Directory Search
Gastritis
Overview:
Gastritis is a term used to describe a group of conditions characterized by inflammation of the lining of your stomach. Commonly, the inflammation of gastritis results from infection with the same bacterium that causes most stomach ulcers. Yet other factors — including traumatic injury and regular use of certain pain relievers — also can contribute to gastritis.
Signs and Symptoms:
Attacks of acute gastritis usually last one to two days and involve abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Many patients with chronic (or long-term) gastritis have no pain but may experience appetite loss or nausea.
Causes and Organs Affected:
Gastritis is commonly caused by irritants coming into contact with the stomach lining. These can include alcohol, coffee, medication such as aspirin, and tobacco smoke.
The infective organism Helicobacter pylori can also be responsible for gastritis. The presence of this bacterium in the stomach lining is a risk factor for the development of gastric ulcer disease.
Risk Factor:
Factors that may increase your risk of gastritis include:
* H. pylori infection. The most significant risk factor for gastritis is infection with H. pylori bacteria. Though it's thought to occur in half the world's population, H. pylori infection is most common in developing countries. Most people have no signs or symptoms of H. pylori infection.
* Regular use of aspirin or other NSAIDs. If you regularly take aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke, you're at risk of developing gastritis. The same is true if you take anti-inflammatory pain relievers for arthritis or another chronic condition. That's because long-term use of aspirin and other NSAIDs can cause stomach irritation and bleeding.
* Older age. Older adults have an increased risk of gastritis because the stomach lining tends to thin with age and because older adults are more likely to have H. pylori infection or autoimmune disorders than younger people are.
Treatment:
Be sure to chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly in order to keep your stomach functioning healthily. Eating on the run and when under stress can lead to an imbalance of the various digestive juices and enzymes required for proper food breakdown and absorption.
Other Information:
Remove foods from your diet which irritate your stomach. The most common culprits are alcohol, caffeine, soft drinks, citrus and hot spices. Eat more non-citrus fruits, cooked vegetables and soothing foods such as porridge.
Take the time to chew your meals properly in order to give your stomach time to prepare for the food's arrival by producing digestive juices.
Stop smoking, and avoid smoky environments.