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One common digestive problem is gastritis. This condition is also known as inflammation of the stomach or ulcer. Find out more about the causes, symptoms and treatment of gastritis below.
What is gastritis?
Gastritis (ulcer) is a disease caused by inflammation and irritation of the lining of the stomach wall. Gastritis or ulcer is divided into two, namely acute ulcer and chronic ulcer.
Acute gastritis is inflammation due to damage to the stomach wall that occurs suddenly and tends to cause more severe pain.
Meanwhile, chronic gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach that develops slowly over a long period of time, and is usually recurrent. The symptoms are usually discomfort in the stomach.
Causes of gastritis
Gastritis is most commonly caused by infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, long-term use of painkillers such as ibuprofen or aspirin, or drinking too much alcohol.
Risk factors for gastritis are:
- Frequent consumption of high-fat and spicy foods.
- Prolonged severe stress.
- Weak immune system.
- Side effects after major surgery.
- Having Crohn's disease.
- Side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer.
- Having chronic bile reflux.
- Smoking.
- Trauma from a major injury.
- Suffering from certain chronic diseases, such as kidney failure, diabetes, or cancer of the digestive organs.
Inflammation of the stomach can also be caused by autoimmune diseases, which is when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy stomach cells, causing inflammation.
Autoimmune gastritis can occur spontaneously. Very rarely, it occurs as a side effect of another autoimmune disease (one that doesn't attack the digestive system).
In addition, gastritis is also common in older people because as we age, the walls of the stomach become thinner, making them more susceptible to damage.
Symptoms of gastritis
Gastritis is generally asymptomatic until the inflammation is really severe or has been going on for a long time.
Symptoms begin to appear when the stomach lining is sufficiently damaged and can no longer defend itself against acidic, erosive fluids.
Common symptoms of gastritis are:
- Loss of appetite or feeling full quickly
- Abdominal pain and bloating
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- A feeling of fullness or tightness in the upper abdomen after eating
- Black and thick stools, like coffee grounds due to stomach bleeding
- Easy burping and farting
You can recognize the symptoms of stomach ulcers by the location of the pain. Heartburn is usually felt in the upper middle abdomen, aka the solar plexus.
The sensation of ulcer pain feels like stinging and burning or like being gnawed on, which can get better or worse after eating.
Is gastritis dangerous ?
Gastritis is generally harmless and easily treatable.
However, in some cases, it can lead to ulcers or sores in the stomach that can bleed. Bleeding from gastric ulcers can lead to anemia and problems absorbing food nutrients.
Although rare, chronic gastritis that is not treated properly can increase your risk of developing stomach cancer.
Diagnosis of gastritis
Inflammation of the stomach can be detected by its symptoms. Your doctor may then perform gastric binoculars or endoscopy to detect the presence of ulcers or irritation in your stomach lining.
The doctor may also perform other tests to confirm the diagnosis of gastritis, such as:
- Biopsy to take a sample of stomach tissue.
- Blood test to find the presence or absence of anemia.
- Helikobakter pilori urea breath test to detect the presence or absence of Helikobakter pilori bacteria in the stomach.
- Stool sample to check if you have bacteria in your stomach that can cause inflammation.
How to treat an ulcer
Ulcer treatment depends on the cause and how severe your condition is. You may need:
- Antibiotics to stop the Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection
- Ulcer medication to control stomach acid production and prevent reflux into the esophagus
- Stop taking NSAID painkillers (such as ibuprofen) or aspirin and try other medications if allowed by your doctor
- Stop drinking alcohol, if the ulcer is caused by alcohol
- Reduce the amount of caffeine-containing beverages, such as tea, coffee, sodas, and energy drinks
- Lie on your back with your head higher than your stomach to help stop stomach acid from rising up your throat during sleep.
Prevention of ulcers
You can lower your risk of developing this disease by adopting a clean and healthy lifestyle, such as washing your hands after using the bathroom and before handling food.
This can prevent gastritis caused by Helikobakter pilori infection given itsfecal-oral transmission.
In addition, you can also minimize the risk of gastritis by:
- Controlling stress.
- Avoiding foods and drinks that can irritate the stomach lining, such as alcohol, caffeine, acidic foods (such as orange juice, soda, or those containing vinegar), spicy foods, and fatty foods.
- Not taking medications, such as aspirin and over-the-counter pain and fever medications.
- Do not smoke or quit smoking.
- Allow a gap between meals and sleep, at least 3-4 hours.
- Lose weight, if you are overweight.
Consult your doctor immediately if your symptoms worsen or if you have new symptoms. If you experience bloody vomiting, blood in your stool, or black, glue-like stools, go to the nearest hospital emergency room immediately.
Thank you for reading this article. Have a nice day.
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