy meat, mushrooms.

The following products will be useful for gastritis with low acidity in the stomach:

Fermented milk products (kefir, cheese, cottage cheese), milk.
Fruit and vegetable puree.
Fruit juices.
Boiled or steamed chicken or rabbit meat, fish fillet.

Watch the video to find out which foods provoke inflammation of the gastric mucosa and what you should not eat during treatment and exacerbation of the disease:

Medications

Along with diet and proper nutrition, gastritis is treated with medications. Their main goal is to fight the causes, viruses that provoked the onset of the disease or its exacerbation, and relieve pain. Conventionally, for the treatment of this disease, all medications can be divided into several groups:

Antibiotics. Medicines are aimed at combating Helicobacter pylori, which provokes the development of gastritis. Doctors often prescribe the following antibiotic options: amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole. The duration of treatment cannot exceed two weeks.

Means for normalizing acidity in the stomach: (reduces the activity of enzymes that are responsible for the production of acid in the stomach); Ranitidine (the elements contained in the drug block the receptors responsible for the production of acid in the stomach).
Antacids– drugs that relieve pain, due to their enveloping properties, create a protective shell on the walls of the stomach. These treatments include: Almagel, Gastal, Maalox. The disadvantage of this drug is the need to use it throughout the day, at least 5 times.
Additionally, they can be used to treat gastritis other drugs. For example, Festal - promotes the production of enzymes that are responsible for the process of digesting certain components in the stomach (fats, carbohydrates, proteins).

Folk remedies

Often, patients with gastritis choose folk remedies to treat the disease. As a rule, this happens due to the ineffectiveness of traditional methods and reluctance to swallow packs of pills. For this purpose, medicinal herbs, plants, and beekeeping products can be used. Before you start using this or that method, you should consult your doctor; not all treatment methods are equally good and are suitable for different types of gastritis. Some medications in combination with traditional medicine can lead to complications and new stomach diseases.

The most effective folk remedies for the treatment of gastritis:

Potato juice. For 10 days, you need to drink raw potato juice in the morning on an empty stomach. After taking the product, it is recommended to lie down for half an hour or an hour.

Plantain tincture for gastritis. Preparation: pour 40 grams of plantain (leaves) with water (0.25 l), leave for 10 hours, strain through cheesecloth. It should be taken three times a day 30 minutes before meals, diluted with 2 tbsp. spoons of tincture in 0.5 cups of water. The course of treatment is 28 days.
Good effect on the gastric mucosa during gastritis propolis. Take 50 grams per liter of milk. beekeeping product and heat the mixture. Take one hundred ml every day.

Flax seeds and flaxseed oil have a beneficial effect on the gastric mucosa during gastritis. You can consume it by adding it to food, or taking one teaspoon in the morning and the night before bed, with water.
Combine crushed celandine with honey and take mixed products for gastritis for the first two days, a teaspoon and another 5 - a tablespoon.
Combine wine, honey, aloe and leave the mixture for two weeks. Take one teaspoon of home remedy daily.
Sea buckthorn oil is good for gastritis. It should be taken according to the following scheme: 1 teaspoon in the morning before breakfast and 1 in the evening before dinner.

Brewed chamomile helps reduce inflammation. During treatment, it should be taken before every meal, and to add flavor, you should add honey or milk.

Video: how to treat gastritis of the stomach according to Neumyvakin

Wanting to find an effective method of treating gastritis, many institutes and professors of medicine are working to study the disease and possible methods for getting rid of it. A panacea for gastritis has not yet been invented. Some doctors of science and doctors annually present several innovative techniques or medications, which, according to them, will be a salvation for patients.

Gastritis is an inflammatory disease of the gastric mucosa, leading to its degenerative changes. Inflammatory processes of the stomach are different in origin and course, therefore in medicine gastritis can be considered both a primary, independent, independent disease, and a secondary one, which is caused by: intoxication, an infectious agent or other non-infectious diseases. The main characteristic symptoms of gastritis of the stomach are pain in the stomach both after eating and on an empty stomach, vomiting, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, heartburn.

According to statistics, more than 60% of the population suffers from various types of gastritis, among them, in 85% of cases, gastritis has a chronic course. The most dangerous form of inflammation of the gastric mucosa is atrophic gastritis, it is essentially a precancerous condition and is found in 60% of people after 50 years of age, in the population aged 30 to 50 years - in 30% of cases, in young people under 30 years of age in 5% of cases .

Types of gastritis

According to the nature of the course, gastritis is classified into:

Acute gastritis

this form occurs as an acute inflammatory process; it develops rapidly, literally a few hours after provoking factors. Most often, acute gastritis is associated with intestinal infections or toxic infection due to ingestion of food that contains bacterial toxins, for example, staphylococcal toxins. Acute gastritis can also be caused by taking certain medications and chemicals that damage the mucous membrane - alcohol, alkaline and acidic solutions.

Chronic gastritis

This is a constant, sluggish process of disruption of the stomach, accompanied by a structural change in the mucosa and its progressive atrophy. Typically, an acute disease becomes chronic with periods of remission and exacerbations. Some patients do not experience serious ailments or severe severe symptoms for a very long time, so chronic gastritis does not allow itself to be detected for a long time. Factors contributing to the development of the disease also include poor nutrition, intake of hot, spicy foods, food allergies, infections, metabolic disorders, smoking and alcohol.

What happens during gastritis in the human body? When pathogenic bacteria multiply or an aggressive environment enters the stomach, the body’s immune system, in response to the destruction of the mucous membrane, produces special substances that try to restore the integrity of the gastric mucosa, and externally such a fight is expressed by an inflammatory reaction, pain, loss of appetite, heartburn and other symptoms.

Diagnosis of gastritis

The main method for diagnosing gastritis of the stomach is the fibrogastroduodenoendoscopy (FGDS) procedure. In this case, the condition of the gastric mucosa is examined using a probe; also, if necessary, a specialist can take a biopsy of the mucosa for a more accurate diagnosis.
To diagnose Helicobacteriosis, a blood test is taken to determine antibodies to Helicobacter - immunoglobulins A, M and G.
In case of chronic gastritis, it is advisable to do a stool test for occult blood.

Symptoms for various types of gastritis

The symptoms of this common disease have distinctive features depending on the type, nature, and duration of the inflammatory process.

However, all forms of gastritis are characterized by a number of identical symptoms:

Nausea on an empty stomach and between meals
Feeling of fullness in the stomach after eating
Heartburn
Decreased appetite
Dull pain in the stomach that occurs periodically

Acute gastritis of the stomach

Symptoms of an acute process begin to appear 10-12 hours after the provoking agent enters the body or the occurrence of an irritating factor. According to some classifications, the following types of acute gastritis with their inherent symptoms are distinguished:

Banal gastritis or catarrhal simplex

most often occurs after food poisoning or as a result of long large breaks in food intake, irregular nutrition, dry food, allergies, rotavirus infections and Helicobacteriosis. With this type of gastritis, both the mucous membrane and the blood vessels in the stomach become inflamed, but the destruction of the mucous membrane is usually insignificant, since only the surface layer of the epithelium is damaged. And the body copes with such changes on its own. Symptoms of superficial acute gastritis:

Bloating, heaviness in the stomach
Pain in the stomach on an empty stomach and after eating
Nausea and vomiting with mucus (sour taste and smell) and possibly bile (yellow-green color and bitter taste)
Intestinal dysfunction - alternating constipation and diarrhea
Decreased appetite, weakness, low blood pressure
Heartburn, increased salivation, unpleasant taste or
Headaches and dizziness,

Fibrinous

a purulent process in the stomach, which occurs quite rarely either when a foreign object enters the stomach, or as a complication during severe infections due to sepsis, or during poisoning with mercury or acids. It has all the symptoms of acute gastritis, but it also has distinctive features:

Severe, unbearable pain in the stomach
Heat
Fibrinous gastritis requires urgent medical care, emergency surgery; if the patient is not helped in time, it is dangerous with peritonitis and can be fatal.

Erosive, focal, corrosive, necrotic or toxic-chemical gastritis

Corrosive or necrotizing toxic-chemical gastritis is a chemical multifocal burn of the gastric mucosa. Its development is provoked by the ingestion of heavy metal salts, concentrated acids, and alkalis into the stomach. In this case, both the superficial and deep layers of the mucosa are destroyed, the tissues of the submucosa of the stomach die, forming scars that can no longer secrete mucus and are provocateurs of the onset of gastric ulcer. The symptoms of this gastritis are as follows:

Paroxysmal vomiting with blood, tissue particles
Severe pain behind the sternum, in the stomach
Labored breathing
The voice becomes hoarse and hoarse
Unpleasant taste in the mouth
Severe pain when pressing on the stomach

Erosive gastritis– damage to the stomach wall within the mucous membrane with the formation of surface defects called erosions. Which do not leave scars when healing. A common cause of erosive gastritis is aggression from Helicobacter pylori. Since the microbe lives more often in the antrum. It is in the outlet section of the stomach that erosive changes are most often observed. The clinic of erosive gastritis is similar to that of peptic ulcer:

fasting and early pain in the epigastrium of sucking
hungry character
heartburn, nausea, vomiting of eaten food, bringing relief

Signs of chronic gastritis

In 70% of cases, chronic gastritis is a secondary disease, that is, it appears as a complication or concomitant disease of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as cholecystitis, pancreatitis, etc.

According to the type of disease, chronic gastritis is divided into 3 types:

Type A is an autoimmune form of gastritis, when immune agents are directed against the gastric mucosa itself.
Type B - Helicobacteriosis, when the mucous membrane is affected by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.
Type C - or reflux gastritis, when bile from the duodenum is thrown into the stomach.

The course of chronic gastritis is sometimes mild, patients do not feel significant discomfort and discomfort, and only periodically there are periods of relapses and exacerbations, which are not perceived by the person as a serious disease. However, with constant unfavorable factors in most people, trauma to the mucous membrane leads to the fact that it becomes susceptible to the destructive effects of Helicobacter. As a result of infection and injury with age, the destruction of the mucous membrane triggers autoimmune processes that contribute to the progression of disorders, causing ulcers and stomach cancer.

Classification of chronic gastritis and their symptoms

Superficial gastritis

This type of gastritis occurs with mild symptoms, since damage to the mucosa occurs only in the surface layer, without affecting the gastric glands. During periods of exacerbation of the disease, more often in spring and autumn, a person develops some signs of the disease, such as stomach pain, loss of appetite, and nausea.

Atrophic gastritis

With this type of disease, both the mucous membrane and the glands of the stomach, whose function is to produce gastric juice, are involved in the inflammatory process. Gradually, the glands die, atrophy, cease to perform their functions, and the process of breaking down food in a person is disrupted. And if atrophic gastritis affects most of the surface of the stomach, then the production of gastric juice decreases, accordingly, the process of breaking down and digesting food slows down and shortens, and the person weakens. Characteristic signs of atrophic gastritis:

Belching that smells like rotten eggs
Heaviness, sharp pain in the stomach
Decreased appetite, weight loss
Heartburn is constant

Reflux gastritis

This type of disease is caused by a disruption in the functioning of the biliary system (biliary) and duodenum (duodenal). Signs of reflux gastritis include:

Chronic heartburn
Vomiting bile
Sudden weight loss
Constant dull pain and heaviness in the stomach

Antral

This is a type of superficial gastritis with high acidity. This type of gastritis has no characteristic symptoms, so it can only be recognized with a specific diagnosis, but if a person experiences heartburn, heaviness and nausea when drinking apple juice or lemon, there is a high probability that this is increased stomach acidity:

Heartburn from acidic foods
Belching sour
Constipation
Heaviness after eating
Night stomach pain, pain on an empty stomach

Hypertrophic

this is gastritis with low acidity, with the progression of which cysts appear on the walls of the mucous membrane; in fact, these are benign tumors that are dangerous due to their degeneration into malignant neoplasms. The diagnosis of gastritis with low acidity can only be established with fibrogastroduodenoendoscopy and examination of the composition of gastric contents. However, if a person really likes acidic foods and does not experience heartburn when consuming a significant amount, for example, lemons, the likelihood of low stomach acidity is high. Symptoms of hypertrophic gastritis include:

Decreased appetite
Frequent belching
Constant taste in the mouth
Constipation

Autoimmune

this gastritis occurs with diseases of the thyroid gland, Addison's disease and B12 deficiency anemia. Its signs include the following:

Constipation, diarrhea
Decreased appetite
, bloating, rumbling
Unpleasant taste in the mouth
Belching with a putrid odor
Feeling full after eating
Dull pain and nausea 20 minutes after eating
Anemia, dry, brittle nails and hair
Drowsiness, weakness, irritability

Gastritis is inflammation of the gastric mucosa, duodenitis is the part of the intestine below the stomach. The diseases have similar symptoms and treatments. In its acute form, it burns and stings in the upper abdomen in the middle or left, and can radiate to the back. Pain and discomfort go away without treatment. In the chronic form, the symptoms are less pronounced. In the case of the erosive type, the gastric mucosa is thinned; in the case of non-erosive gastritis, it is changed. If measures are not taken, the risk of developing stomach ulcers, neoplasms, and gastrointestinal pathologies is increased.

Symptoms

Gastritis affects directly the stomach, gastroenteritis affects the stomach and intestines.

The drug treatment of gastritis prescribed by a doctor is determined by the above and other symptoms:

Helicobacter pylori is treated with antibiotics, which are of no use for non-bacterial causes of gastritis.
Proton pump inhibitors reduce the production of hydrochloric acid.
Treatment of gastritis with histamine (H-2) blockers accelerates the recovery of the mucosa.
Antacids (baking soda) neutralize hydrochloric acid and can cause diarrhea or constipation;
Preparations for protecting the mucous membrane envelop and increase the formation of mucus in the stomach.
Take anti-nausea medications.

Treatment of gastritis and diet quickly eliminate symptoms.

Diet

Eating certain foods speeds up the treatment of gastritis. Eat small meals 5-6 times a day.

To suppress Helicobacter Pylori, include celery, apples, carrots, and oatmeal in your diet - they are rich in fiber.

Honey, herbal teas, foods containing omega-3, berries - blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, fruits - avocados, black currants, cranberries, grapes, as well as sprouted peas, olive oil are useful.

The review confirms that extracts of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries have an antibacterial and strong bacteriostatic therapeutic effect - they inhibit the development and reproduction of H. Pylori bacteria.

Due to possible harm, you should avoid drinks that contain caffeine (chocolate, coffee, green and black tea), mint, citrus fruits, spicy foods, tomatoes, whole milk products, sweets, and gluten-containing products.

The report confirms the successful treatment of rare collagenous gastritis in a child with a gluten-free diet.

To treat gastritis, include foods with probiotics in your diet:

The review confirms that probiotics improve digestion and intestinal motility and prevent the spread of H. Pylori.
The study confirms the benefits of probiotics (kefir, yogurt, kombucha) in the treatment of Helibacter gastritis.
The publication also confirms the benefits of using yogurt in the treatment of gastritis with antibiotics.

Chronic gastritis. After the doctor prescribes treatment, change the diet, taking into account the effect of each product on the secretory and motor function of the stomach.

Steam, boil, stew, puree, cook porridge.

Eat slowly, in small portions, but often, 5-6 times, at certain hours. Chew food thoroughly, heated to a temperature of +36..+37C.

It is especially important to follow a diet during an exacerbation, when the mucous membrane is overly sensitive.

The secretory and motor function of the stomach is almost not affected by: pureed vegetable or milk soups, boiled meat, fish or steamed omelet, eggs in a bag, whole milk or cream, low-fat sour cream and cottage cheese, weak tea with milk, jelly, diluted sweet juices and compotes, fruit purees.

The secretion of gastric juice is increased by: meat, fish, fatty and fried foods, smoked, pickled, salted, fermented milk products, baked goods, sour vegetables or fruits, seasonings and spices, coffee, tea, cocoa, carbonated drinks.

The study confirms that excessively salty and fatty foods change the cells of the stomach lining, making them more susceptible to the bacteria Helicobacter pylori.
Confirms that “red” meat may further enhance the oxidative process in H. pylori-infected individuals compared to healthy individuals. Although meat is not a risk factor for the development of Helicobacter pylori gastritis, its high salt content can aggravate H. pylori pathology.

Insufficient secretory activity. For symptoms of gastritis with reduced juice secretion, treatment should be combined with a diet that stimulates appetite and helps restore impaired secretion.

Menu for gastritis with low acidity:

Yesterday's wheat bread, uneaten cookies.
Soft-boiled eggs, fried omelette without forming a crust or steamed.
Yogurt, kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese curds.
Grated mild cheese, lightly salted soaked herring, salads of boiled vegetables with meat, fish, eggs, lean ham, liver pate, vegetable and sturgeon caviar.
Creamy, refined vegetable, ghee.
Soups with finely chopped vegetables in meat, fish, mushroom broth, pureed soups from pureed cereals in vegetable broth. Borscht, beetroot soup, fresh cabbage soup.
Puree porridge with water or milk, cereal cutlets, vermicelli.
Cutlets from veal, pork, lamb, poultry, fish.
Vegetable purees and cutlets, boiled and stewed vegetables, potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, beets, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, green peas.
Fruit purees, jelly, compotes, baked apples, honey, sugar, jam, sweets, oranges, tangerines, peeled grapes, watermelon.
Tea, cocoa, coffee with milk.
Diluted vegetable or berry juices, rosehip decoction.

Prohibited are fried, fatty meat and fish, lard, smoked, legumes, onions, radishes, cucumbers, mushrooms, sweet peppers, canned food, chocolate, garlic, horseradish, mustard, berries with small grains (raspberries, red currants), with hard skin ( gooseberries, apples), grape juice.

Food can be added with salt.

A 2009 study and review confirms that the antibacterial benefits of eating broccoli daily for one and a half to two months reduces the likelihood of H. pylori stomach infection.

Gastritis with increased secretory activity. In case of inflammation of the mucous membrane and excessive secretion of gastric juice, include the following dishes in the menu:

Steam omelet, soft-boiled eggs.
Whole or condensed milk, cream, pureed cottage cheese, mild cheese.
Lean unsalted ham, boiled vegetable salad.
Unsalted butter, refined vegetable oils added to prepared dishes.
Soups from pureed cereals, pureed soups from non-acidic vegetables in cereal broth, milk soups with small noodles.
Lean beef, veal, chicken, rabbit, turkey, fish, boiled or steamed into cutlets.
Porridge with milk or water from rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, semolina, chopped pasta or vermicelli.
Potatoes, beets, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, with caution - green peas and dill.
Sweet berries, compotes, fruit jelly, jelly, jam.
Sweet juices, rosehip decoction.
Weak tea, cocoa with milk or cream.

In the first days of an exacerbation, give up bread and vegetables. Use pureed food.

Prohibited are fatty meats, fish, salted, smoked, canned, baked goods, cabbage, turnips, radishes, sorrel, onions, cucumbers, raw vegetables and fruits, black coffee, chocolate, carbonated drinks, kvass.

Autoimmune atrophic gastritis. During treatment, include foods rich in vitamin B12 in the menu to eliminate deficiency and prevent complications.

Vitamin B12 is contained in: rabbit meat, chicken meat and eggs, kefir, Pacific oyster, herring, Far Eastern mackerel, ocean sardine, sardines in oil, trout, chum salmon, sea bass.

Folk remedies

Treatment of gastritis with herbs may initially increase pain and cause heartburn, but after a while it normalizes the condition.

Wormwood. The plant helps in the treatment of gastritis with symptoms of decreased secretion. A folk remedy reduces inflammation of the mucous membranes and stimulates appetite:

Grind wormwood, rhizomes of calamus, caraway fruits, take in equal parts.
Brew 1 tsp. mixture with a glass of boiling water, simmer in a water bath for 15 minutes, strain. Add boiled water to the broth, bringing the volume to a full glass.

Take 1 tbsp. half an hour before meals.

Calendula, chamomile, plantain, yarrow. This folk remedy treats gastritis with symptoms of increased secretion of gastric juice and has an anti-inflammatory effect:

Mix equal parts of calendula flowers, chamomile flowers, plantain leaves, and yarrow herb.
Brew 1 tsp. mixture with a glass of boiling water, leave for two hours in a sealed container, strain. Fill the volume with boiled water to a full glass.

Take a third of a glass half an hour before meals.

Garlic.

Research confirms that garlic extract reduces symptoms in the treatment of certain types of gastritis.

Research and study confirm the bactericidal effect of garlic aqueous extract against Helicobacter Pylori.

The review confirms that garlic prevents the development of Helicobacter pylori infection and stomach cancer.

Turmeric.

The review confirms the anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antidiarrheal, hypotensive, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral effects of turmeric.

Ginger.

cranberries and cranberry juice is used to prevent gastritis.

Cloves, licorice, myrrh.

A publication in The Original Internist confirms the effectiveness of licorice, cloves, and myrrh (Commiphora molmo) against H. pylori.

Modified: 06/26/2019

Gastritis of the stomach is a disease in which the mucous membrane of this organ becomes severely inflamed (read all about inflammation of the mucous membrane in this article). In this state, food is poorly digested, and the patient is bothered by various unpleasant symptoms. This article talks about what signs of gastritis of the stomach (the first symptoms) are observed in patients and what causes such an illness.

Causes of gastritis

According to research, acute or chronic gastritis occurs in more than 50% of the modern population. Moreover, the disease can be detected in both children and adults, which makes it extremely common.

And it all can start with an elementary heaviness in the stomach, which few people pay attention to.

Important! Smoking, especially on an empty stomach, can not only cause gastritis, but also give rise to the appearance of ulcers. This habit is even more dangerous when a person smokes and drinks coffee without even having breakfast.

The first symptoms of gastritis

Not all patients know where it hurts during the development of gastritis and whether there are other symptoms at all. It is important to note that the general course of gastritis largely depends on its type and form (hyperacid, atrophic, erosive, etc.), since each of them has its own characteristic signs.

In medicine there is such a thing as “breaking the stomach.” This means that due to the influence of certain factors, it can lead to an exacerbation or development of an acute form of diseases of the digestive system, including the stomach. If the symptoms are not so threatening and the diagnosis did not reveal gastritis, then you can help yourself with these means.

Thus, the following factors can cause symptoms of acute gastritis:

Binge eating.
Stress.
Excessive drinking.
Smoking several cigarettes in a row at once.

The acute form of gastritis begins with a feeling of discomfort in the stomach, which is most unpleasant after eating. In this state, a person will experience a feeling of tightness in the upper abdomen.

Gradually (about the third day) painful sensations arise in the upper part of the peritoneum. At the same time, the nature of the pain can be different - stabbing, aching, sharp or pulling.

The next clear sign of acute gastritis is heartburn. In this state it will be especially acidic and unpleasant. Also, a white dense coating may form on the patient’s tongue, indicating a disruption of the digestive tract.

Another obvious symptom of acute gastritis is nausea and vomiting mixed with bile or blood, which is usually observed after eating or prolonged fasting. In this state, even with one missed meal, a person will suffer from terrible stomach pain and nausea.

Less commonly, a person's body temperature may rise, but usually it is easily reduced with antipyretic drugs when treatment is started.

It is not often that a patient with gastritis develops weakness and bowel dysfunction.

Additional signs of acute gastritis may include constipation, loss of appetite, dizziness, bloating, dry mouth and unpleasant belching.

Important! All of the above signs may indicate not only the development of gastritis, but also other diseases of the digestive system. For this reason, if they occur, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible in order to conduct a thorough diagnosis and identify the root cause of the disease. Self-medicating in such a state and waiting for it to “go away on its own” would be extremely unwise.

Sometimes acute gastritis develops suddenly, and symptoms appear within a couple of hours. As a rule, this is observed if a person has consumed something poisonous or toxic in food, which begins to affect the gastric mucosa.

Also, if assistance is not provided in a timely manner, acute gastritis can turn into a purulent form. This will lead to terrible inflammation and high fever. In this condition, the patient needs urgent hospitalization and diagnosis. If necessary, surgery may be performed.

As for the chronic form of gastritis, it can cause the following symptoms and signs (during the period of exacerbation, which is most often observed in the off-season):

In addition, sometimes chronic gastritis is accompanied by gastric bleeding. It will be manifested by paleness of the person’s skin.

Most often, chronic gastritis worsens when the diet is violated. At the same time, its symptoms can appear within a few hours, causing a lot of unpleasant sensations in the sick person. In this condition, the patient needs to visit a doctor and begin medical therapy.

Important! Chronic gastritis can develop in people at any age. At the same time, the disease will be accompanied by periods of exacerbation and subsidence. You just need to be prepared for this and in order not to provoke a worsening of your condition, a person needs to constantly follow a diet.

Types of gastritis

The following types of gastritis are distinguished, each of which is accompanied by its own symptoms:

Gastritis with high acidity. It is usually accompanied by the development of severe pain in the navel or stomach. At the same time, the pain will disappear almost immediately after eating, and worsen during fasting.

If the pain radiates to the right side, this will indicate that gastric juice has entered the duodenum.

This form of gastritis can also cause nausea, bloating and diarrhea. It is usually caused by taking medications and poor diet.

Gastritis with low acidity. Typically, this form of the disease is accompanied by bad breath, fermentation processes in the intestines, constipation and pain. In addition, with gastritis with low acidity, a person will feel quickly full of food and suffer from increased gas formation.

This type of gastritis is easy to treat. Usually, after taking enzymes for two weeks, the patient feels improvements.

The catarrhal form of gastritis usually develops as a result of taking certain medications and alcohol. Moreover, in addition to traditional symptoms, in this state a person may suffer from weakness, lightheadedness, sleep disturbances and irritability.
Erosive gastritis is a pre-ulcerative condition of the stomach. Read here which forms of treatment for this type of gastritis are preferable.
The phlegmous form of gastritis develops due to injury to the stomach by foreign objects. In this case, the person will suffer from purulent inflammation of the organ. Symptoms of this condition include high fever, vomiting, bad taste in the mouth and abdominal pain.

When the diagnosis has already been made and there is no danger of developing an acute form, it is quite possible to treat gastritis with traditional methods.

Signs and first symptoms of gastritis of different types

Gastritis is a disease that is accompanied by inflammation that occurs in the gastric mucosa. As a result, it undergoes dystrophic changes. The disease can be primary, when it is considered as a separate ailment, and also secondary, if caused by certain pathogenic factors of a non-infectious nature.

The results of the studies indicate that more than half of the world's population suffers from this pathology, including young people. In many patients it occurs in a chronic form.

It is necessary to promptly identify the signs and symptoms of gastritis of the stomach so that treatment is faster and more effective.

Causes

The disease develops as a result of exposure to bacteria or aggressive environments. Depending on what caused the pathology, a specific treatment regimen is prescribed.

The main reasons are as follows:

Often, infection occurs as a result of exposure to the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, bad habits, neuroses, poor nutrition, and long-term use of medications. Often the cause is production factors such as metal dust and others.

Main types

According to the nature of the disease, it can be acute or chronic. In the first case, inflammatory processes develop very quickly and are accompanied by characteristic symptoms. They can appear within a couple of hours from the moment of exposure to pathogenic factors. Often, the causes of this type of illness are intestinal infections, taking certain medications containing alcohol, alkali or acid.

The pathology of the chronic form is characterized by a slow course. Signs appear gradually, and at the first stage of development they may be completely absent. As a rule, the chronic form is a consequence of an acute disease. It is characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission.

Clinical signs of acute gastritis

The first symptoms of the acute course of the disease are intense pain in the epigastric region. The temperature may rise, but only slightly, up to 38 degrees. Often there is a feeling as if the stomach is full. Sometimes sour belching with an unpleasant odor appears (with increased acidity). Patients note the appearance of a white coating on the tongue, strong salivation, nausea, which can result in vomiting containing undigested food debris.

One of the clinical manifestations of acute gastritis is stool disturbance. The most common concern is its instability, that is, constipation alternates with diarrhea. In addition, general symptoms appear, such as dizziness, weakness, and lack of appetite.

General symptoms of chronic gastritis

Chronic forms of the disease are characterized by the absence of symptoms or their insignificant manifestation. But this only applies to the remission stage. During exacerbations, the symptoms become more pronounced.

The following symptoms are noted:

aching pain in the stomach that appears after eating and at night;
feeling of a full stomach;
unpleasant taste in the mouth;
nausea, sometimes vomiting;
belching;
heartburn;
constipation

The disease does not always occur with all of the above clinical manifestations. Most often, only some of them appear, or even no symptoms at all. It is also worth noting that these signs are characteristic of other diseases of the digestive system, which makes diagnosis difficult.

Types of chronic gastritis with characteristic symptoms

The chronic form of the disease is divided into the following types:

surface– has mild clinical manifestations (pain, lack of appetite, nausea), only the upper layer of the mucous membrane is damaged without involving the glands in the inflammatory process;
atrophic– the pathological process affects not only the surface layer of the mucous membrane, but also the glands, as a result of which digestion is disrupted, the manifestations are more pronounced (lack of appetite, weight loss, heartburn, belching of rotten eggs);
reflux gastritis– the cause of development is disruption of the duodenum and biliary system organs, symptoms manifest themselves in the form of chronic heartburn, vomiting, weight loss, dull pain in the stomach;
antral– a type of superficial form, the pathology occurs with increased acidity, there are no characteristic signs, sometimes heartburn, belching, pain at night and on an empty stomach occur;
hypertrophic– the pathological process occurs with low acidity, characterized by such clinical manifestations as loss of appetite, belching, constipation;
autoimmune– the cause of the development of the disease is a disruption of the thyroid gland, B 12 deficiency anemia and the presence of other diseases, clinical manifestations are constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, bloating, putrid belching, a feeling of fullness in the stomach, brittle nails and hair, general weakness.

Diagnostic examination

To correctly establish a diagnosis, it is necessary to carry out certain diagnostic tests.

To determine it, the following are used:

gastroscopy – using a special apparatus, the mucous membrane of the organ is examined;
study of gastric secretions in a laboratory;
blood and stool tests;
biopsy of the mucous membrane of the digestive organ.

First of all, when conducting a diagnosis, a specialist aims to establish the cause that led to the development of the disease. Treatment depends on this.

How to treat gastritis?

First of all, it should be noted that the treatment regimen must be prescribed by a doctor, based on the results of the studies. Self-medication is unacceptable.

It is easiest to cure the acute form of the disease, since it immediately manifests itself with characteristic symptoms, which allows you to start therapy in a timely manner, preventing the development of the pathological process.

If there is high acidity, medications are used to reduce it:

Phosphalugel;
Ranitidine;
Atropine and others.

To restore digestive function, the following medications are prescribed:

If the disease is infectious in nature, the following drugs are recommended:

Esomeprazole;
Amoxicillin;
Pilorid and others.

Dosages of drugs are selected by a specialist, taking into account the characteristics of the patient’s body, the course of the disease and other factors.

Diet as an additional treatment

Regardless of the effectiveness of medications, treatment of gastritis cannot be accomplished without following a diet. It is especially strict in the acute form of the disease. During this period, almost all foods are prohibited, and the diet is expanded only when the remission stage begins. This usually takes about 3−5 days.

Any type of illness requires complete abstinence from alcohol-containing drinks, smoking, fried and fatty foods. Spicy foods are not recommended. It is advisable to introduce boiled food into the diet. Recommended are porridges, light soups, steamed vegetables and other foods that do not overload the stomach and also do not irritate its mucous membrane.

Despite serious dietary restrictions, fasting is also harmful. On the contrary, you need to eat often, but in small portions.

Treatment with folk remedies

Traditional medicine methods are used simultaneously with drug treatment and diet, but in no case as the main therapy.

The following recipes are used:

1 tbsp. a spoonful of St. John's wort is poured into a glass of hot water and infused for about 2 hours, the product is taken twice a day, 3 tbsp. l. to get rid of nausea;
mix calamus, stinging nettle, chamomile flowers in equal proportions, then 1 tbsp. l. the collection is poured into a glass of water and boiled in a water bath for about 15 minutes, take a third of a glass three times a day;
fireweed leaf (15 g) is poured with a glass of boiling water and simmered in a water bath for 10 minutes, take 1 tbsp. l. three times a day – fireweed infusion helps with high acidity;
aloe juice (200 g) is mixed with honey (200 g) and red wine (500 g), the product is infused in the dark for 2 weeks, take 1 tbsp. l. three times a day;
Juice is squeezed out of cabbage leaves, which is slightly heated and taken twice a day, half a glass, an hour before meals.

Treatment with traditional methods is carried out only after consultation with the attending physician.

The first signs of gastritis

Diseases of the digestive system occur in people of all ages; gastritis is considered one of the most common. By recognizing its symptoms in time, you can choose the appropriate treatment and reduce the risk of complications. Considering how “younger” the disease has become and how many children and adolescents suffer from it, it is important for every adult to know its first manifestations.

General information about the disease

The stomach is one of the main organs of the body’s digestive system, where food digestion processes begin. Its main functions are the reception and digestion of food that enters the esophagus, the secretion of juice to break down foods and enzymes, and the absorption of some of the substances that enter the body with food.

The walls of the stomach tend to expand due to their muscular basis, but its mucous membrane also plays an important role in the functionality of the organ. The juice produced by the stomach contains various components, including hydrochloric acid, which has the most powerful properties of all acids in the human body. When the stomach is healthy, hydrochloric acid does not have a negative effect on it.

When the mucous membrane becomes inflamed under the influence of hydrochloric acid, this leads to disruption of the functionality of both it and the entire stomach. This condition is called gastritis, the first symptoms of which usually appear immediately after the onset of inflammation. Increasingly, the disease is being diagnosed in children, and disorders of the gastric mucosa can appear immediately after completion of lactation and the transition to regular food. According to statistics, gastritis most often affects people aged 7–14 years, 25–30 years and over 40 years.

According to various estimates, about 90% of people in the world suffer from gastrointestinal diseases, among which gastritis occupies one of the leading places.

Gastritis is often caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, but other factors can also influence the development of the disease. These include:

smoking, alcohol abuse and other bad habits;
bad eating habits: eating on the go, lack of routine;
consumption of fast food, processed foods and other unhealthy foods;
taking certain medications such as antibiotics, hormonal agents;
frequent stress;
deterioration of the body's immune system.

Dependence of symptoms on species

What the first signs of acute gastritis will be depends largely on the type of disease. The table below shows the common forms of the disease, the reasons why they occur, and their main symptoms:

The chronic form of the disease also includes several types, on which the symptoms depend. The main ones are:

Surface. The least severe chronic form of gastritis. Typically, symptoms of superficial gastritis appear periodically and are often related to the time of year - they appear in autumn and spring. The main signs of the disease are minor stomach pain, discomfort, nausea, loss of appetite and sudden weight loss.
Atrophic. This form of chronic gastritis affects many digestive processes. Its main symptoms are heartburn, bad breath (often tastes like rotten eggs), heaviness in the stomach and periodic pain.
Hypoacid. This is chronic gastritis, accompanied by low acidity. Symptoms are mild and usually include frequent constipation, heartburn, and belching.
Hyperacid. Chronic gastritis, accompanied by high acidity. A characteristic early symptom is the appearance of heartburn, belching and pain in the abdomen, even after eating a small amount of acidic foods.

Autoimmune gastritis, which often becomes chronic, has special symptoms. Its causes are disorders of the thyroid gland, disorders of the endocrine and immune systems. Against the background of disruption of digestive processes, there is a deterioration in the condition of the skin, hair, nails, weight loss, and a depressed emotional state.

Common symptoms in the early stages

The first signs of gastritis of the stomach depend on what form the disease has and what triggered it. However, there are also general symptoms that are characteristic of most cases of the disease. In the early stages, gastritis has the following manifestations:

painful sensations in the upper abdomen, under the ribs;
a feature of the pain syndrome is its sudden onset and the same subsidence;
heartburn or a burning sensation in the esophagus after eating, especially after eating acidic foods;
belching, which depends on the level of acidity: when high - with a sour taste, when low - with a taste of rotten eggs;
nausea after eating or in the morning, immediately after waking up;
stool disorders: diarrhea, constipation or their alternations.

The way the main symptoms of gastritis manifest distinguishes it from other diseases of the digestive system:

Heartburn. It is a burning sensation under the sternum that moves to the throat, causing discomfort. Most often it manifests itself in gastritis with high acidity, and can appear regardless of food intake.
Nausea. This symptom is characteristic of most gastrointestinal diseases, but with gastritis it appears in two cases: with “hunger pains” - when a person decides not to eat for 4-6 hours or, conversely, immediately after eating.
Attacks of vomiting. They usually appear immediately after attacks of nausea, followed by relief. The vomit may contain particles of undigested food. If blood impurities are noticed, they are a symptom of the erosive form of gastritis.
Painful sensations in the abdomen. They occur in different cases: after eating food and not depending on it, after eating fatty, acidic and other foods, after drinking large quantities of liquid.
Discomfort after eating, which does not depend on the person’s position. In a horizontal position it usually only intensifies.
Belching accompanied by an unpleasant odor. This could either be an undigested smell, depending on what foods were consumed, or a sour taste.
Bloating. Usually accompanied by prolonged flatulence. Due to bloating, there is constant discomfort; the person cannot sit or lie in certain positions. Due to increased gas formation, the quality of life deteriorates.

The first signs of childhood gastritis

Children are more susceptible to gastrointestinal diseases than adults, which is explained by the fact that their digestive system is just developing. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori develops especially quickly in a child’s body.

The main signs of gastritis in children are the same symptoms as in adults, but they have some features:

The first signs of gastritis

Gastritis is an inflammatory disease that affects the gastric mucosa as a result of certain etiological factors. As a rule, gastrointestinal disease develops from frequent consumption of alcohol-containing drinks, smoking, stressful situations, and constant consumption of spicy, fatty and smoked foods. Pathology can also develop in a person who abuses medications. Gastrointestinal disease can provoke the development of ulcerative formations in the gastrointestinal tract.

General symptoms

In most cases, at an early stage of development, the clinical picture can develop asymptomatically. The first signs of gastritis are based on the following indicators:

pain in the abdomen and under the sternum - the nature of this symptom can be aching, spasmodic, sharp and stabbing. The feeling of pain is caused by eating unhealthy foods, alcohol, frequent smoking or fasting. The syndrome may appear abruptly and gradually disappear;
Heartburn – a burning sensation in the esophagus can occur due to increased acid in the lower part of the esophagus. If a person is often bothered by heartburn, this may indicate the development of gastritis with an increased level of hydrochloric acid;
belching - in case of a disease with an increased level of hydrochloric acid, this symptom manifests itself with a sour odor, and in case of a low level - a rotten odor;
nausea and vomiting - signs of vomiting with this gastrointestinal disease are rare, and a feeling of nausea can occur after every meal or sleep;
disruption of the intestines - the disease is characterized by constipation or diarrhea, but this symptom is not an indicator of gastritis.

It should be noted that such a clinical picture is not always a manifestation of gastritis. Therefore, if such symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor.

Symptoms of acute gastritis

The acute form of the disease can begin from a foreign body entering the stomach. Instantly, inflammation begins in the human body, which leads to disease. Doctors identify the symptoms of gastritis of the stomach in acute form:

If the patient has identified such signs, then a timely consultation and diagnosis of the disease will help to identify the onset of the erosive process in the stomach and prescribe the correct treatment.

Sometimes acute gastritis can be accompanied by erosion, which adds another symptom to the symptoms - internal bleeding. The patient notices that there are dark blood streaks or blood clots in the vomit, and the stool becomes darker in color. In this case, the clinical picture may be supplemented by the following:

dark stool;
a sharp increase in temperature;
general weakness throughout the body;
prolonged hiccups.

In this case, you need to urgently consult a doctor. Otherwise, the patient develops a chronic illness.

Symptoms of chronic gastritis

The chronic type of pathology is characterized by slow progression. Signs of gastritis of the stomach in this form are erased. The following first symptoms may indicate the development of the disease:

In severe stages of the disease, the patient feels constant satiety, weight decreases noticeably, the color and appearance of the skin, hair, nails deteriorate, and constant fatigue.

Chronic gastritis can worsen, so it is characterized by special symptoms:

If gastritis occurs with erosions or other damage to the mucous membrane of the organ, then the patient experiences vomiting with blood in the morning. Gastric bleeding manifests itself as almost black stool. Heavy bleeding is characterized by pale skin, tinnitus and dizziness.

Symptoms of high and low acidity

A disease with a high content of hydrochloric acid is characterized by general symptoms that are inherent in any gastritis, as well as:

diarrhea;
frequent belching;
pain in the solar plexus area;
heartburn after acidic foods.

In case of a lack of enzymes and a low level of acid in the stomach juice, the following signs appear:

nausea in the morning;
unpleasant odor from the mouth;
rotten belching;
defecation disorders;
heaviness in the gastrointestinal tract after eating.

Symptoms of other forms of gastritis

With erosive gastritis, the patient notices the following symptoms:

belching;
bloating;
diarrhea and constipation.

As the erosive areas increase, the patient’s general well-being worsens. Paroxysmal pain begins in the abdominal area, accompanied by heartburn, nausea and vomiting. Severe disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system are also characteristic, liquid stools mixed with blood, which indicates internal bleeding.

flatulence;
nausea;
discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract.

The first signs of superficial gastritis are:

pain under the right rib;
heaviness after eating;
severe inflammation of the organ mucosa;
the patient quickly feels full with a minimum amount of food consumed;
diarrhea, constipation;
nausea and vomiting;
belching;
heartburn.

Atrophic gastritis has the same symptoms as other forms of the disease. The following symptoms help identify this form:

Antral gastritis develops with increased acidity of the juice. This disease can be accurately diagnosed after examination, but doctors have identified the first signs that indicate the formation of pathology:

abdominal pain;
dyspepsia;
nausea;
bloating.

At the first manifestation of symptoms, you should seek medical help.

What are the symptoms and signs of gastritis?

We are what we drink and eat. As medical statistics show, both the first and second of the modern city dweller want the best. The body fights modern nutrition technologies with all its might. The first blow of food insecurity is taken by the stomach. This unequal struggle and the symbol of defeat in it is a manifesto of gastritis, truly one of the leading diseases of our time.

Since the middle of the 20th century, the number of gastrointestinal diseases has doubled;
According to various estimates, today up to 90% of the “civilized population” of the planet have certain gastrointestinal diseases;
Inflammation of the gastric mucosa leads among gastrointestinal diseases: 8 out of 10 cases of digestive system diseases are gastritis.

Particular attention should be paid to the definition of “civilized population”. Gastritis is a disease of the middle class, white collar workers and residents of big cities. The poorest population of the Earth, the savage tribes of Africa show appalling statistics of mortality from epidemics of fever or typhoid fever; however, studies of the gastrointestinal tract of residents of these regions are impressive: with constant malnutrition, and by no means a standard diet, cases of gastritis or ulcers are isolated and completely incomparable with the threatening statistics that come to the World Health Organization from the so-called first world countries.

Moreover, yesterday, still prosperous developing countries showed a steady increase in the incidence of gastritis. The relationship between material wealth and gastritis is the most direct. As soon as a poor Laotian man who has moved to a big city to work has an extra dollar, he stops buying rice and turns to more “civilized” food and drinks - fast food and alcohol. Therefore, we can argue quite seriously that gastritis is a disease of globalization. In order to feed the growing world population, producers are forced to reduce the quality of food. And this is an objective factor. However, the behavior of each individual person is a subjective factor. We have the power to reconsider our lifestyle, eating habits and the structure of food costs in the overall structure of our expenses. For example, replacing cigarettes and evening beer with a kilogram of additional vegetables.

The first signs of gastritis

However, we think about such global changes in our own lives, as a rule, after we feel that “something is going wrong.” This “not so” is usually expressed in:

Discomfort, tightness (especially after eating) in the epigastric region (upper peritoneum);
Pain in the same area;
Heartburn, “sour” belching;
White, “coated” tongue;
Manifestations of dyspepsia (nausea, vomiting, stool disorders);
Increase in temperature to subfebrile (37 o).

All of these symptoms themselves may be the consequences of a simple disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. However, if there is a combination of two or more of these conditions, you should prepare for a long relationship with a gastroenterologist. At a minimum, visit this specialist and confirm the diagnosis. Gastritis is the first point in a chain of dangerous conditions - ulcers, precancer, stomach cancer. Gastritis cured in time will become the first and last link in this chain.

Types of gastritis

It is necessary to clarify one important point - the described symptoms signal the manifestation of so-called “acute” gastritis. Meanwhile, this disease can occur without these pronounced unpleasant sensations. In the latter case, we can talk about chronic gastritis. The first can flow into the second, the second can escalate first. Let's look at each form of gastritis in more detail.

Acute gastritis

So, this is the primary disease of gastritis. It can develop due to:

Abuse of strong alcoholic beverages;
Irritation of the gastric mucosa by chemicals (for example, medications);
Sudden change in the acid-base balance of the stomach (due to the use of substances with a pronounced pH factor);
Questionable quality of food.

In order for gastritis to start quickly and aggressively, certain preparatory work is necessary in the form of fast food, unsystematic and unregulated nutrition. The latter is important: studies have shown that even an unbalanced diet cannot cause gastritis. Thus, the indigenous peoples of the North have a predominantly protein-lipid diet, with a predominance of meat, fish, animal by-products and a pronounced lack of vegetables, cereals, etc. At the same time, there is no talk of gastritis for people who have been eating this set of products for generations.

Moreover, specialists who studied northerners found that between meals the acid content in gastric juice samples was absent or sharply decreased. This is explained simply. The diet of these peoples is strictly regulated. There are no snacks due to the strict daily routine and the need to thermally process all food. Accordingly, the acid enters the stomach at strictly defined times of eating. The modern city dweller, who has access to a balanced diet of organic products, has a stomach constantly filled with acid - he does not know at what point to expect the intake of easily accessible food. Plus - it (the stomach) is disoriented by stress, which either eats or “starves”; force majeure, when food is simply forgotten; all-inclusive, when food and alcohol enter the body non-stop for a long time (counting on subsequent fasting, of course). All this creates excellent conditions for thinning of the gastric mucosa due to an imbalanced acid-base balance.

These conditions become an ideal environment for the proliferation of Helicobacter pylori. The discovery and description of this famous bacterium was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005; it completely changed the principles of treatment of gastritis and gastric ulcers. If earlier treatment was symptomatic, aimed at relieving gastritis syndromes, or surgical in particularly advanced cases, today antibiotics have come to the fore in the treatment of stomach diseases. However, about Helicobacter pylori and methods for diagnosing it are below.

Chronic gastritis

Acute gastritis lasts up to 5 days. Gradually the symptoms weaken. If treatment is not followed, it can become chronic. Chronic gastritis can also develop as a primary condition, gradually. Its signs are blurred.

The following symptoms of chronic gastritis can be listed:

Heaviness in the stomach after eating persists for hours;
Changes in stool, poor digestion of food (dyspepsia);
Poor appetite;
Heartburn;
Belching with foul odor;
Pain of various types.

The patient’s quality of life depends on the extent of the disease. In mild forms, appetite is preserved and symptoms are not expressed. More severe forms include lack of appetite, weight loss, deterioration in the appearance of skin, hair, nails and other things, changes in blood biochemistry, chronic fatigue syndrome...

Diagnosis of gastritis

Despite the pronounced symptoms, an accurate diagnosis of gastritis can be made only after a fibrogastroscopic examination (FGS). This procedure involves preparation: fasting for at least 10–12 hours before the test (therefore, the test is usually scheduled for the first half of the day). The essence of FGS is the examination of the walls of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum using a microcamera, as well as the collection of gastric material for examination. This can include gastric juice and scraping (biopsy) of ulcerated areas of the digestive system. Subsequently, this material is sent to the laboratory and the main thing is determined - whether the same Helicobacter pylori is present at the site of ulceration.

Gastritis is the most common disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Patients often make this diagnosis themselves. You can often hear: “I have a pain in the pit of my stomach, heaviness in my stomach, which means I have gastritis.”

Term gastritis used to denote inflammatory and structural changes in the gastric mucosa of different course and origin. Gastritis is a difficult diagnosis.

It is the structural changes in the gastric mucosa that occur with impaired recovery (or regeneration), as well as atrophy (reduction in volume) of epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa and the replacement of normal glands with fibrous tissue (or fibrous tissue, which is no longer able to perform its secretory function) that is called gastritis, a disease that usually lasts a long time.

However, gastritis is a morphological diagnosis (a diagnosis in which there are structural changes) and clinically it may be asymptomatic.

Or may have the following symptoms.

In the first place for this diagnosis is pain syndrome. Pain is the first and main symptom that worries patients the most and forces them to see a doctor. Pain occurs in the epigastric (or epigastric) region, it usually occurs 1.5 - 2 hours after eating, it can be sharp, strong or dull pressing.

There is also the so-called dyspeptic syndrome which is observed in most patients. Patients experience a burning sensation in the epigastric region (or heartburn) and sour belching, which indicates the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus (reflux), and there may also be nausea and vomiting during exacerbation.

But it may also be that the patient has many complaints, but there are no structural changes, then they talk about functional dyspepsia.

Gastritis is divided into acute and chronic.

Acute gastritis

Acute gastritis - acute inflammation of the gastric mucosa that occurs when exposed to poor quality food or the use of certain medications. Acute gastritis, in turn, is divided into catarrhal, fibrinous, corrosive and phlegmonous.

Catarrhal gastritis is an acute inflammation of the gastric mucosa after a single intake of poor quality food, systematic malnutrition, and severe stress.
Fibrinous gastritis (diphtheritic) is an acute gastritis that is characterized by diphtheritic inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Occurs in severe infectious diseases, poisoning with sublimate, acids.
Corrosive gastritis (necrotic gastritis) is an acute gastritis with necrotic tissue changes that develops when concentrated acids or alkalis enter the stomach.
Phlegmonous gastritis is acute gastritis with purulent inflammation of the stomach wall. Occurs during injuries, as a complication of gastric ulcer.

Chronic gastritis

Chronic gastritis - long-term inflammatory damage to the gastric mucosa, which occurs with its structural restructuring and disruption of the secretory (acid- and pepsin-forming), motor and endocrine (synthesis of gastrointestinal hormones) functions of the stomach.

Classification depending on the cause:

Helicobacter pylori gastritis (gastritis in which Helicobacter pylori is found in the body, a spiral-shaped bacterium that infects various parts of the stomach and duodenum). With this type of gastritis, the entrance section of the stomach (antrum, see figure) is usually affected.
Autoimmune gastritis of the body of the stomach
Chronic reflux gastritis
Radiation, infectious gastritis, etc. (not related to Helicobacterрylorі)

Classification of gastritis based on types of secretion

Gastritis with increased secretion
Gastritis with normal secretion
Gastritis with secretory insufficiency

By localization gastritis is divided into

Antral (gastritis of the pyloric or outlet region, see figure)
Fundal (gastritis of the fundus of the stomach)
Pangastritis (common gastritis of the stomach)

Diagnosis of gastritis

When you experience the first complaints, pain and/or feeling of heaviness, bloating in the abdomen, belching, sour heartburn, or feeling unwell, you should immediately consult a doctor, because gastritis can be complicated by peptic ulcers and even stomach cancer.

First of all, the doctor finds out the nature of the complaints, their duration, the nature of the diet, and the presence of stressful situations.

In order to make a morphological diagnosis of gastritis, as well as to establish whether it is associated with Helicobacter pylori, it is necessary to conduct a number of diagnostic studies, such as: endoscopic examination, ph-metry (can be performed during an endoscopic examination or as a separate procedure), urease test for Helicobacter pylori, PCR of the gastric and duodenal mucosa, blood ELISA to determine antibodies to Helicobacter pylori.

The most important method in diagnosing gastritis is endoscopic examination , in which a special probe (endoscope) equipped with a video camera is inserted into the stomach and duodenum, with which the stomach and duodenum are examined. From the most changed areas during endoscopy, a biopsy (a piece of tissue) is taken for histological examination (a method that examines the structure of the tissue to exclude cancers and precancerous diseases of the stomach). It is also possible to perform ph-metry (measuring the acidity of the stomach contents) during endoscopy. It is the endoscopic method that determines the morphology of the mucosa, the degree of its damage, the depth of the damage and the localization of the pathological process.

Breathing is also widely used urease test for Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacterрylorі in the process of life produces urease (a special enzyme that accelerates the processing of urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide). This method, using a special device, allows you to compare the levels of gas composition in the original, normal version and with high urease activity.

To determine whether an organism is infected with Helicobacter pylori, you can use the method PCR diagnostics (polymerase chain reaction) - determination of Helicobacter рylor DNA sections in a biopsy sample of the gastric and duodenal mucosa. And ELISA diagnostics - an enzyme-linked immunosorbent test that determines the presence of IgA, IgM and IgG antibodies (immunoglobulins) to Helicobacter pylori in the blood. IgA and IgM indicate early infection (appear a few days after infection), and IgG indicate late infection (appear a month after infection).

Diagnosis of autoimmune gastritis includes the detection of antibodies to pariatal cells of the stomach, carried out by ELISA diagnostics.

Treatment of acute gastritis

To cleanse the stomach, give the patient 2-3 glasses of water and induce vomiting. In case of chemical poisoning, gastric lavage is carried out using a thick gastric tube. Washing is carried out until the wash water is clean. During the first two days, no food is taken and a water-tea diet is prescribed. Then the diet is expanded, including slimy soups and cereals, jelly, white flour crackers, and soft-boiled eggs.

To eliminate pain, antispasmodics (for example, no-spa) and antacids (for example, Gaviscon, Rennie) are used; enterosorbents are recommended; prokinetics are prescribed for vomiting. For acute toxicoinfectious gastritis, antibiotics are needed.

Treatment of chronic gastritis

In the treatment of gastritis, much attention should be paid to lifestyle changes, try to avoid stress, follow a daily routine, get rid of bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol), and of course follow dietary recommendations:

For patients with gastritis, it is necessary to exclude fried foods, rich meat and fish broths, do not overeat, eat 5-6 times a day
Do not consume foods that contribute to heartburn: strong tea, coffee, chocolate, carbonated drinks, alcohol, onion, garlic, butter
Consume boiled meat, boiled fish, steamed food, pureed cereal soups (rolled oats, rice)
Eat less cabbage, legumes, milk - foods that promote flatulence

Treatment of chronic gastritis with medications

- When stomach acidity is increased -

If a patient has gastritis with increased secretory activity, therapy for gastritis includes drugs that reduce gastric acidity, the so-called proton pump inhibitors.

They share five generations

Omeprazole (Omez)
Lansoprazole (Lanzap),
Pantoprazole (Nolpaza, Zypantol)
Rabeprazole (Pariet)
Esomeprazole (Nexium)

As well as antacid drugs (Gaviscon, Rennie, Almagel, Maalox). It is preferable to use preparations containing carbonates and not containing aluminum (Gaviscon, Rennie).

Antacids are first aid medications in case of heartburn in a patient If it is difficult to see a doctor at the moment, the patient can take an antacid on his own.

Physiotherapy

For gastritis with increased secretion, it is recommended to use amplipulse therapy and a microwave electromagnetic field. Physiotherapy is carried out only during the period of remission.

Treatment with folk remedies

For gastritis with increased secretion, it is recommended to drink herbal decoctions that have an enveloping, protective effect. Such herbal remedies include flax seeds, burdock root, coltsfoot leaves, calendula flowers, chamomile flowers. Medicinal raw materials are infused, take 2 tbsp. l. 4 times a day 10-15 minutes before meals.

From mineral waters, you can use low-mineralized alkaline waters: Borjomi, Slavyanskaya, Smirnovskaya. It should be consumed warm (the water is heated to remove excess carbon dioxide, which stimulates the secretion of gastric juice), degassed in ¾ cup 3 times a day an hour before meals.

- When stomach acidity is reduced -

For gastritis with reduced secretion, the gastroprotective drug Bismuth tripotassium citrate (De-nol) is used. Replacement therapy is also indicated: gastric juice, pepsidil, acidin pepsin, bitterness (tincture of dandelion root, tincture of wormwood herb).

Physiotherapy

Galvanization, electrophoresis of calcium and chlorine enhances the secretion of gastric juice.

Treatment with folk remedies

To increase the acidity of gastric juice, use: cabbage juice, apple juice, or grated apple, as well as grated pumpkin and raw potato juice. The goal of herbal medicine for gastritis with low acidity is to stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and also relieve inflammation.

The following medicinal plants are used: rhizomes of calamus, calendula flowers, chamomile flowers, yarrow herb, dandelion flowers, large plantain leaves. The herbs must be crushed, dosed (1 teaspoon of each herb), mixed, and the medicine prepared. Pour a tablespoon of the mixture into a glass of boiling water, heat in a water bath for 15 minutes, leave until it cools (about 45 minutes), add boiled water to the initial volume, take 2 tbsp. l. 4 times a day

You can also use tincture of wormwood herb, 15-20 drops 20 minutes before meals. This bitter tincture will stimulate the secretory function of the stomach.

For gastritis with low acidity, mineral waters are also used for treatment. In this case, there is no need to heat the water. You need to drink water slowly ¾ glass 20 minutes before meals. It is best to use “Essentuki-4”, “Essentuki-17”.

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori chronic gastritis

If tests are positive for Helicobacter pylori, a weekly triple treatment regimen, or “quadruple therapy,” is prescribed. Treatment regimens are selected for each patient by the attending physician.

A triple weekly treatment regimen includes the use of a combination of antibiotics sensitive to Helicobacter pylori, as well as proton pump inhibitors. Quadruple therapy - antibiotics, antibacterial agents, proton pump inhibitors, gastroprotectors.

After a month or two, it is necessary to take a repeat test for Helicobacter pylori, and if the result is positive, decide on the issue of repeated anti-Helicobacter therapy, taking into account the patient’s complaints.

Treatment of autoimmune gastritis

In the initial and progressive stages of the disease with preserved secretory function of the stomach, with a serious disruption of immune processes, glucocorticosteroid hormones are prescribed (short courses).

At the stage of stabilization of the process, in the absence of clinical manifestations, the patient does not need treatment.

Treatment of chronic reflux gastritis

To prevent the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus, prokinetics are prescribed - drugs to improve gastrointestinal motility (for example, Trimedat, Motilium).

Be healthy!

Therapist Evgenia Anatolyevna Kuznetsova