| Gastritis, or dyspepsia, is an inflammation of
the stomach lining. Some people have gastritis after drinking too much
alcohol, eating too much, eating spicy food, or smoking. Others develop
gastritis after prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) or infection with bacteria such as Escherichia coli,
Salmonella, or Helicobacter pylori. Sometimes gastritis
develops after major surgery, traumatic injury, burns, or severe
infections. Certain diseases, such as pernicious anemia, autoimmune
disorders, and chronic bile reflux, can cause gastritis as well.
The most common symptoms are stomach upset or pain. You may also
experience belching, abdominal bloating, nausea, and vomiting or a feeling
of fullness or of burning in your stomach. If you see blood in your vomit
or stool, your stomach lining may be bleeding a bit.
Gastritis is diagnosed through one or more medical tests:
- Gastroscopy. The doctor eases a gastroscope, a thin tube
containing a tiny camera, through your mouth and down into your stomach
to look at the stomach lining. The doctor will check for inflammation
and may remove a tiny sample of tissue for tests. This procedure to
remove a tissue sample is called a biopsy.
- Blood test. The doctor may check your red blood cell count to
see whether you have anemia, which means that you do not have enough red
blood cells. Anemia can cause gastritis.
- Stool test. This test checks for the presence of blood in
your stool, a sign of gastritis.
Treatment usually involves taking antacids and other drugs to reduce
stomach acid and thereby help relieve symptoms and promote healing.
(Stomach acid irritates the inflamed tissue in the stomach.) You will also
need to avoid any foods, beverages, or medicines that cause symptoms. If
smoking is the problem, you should quit.
If your gastritis is related to an illness or infection, that problem
will have to be treated as well. For example, the doctor will prescribe
antibiotics to clear up a bacterial infection or vitamin B12 to treat anemia. Once the
underlying problem disappears, the gastritis usually does, too. Talk to
your doctor before stopping any medicine or starting any gastritis
treatment on your own.
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