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Gastritis is a condition that the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed or swollen. It can be acute or chronic. If left untreated, gastritis may progress to stomach ulcers, bleeding, anemia, and even increase your risk of stomach cancer, etc.
Symptoms and Signs:
People with gastritis may not have any symptoms at all. The most common symptom of gastritis is upper abdominal discomfort or pain. It can be dull sensation, burning, sharp pain or sore. This may associated with nausea, vomiting, bloating, belching, burping, decreased appetite, loss of weight, etc. Some patients may have dark stool, black stool or positive occult blood test, and blood test may show anemia, low iron, etc.
Causes and Risk Factors:
The common causes of gastritis are:
- Medications. Such as Aspirin, NSAIDS (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc)
- Too much Alcohol consumption.
- Bacterial infection. Helicobacter pylori infection is popular cause of chronic gastritis.
- Autoimmune disorders.
- Old age.
- Bile acids reflux into stomach.
- Viral infection in immune compromised or immunosuppressed patients.
Diagnosis and Treatment:
Diagnosis of gastritis is based on clinical presentation along with one or more of the following tests:
-Blood works
-Stool studies
-Endoscopy with biopsies
-X-ray
-Ultrasound
-CT
Treatment of gastritis is usually involves one or more of the following methods:
- Life style modifications to reduce risks
- Medication therapy
- Endoscopy
- Surgery
References:
- PubMed Health.
- Wikipedia.
- Mayo clinic online health information.
- Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease- by Mark Feldman MD, et al.
- The Little Black Book of Gastroenterology-by David W. Hay.
- Principles of Clinical Gastroenterology by Tadataka Yamada, et al.
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