Gastritis: Side Effects, Treatments, Symptoms

Gastritis is undoubtedly one of the most common digestive diseases that exist, and as you already know, it tends to affect the health of your stomach, causing very undesirable symptoms. It is not a nervous gastritis since it manifests itself due to the nerves and causes an inflammation of the stomach lining.

This disease occurs for a short time or it can be prolonged, that is, you will suffer from acute gastritis when it occurs for a short time, but if it lasts for months or years then we will speak of a chronic gastritis. You will feel pain in your upper stomach, causing nausea and possibly vomiting as well.

These symptoms translate into a lack of appetite, you will not feel like eating for fear of post-meal symptoms, so the consequences are more serious than you think. Your lifestyle will be affected; But do not worry, it will be of great help for you to know everything about this disease, because gastritis is treatable , and then you will find out everything you need to cure this disease.

What is gastritis?

The first thing you should know is what is gastritis? It is necessary to know the concept and then delve into everything that is part of it, such as its origins, its characteristics, its causes, and much more information that will help you understand the disease that you, or a close family member, even a friend suffer from. that you want to help.

Well, gastritis is an inflammation of the gastric mucosa, this mucosa is the layer of cells with which the stomach is lined on the inside, it is responsible for protecting it against the acidity of gastric juices.

This term is often used as a synonym for dyspepsia, but it is not correct since dyspepsia is pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen and causes other symptoms such as: burning and pressure related on many occasions by food, although not necessarily.

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Origins of gastritis

The origins of gastritis can be for different reasons:

• Infectious origin: this can be viral or bacterial.
• Autoimmune disorders: these affect the gastric mucosa when some antibodies attack it, thus causing it to thin.
• Irritation: this can be caused by anti-inflammatory medications, or by other drugs, as well as by alcohol or chronic vomiting; the excessive secretion of gastric acid and the intake of caustic substances are also the cause of irritation.
• Bile reflux: this usually causes digestive discomfort and as a consequence causes gastritis because it causes serious damage to the inner layer of the stomach and esophagus.

Characteristics of gastritis

As mentioned, gastritis is characterized by:

• Inflammation of the gastric mucosa.
• Sharp when it is short-lived.
• Chronic when it extends for months and years.
• It is caused by several factors that generally produce burning in the upper abdomen.
• It is treatable, the person can improve with treatment or even without it, only by maintaining a healthy and beneficial diet to improve this condition and eliminating any consumption of irritants.
• The symptoms are usually upset stomach, pain and loss of appetite (we will talk about these later).

Causes of gastritis

o understand what causes gastritis, we must know about the lining known as the epithelium, located inside the stomach, together with the mucus layer, it protects against the acidity of gastric juices and against the actions of microorganisms that are or could be harmful.

The mucus makes up the gastric mucosa and when it breaks it produces gastritis, which causes this to happen could be due to excess alcohol, cocaine consumption or pain relievers such as: ibuprofen or aspirin since all this irritates the stomach walls and cause them to become inflamed.

When the above mentioned causes inflame the gastric mucosa, gastritis can become complicated and chronic, another reason could be due to a Helicobacter Pylori infection which evolves and becomes chronic gastritis.

This is the most common since 50% of people have this bacteria, but none or very few people develop symptoms, the reason why the bacteria spreads to the point of causing inflammation and infection is unknown, but this usually occurs among the elderly.

Another cause of this condition are autoimmune diseases, as well as severe stress, bile reflux, viral infections, parasites and fungi; also due to the consumption of corrosive substances. Gastritis is common in people whose immune systems are weakened.

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How can gastritis be detected?

Once the cause of gastritis has been determined, the doctor will send you to do the corresponding tests to determine the severity of it; These tests are complemented with some blood tests to know the concentration of specific antibodies.

But in most cases, the definitive diagnosis is obtained through a gastroscopy or, as an endoscopy with biopsy is also known , we will talk about this test in the section on ¨diagnosis of gastritis ¨, since it is the method most used to confirm this disease.

People begin to suspect that they have gastritis when after eating they feel heavy, nauseous, or actually vomit every time they eat. They also feel a burning stomach and an inexplicable discomfort that affects their quality of life, for this they go to the doctor for the corresponding tests.

Diagnosis of gastritis

Endoscopy is a faithful method to confirm gastritis ; This is done in the following way: a flexible and quite narrow tube is inserted through the esophagus, at the tip this tube has a tiny camera with a small light which allows you to easily observe the inside of the stomach, the duodenum and, most importantly, its coating. Clearly the person will be anesthetized during the entire exploration process.

The doctor will be able to observe how the mucosa is, and if it is clearly reddened it will be gastritis , at that time the doctor takes advantage of the device and collects a sample of the tissue for subsequent laboratory analysis and in this way confirm the suspicions before giving a definitive diagnosis.

Another way to diagnose gastritis is through the Complete Blood Count or CBC with which a low red blood cell count or anemia is detected. A stool test is also used to determine if there is stomach bleeding due to the presence of blood in the sample; H Pylori tests, blood tests, and the urea breath test are other ways to dispel the doubt whether it is gastritis or another disease.

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Gastritis and its pathophysiology

When it comes to gastritis we talk about the inability of the stomach to protect itself because the mucous barrier is weakened. Explained in another way, the etiological agents cause the gastric mucus layer to decrease, and with it the protection, in this way hydrochloric acid and pepsin cause damage that leads to an inflammatory process.

Grades of gastritis

All this inflammatory process is gastritis, which occurs in different degrees: acute gastritis and chronic gastritis , explained below:

Sharp

Acute gastritis is the most common, it usually occurs with vomiting after each meal, or nausea, although its main symptom is severe pain in the stomach area. This degree of acute gastritis is characterized by the fact that the person suffers from it for a short period of time.

The duration of this disease depends on each person and their symptoms, although it could be said on average that it lasts from a few days to approximately 3 weeks. When the duration is prolonged we would no longer be talking about a simple acute gastritis.

In addition to the symptoms already mentioned, you could also have a lack of appetite and a feeling of bloating and in more serious cases vomiting and stools with the presence of blood or a strong bad smell.

The acute gastritis is usually caused mainly by stress, also for Helicobacter Pylori poisoning or abuse of substances such as irritable spicy, alcohol or drugs; other less common causes are: bile reflux, Crohn’s disease or surgery.

To treat it, you must take care of your diet, everything that you introduce to your stomach, because if you do not take care of this, your stomach will continue to suffer more than it already suffers at the time of digestion, it is better to follow the diet indicated by the specialist to that the digestive system works smoothly and gastritis disappears on its own.

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Not only the diet will help you in these cases of acute gastritis, anacidity inhibitor is also usually recommended so that your stomach heals more quickly and the symptoms diminish to the point of disappearing also along with gastritis.

Chronicle

The chronic gastritis , as opposed to the previous one , ie acute gastritis, this lasts for months and even years , some people never stop suffering the symptoms so it is said that this degree of gastritis is for life; being able to complicate in the course of time giving rise to other diseases of which we will talk later.

It is more common to see in the elderl than in the young, so it increases with age. There are several types of chronic gastritis:

• Type A gastritis: also called fundal, is very rare, in this type the inflammation affects the body and fundus, both upper and middle portions of the stomach.

Cause in those who suffer from pernicious anemia , this is produced by the deficiency of vitamin B12, pernicious anemia is the product of the weakening of the stomach wall, which is known as: atrophic gastritis.

• Gastritis type B: it is more common than the previous one and affects the lower portion of the stomach, the lower portion close to the pylorus.

In young people it is partial while in the elderly it is total, especially in the population over 70 years of age, it is the consequence of a chronic infection by H. Pylori bacteria.

Symptoms of gastritis

Although you have read the symptoms so far, in this section they will be more in-depth because they are more than what you know so far; because when suffering from gastritis each person will suffer from the symptoms in different ways because nobody is the same and their body responds differently depending on the individual as such, on their diet, on their quality of life.

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These symptoms are highly variable, but the symptoms could appear in the person, not completely but if you suffer from at least two or three of the symptoms that I will mention below then you are probably suffering from gastritis and the degree will depend on the duration of it And the most important thing will depend on what your doctor tells you and prescribes, so you should avoid self-medicating so as not to worsen your condition, since your stomach could be irritated and any substance would make it worse.

You must be vigilant and go to the doctor in case you feel:

• Stomachache.
• Flatulence or gas.
• Abdominal and stomach discomfort in general.
• Heartburn and heartburn to the point that it causes social isolation and decay.
• Nausea and vomiting, the latter could present blood, you should also observe each time you evacuate since your stool could also have blood.

As I have just indicated, go to the doctor if you are presenting one or more of these symptoms, since he can control them with simple treatments such as antacids, or medications that reduce gas and stomach upset. Another thing that he will surely recommend is to follow a soft diet composed of foods that avoid the heaviness that your stomach feels and that also facilitate good and complete digestion.

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Types of gastritis

Once you go to the doctor, he will perform the tests that I mentioned above and then he will ask you a series of questions, in addition to sending you to do a series of tests that will determine the type of gastritis you are suffering from. Among which are:

Alcoholic

The alcoholic gastritis is the first of the list because it is very common especially when it comes to chronic gastritis , as its name implies, is caused by excessive alcohol consumption. The damaging factor is ethanol, which considerably damages the gastric mucosa , which leads to an interruption of secretions.

In alcoholic gastritis, acetaldehyde, a metabolite of alcohol, causes certain morphological and structural changes that initially cause acute gastritis , and over time it becomes a chronic disease.

Follicular

The follicular gastritis is another of the most common because it is produced by Helicobacter pylori , a condition considered high risk that results in the appearance of a gastric lymphoma.

In places with extensive presence of acidity, Helicobacter Pylori usually inhabits, for this reason it is common for it to be present in the stomach, since it is the main place in the body with a high level of acidity due to the huge amounts of gastric juices that in he meet.

Emotional

Another type of gastritis that we can suffer is emotional gastritis , or better known as nervous gastritis; This is generally caused by stress or anxiety; which affects the stomach because the gastric mucosa becomes irritated and inflamed , and you will immediately feel the symptoms similar to gastritis caused by Helicobacter Pylori, with the difference that by improving your stress and anxiety, the symptoms of emotional gastritis will also improve .

Erythematous

The Erythematous gastritis flat or antral gastritis is one of the most troublesome because its symptoms are strong in the gastrointestinal tract; It is considered an autoimmune disorder, this means that your own immune system attacks healthy cells and causes all the known symptoms.

This type of gastritis differs from the previous ones that occur in the gastric mucosa, since flat erythematous gastritis will affect only one region of the stomach, causing severe pain and other intensified discomfort in that particular area.

Erosive

The erosive gastritis is another type of gastritis that affects the lining of the stomach, this digestive disorder begins with inflammation and then a erosion or wear. Remember that the very important role of the lining is to protect the stomach from the high acidity caused by gastric juices, if it is damaged, the symptoms of erosive gastritis appear.

Eosinophilic

The eosinophilic gastritis is a chronic gastritis type, which is characterized by an accumulation of eosinophils in large numbers in the gastric mucosa. This type of gastritis usually develops due to allergic diseases or parasitic infections.

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Can gastritis affect children? How?

Gastritis is common especially in adults and the elderly, but this does not mean that children will not suffer from it, since they can present the same symptoms of gastritis, but these episodes are usually short-lived.

Generally the child feels the intense discomfort in the upper part of the abdomen, exactly under the sternum; This sensation will be felt more strongly after having eaten, feeling: loss of appetite, abdominal pain and even headache, nausea and in some more severe cases vomiting and fever will occur.

Gastritis in adolescents

Emotional gastritis is common in adults as a result of the stress generated by debts, responsibilities and work; But adolescents also suffer from this type of gastritis , because it is a stage in the search for identity, everything usually affects them, at school, in their social environment, at home with their relatives; causing these teenagers all the symptoms of gastritis.

Another factor that influences adolescents suffering from gastritis when they are so young is that for fashion or any other reason they start smoking tobacco and alcohol, and they also neglect healthy eating, replacing it with junk food and irritants, which results in the appearance of this pathology.

Gastritis during pregnancy

When the woman is expecting her baby, during the first months she will present the common symptoms such as: nausea and vomiting, due to the hormonal change that her body is going through to prepare it for what it will undergo during the next months until the moment of giving birth.

Another symptom apart from nausea and vomiting is heartburn, which is probably caused by the pressure that your baby exerts on your stomach and other organs as he grows, this will cause you other stomach discomfort.

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That said, the aforementioned symptoms are totally normal during the first months of pregnancy, at least the nausea and vomiting will subside by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. In case they are not relieved is where you should consult your doctor, and even more so if these symptoms become severe. It is the specialist who will determine if you have hyperemesis gravidarum which requires medical treatment.

During pregnancy, each factor causing gastritis in the pregnant woman should be considered, such as her food history, because she may be consuming irritants or anti-inflammatory substances, it may also be due to a stomach infection caused by the bacteria that we have mentioned repeatedly. , Helicobacter Pylori, or if you did not know that you were pregnant and used a lot of alcohol or drugs.

In addition to all this history, it is convenient that you tell the doctor if you feel pain and the exact place where you are feeling it, also if your heartburn calms down or not after you eat, you should give him all the details including if you have gas; each aspect of these will help determine the origin of gastritis.

How does it affect the baby?

All the symptoms that you feel pregnant with gastritis are: heartburn, burning, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and pain, all of these affect you, even change your mood, and can make you believe that your baby’s life is at risk. , but it’s not like that. Your baby is totally safe because this type of disease cannot penetrate the baby’s protective sac.

The gastritis will not affect your baby in any way, but you if you are the sufferer, so you should take care of a lot, because if this is complicated while you state, your pregnancy will not be affected but your symptoms will be serious, and you will not have beautiful memories of this wonderful stage of every woman.

Complications of gastritis

When gastritis is not treated it can be complicated by being long lasting, and these complications can be:

• Stomach bleeding as a result of an ulcer.
• Peptic ulcers that present as lesions in the lining of the duodenum or stomach.
• Benign tumors
• Anemia from stomach bleeding.
• Vitamin B1 deficiency due to some people’s stomachs not producing a protein known as intrinsic factor responsible for helping the intestines absorb this vitamin.
• Atrophic gastritis, that is, when the inflammation is chronic and results in the loss of the glands and the gastric mucosa.
• Stomach cancer, something very scary for those who suffer from chronic gastritis, that is, one that does not improve in a very long period of time, since the continuous thinning of the gastric mucosa could affect the cells of the epithelium.

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How to prevent gastritis?

You have seen so far that gastritis can be suffered by anyone regardless of age or gender; from children, adolescents, adults and the elderly, whether men or women. But this can be prevented by complying with the following recommendations:

• You should avoid overconsumption of irritants such as alcohol, anti-inflammatory drugs, and aspirin.
• You must eat on time, this means that you should not skip any meals or be hungry, in case you do not have how to prepare food on time then make sure you have an energy bar or any snack.
• It will help you a lot in digestion if you chew properly and without haste.
• You should eat sitting down and as calm as you can, because this is something that should not be taken lightly, eating is a fundamental and vital act.
• Avoid plenty of fluids during meals.
• Don’t eat too little, but don’t overeat either.
• Avoid eating very hot or very cold food.
• When you finish eating, rest, but do not go to bed immediately.

Foods allowed with gastritis

When suffering from gastritis, the doctor will indicate the foods that you should avoid and depending on the doctor, he will possibly recommend those that you can consume without inconvenience; for example:

• You can eat whole milk, in smoothies and desserts such as custard or flan, you can also prepare a rice pudding and eat semi-fat cheeses.
• Semi-fat meats are also allowed for those who suffer from gastritis, ham and lean serranos.
• Whole grains and muesli with nuts are recommended, but you should be careful consume this according to your individual tolerance.
• You can consume non-acid juices and fruits in syrup.
• Finally, you can also eat natural jams without much sweet, simple pastries, pastries, fruit jelly.
• Accompany your food with mayonnaise if you wish because it is also allowed, but in small quantities.

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Forbidden foods with gastritis

I told you that the doctor will most likely mention the prohibited foods, but if you have not gone to the doctor and you suspect that you have gastritis because here you found out about all its symptoms and they are the ones you are presenting then it is best to avoid the following foods:

• Meat soups as they increase gastric acidity and additives that can contribute to the intensification of symptoms and the treatment not having an effect against gastritis.
• Avoid vegetables and fruits that are not well sewn because they take longer to metabolize in the body and cause an increase in gastric secretion.
• You are forbidden to eat concentrated sweets such as honey or chocolate because these will cause you much more burning than usual.
• Forget about consuming bacon, hot dogs, butter, and other products with animal fat content because these will only make your symptoms worse.
• You should temporarily avoid French fries, sodas, coffee, and energy drinks.

Biodecoding and gastritis

Biological biodecoding shows the presence of unconscious emotional conflicts and it is in the stomach and digestive system as such, where any problem or discomfort that you are going through involuntarily manifests itself, because, although a person wishes not to be affected, his body responds to that A situation that ends up being obeyed as an imposition because that is how your digestive system externalizes it.

As much as externally you want to show that that emotional situation you are going through does not affect you, you will demonstrate your inability or rejection of the acceptance of that situation internally, because that fear of the new, or that lack of acceptance generates uncertainty, anguish and fear .

The unconscious is the culprit that biodecoding occurs, and the person suffers from stomach problems, thus suffering from one of the symptoms of gastritis; which is usually acute because it disappears shortly after you have overcome your fears and that stressful circumstance.

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Why is the unconscious the culprit ? When you find yourself in this situation, you generally want to be strong and not show weakness, you do that in a conscious way , however, your true feeling is happening internally and all that “true” information is received by the unconscious resulting in a stomach or digestive problem. .

Emotional gastritis (of which we have already spoken lines above) is easy to cure, the objective is that you understand what is the origin or nature of the conflict that is manifesting itself in the form of gastritis and that it is instead of belonging to the unconscious become aware and you can make decisions for your benefit that favor the definitive cure of this disease.

Cancer and gastritis

Cancer and gastritis go hand in hand but don’t panic! Because not everyone who suffers from gastritis will get cancer; since we remember that gastritis is an inflammation in the walls of the stomach that produces annoying symptoms that interfere with the normal development of the daily routine.

Lactose intolerance, drug or alcohol abuse, or simply an infection are the common causes that you already know of gastritis or hypertrophy of the gastric mucosa, if you do not stop or cure what caused it and the symptoms are prolonged For a long time you will have to undergo an endoscopy that analyzes the digestive ducts, and the state of the tissues and mucous membranes to have an accurate diagnosis of your condition.

Because if all these symptoms do not disappear or are not treated in time, it is when gastritis becomes so complicated that it becomes cancer , but it is not alarming, because if this cancer is detected in time you will be able to recover and overcome it , only the bad memory will remain and adherence to a good diet for life.

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Gastritis or gastroenteritis

Some people tend to unify the terms gastritis and gastroenteritis , they use them as synonyms on many occasions, but they are not the same diseases , because gastritis is not contagious, it only occurs in the person in an acute or chronic way, but it yields to treatment mild especially those that reduce the aggressiveness of stomach acids, and with a good diet.

While gastroenteritis, although it is also an inflammation of the stomach and intestine, is produced by three types of microorganisms such as: viruses, bacteria and parasites. Unlike gastritis, gastroenteritis is contagious and is transmitted through direct contact or the use of the same utensils that the affected person uses, and that without sterilization are used by a healthy person.

The symptoms of gastroenteritis are usually diarrhea (very rarely gastritis causes diarrhea) as well as nausea, vomiting, fever, headache and abdominal pain. Both diseases are easily cured, although gastritis can be complicated and cause more serious diseases such as the aforementioned cancer, on the other hand, gastroenteritis can only cause dehydration, and the treatment is different from gastritis.

Colitis and gastritis

Colitis and gastritis are considered the diseases that most affect the digestive system, and for this reason it is common for you to confuse one with the other, because the discomforts are usually similar and even the treatment is similar.

However, we already know clearly what gastritis is, but we must clarify what colitis is: it is an inflammation of the large intestine that we also know from the colon, this is caused in a large percentage by a poor function of intestinal motility; and to a lesser extent it is due to infections.

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In addition to this important difference, the symptoms are also different in colitis and gastritis:

Abdominal pain and bloating

When it comes to gastritis, abdominal pain starts out moderate but becomes strong, along with a burning sensation in the upper part of the stomach, when the pain is strong it is reflected in the upper back and chest.

This pain is usually accompanied by bloating, indigestion and also annoying flatulence. While colitis also presents intense abdominal pain but located in the lower abdomen, remember that gastritis causes heartburn and discomfort in the upper part. But the colitis is on the low side and without heartburn. What makes them confused is that colitis can also have bloating, indigestion, and flatulence.

Alteration in the frequency of bowel movements

Another symptom that colitis has is that of causing diarrhea, or, conversely, constipation, but they do not occur in those with gastritis, since they occur due to the malfunction of the colon.

Nausea and Vomiting.

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms more typical of gastritis, colitis does not cause nausea or vomiting, on the other hand, in gastritis yellow, green or brown tones can be vomited when there is presence of blood.

Bleeding

Although nausea and vomiting are symptoms of gastritis, bleeding is symptoms of both conditions because it can be the case of bleeding in the stool when ulcers occur such as: ulcerative colitis, or gastric ulcer.

Gastritis and ulcers

Gastritis is an inflammation and gastric ulcer is the wound in the gastric mucosa deep down to the muscle layer. That is the main difference between one and the other; and they are similar in terms of pain in the upper abdomen.

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This pain gives the sensation of burning and can be prolonged and stabbing. If it is an ulcer, the pain begins once the stomach empties and is relieved when you eat food, but if it is gastritis, the opposite occurs, the pain worsens when you eat.

Ulcers can be of two types: gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers , these are complicated by the hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid, also with bacterial infections such as the one we already know, Helicobacter Pylori.

Both gastritis and gastric ulcer can be controlled with regular exercise, a balanced diet and strict control of food intake as these can worsen the condition. Ultimately the doctor prescribes treatments.

Is gastritis contagious?

Gastritis is a disease caused by different factors, however it only affects those who suffer from it because the gastric walls are inflamed, which indicates that it is not contagious at all , not with a kiss, or with a hug, for no reason is it It is contagious since it is not a virus or anything like that, it is just a condition where you suffer from different symptoms while the stomach lining is inflamed.

Is gastritis considered hereditary?

The question arises in many people who notice that many of their relatives also suffer or have suffered from gastritis, sometimes they simply assume it “my gastritis is hereditary because several of my relatives have suffered from it”. But let’s answer this interesting question below.

It is natural to think that way when a relative suffers from the same disease, it may be found in a gene that is transmitted from generation to generation; and gastritis and ulcer were once thought to be inherited diseases, but this is not entirely true.

There is a large group of hereditary diseases, but it has been proven that gastritis does not belong to the group of hereditary diseases , since it is formed on the gastric mucosa and is an inflammatory process that, if not caused by the bacteria, is caused by the style of life and eating habits.

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However, to answer the question that you may be asking, why do other members of my family also suffer or have suffered from gastritis? It is clear that gastritis or inflammation of the gastric mucosa is hardly inherited.

But the pattern is repeated in your relatives if they have instability in common, the lack of development of the structure of the body of specific organs such as the stomach and glands, this translates into the inability to resist any aggressive factor, and therefore all family members will be exposed to suffering from gastritis.

Chemotherapy and gastritis

Chemotherapy can cause stomach pains that can eventually cause gastritis, so it is best to also apply a treatment with antacids and analgesics to relieve pain and discomfort that you feel when completing a cycle of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

However, when the pain does not subside despite treatment, and in addition to this you begin to feel fever, diarrhea and mouth sores, it is advisable to suspend the chemo and fully recover from these symptoms, when you feel much better you can resume it but with a lower dose.

Gastritis nursing care

The gastritis nursing care ranges from the relaxation of the person suffering from gastritis, do not forget that stress and worries make the disease worse and can prolong it to the point of becoming chronic.

If the cause of the disease is anxiety  that must be treated, it is best to do it in a suitable and relaxing place.

A correct nutritional state must be promoted, where the diet is controlled. The patient should be instructed to chew food very well and drink plenty of fluids, but not during the meal. Also that you acquire a Fowler position during the intake, as well as after an hour to favor transit.

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Patients with gastritis usually have nausea and vomiting that must be controlled, in addition, normal stool should be promoted, and if there is diarrhea, it should also be controlled and make sure that there is no blood in them.

Gastritis and its healthy habits

If you already suffer from gastritis because you found out very late about how to prevent it , then you should create healthy habits from now on, the sooner the better, for example:

• Start by avoiding stressful situations and unnecessary nervousness at all costs.
• Eat without haste, respect the ritual of food and do not mix work with this sacred act of feeding.
• As I mentioned before, to prevent it you must chew well, and to improve gastritis you must chew your food at least 20 times.
• Wait at least an hour after eating so that you can lie down because this prevents the reflux of food from the stomach to the esophagus.
• Avoid prolonged fasting as much as possible, because the gastric mucosa will be exposed to secretions from the digestive tract.

Can gastritis cause death?

The answer to this question could motivate you to take care of your health, because gastritis can cause the death of a person if there is severe digestive bleeding, or if gastritis turns into cancer.

Veterinary gastritis

Is your pet the one with symptoms similar to those mentioned throughout the gastritis article ? This is because there is veterinary gastritis , which affects dogs and cats.

How does it affect cats and dogs?

The veterinary gastritis common in dogs and cats is due to an inflammation or irritation of the lining of the stomach is a digestive disorder that manifests in your pets, in much the same way in humans.

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In animals this gastritis can be primary, that is, it can be due to a disease of the stomach; or it can be secondary as a consequence of diseases that affect other organs (kidney or liver diseases).

Your dog or cat may be fine today, but suddenly start to feel bad suffering from the symptoms that we already know of gastritis in humans, nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite. If you do not detect it in time, at the beginning it is an acute gastritis but for an uninterrupted time it can become chronic gastritis.

Nutritional treatment for gastritis

Returning to the issue of gastritis in humans, it has a very effective nutritional treatment, since a diet of highly digestible foods must be followed, and for this its proteins such as starch must be highly digestible, with a low fiber content. since this favors gastric emptying.

Beet pulp is recommended for the balance of the digestive flora, another recommendation is to consume fats at a very low level, although there are some digestible diets with a high level of fat that may also be indicated since:

• It allows the administration of reduced volumes of food, this avoids overloading the stomach.
• They provide a good energy level that helps facilitate faster recovery by gaining weight.
• And finally, it favors the palatability of the food.

This treatment is truly effective, you must read again in the previous sections about allowed foods, and prohibited foods; in this way you will contribute to your healing and avoid worsening your condition.

Drug treatment for gastritis

When the previous treatment does not improve the symptoms, then a pharmacological treatment is usually indicated to the person to help him cope with the ailments of gastritis and also to cure it.

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Antacids

The antacids are prescribed because it is common gastritis acidity origine; explained in another way, the stomach secretes gastric juices that dissolve the food you have eaten, so that the nutrients can be easily absorbed upon reaching the small intestine.

It is these juices that increase the acidity of the stomach, and are really corrosive to the point that they damage the walls of the stomach, when they do not have the mucous coating that protects them.

The acidity intensifies when you eat meals or drink alcohol, since you will be forcing your stomach to double the production of acids, and as a consequence you will generate damage to your stomach.

It is for this reason that antacids are prescribed. , although there are different brands they will always have the same components practically, they manage to neutralize and regulate this abundant acid with calcium, bicarbonate and magnesium, antacid compounds .

Histamine 2 blockers

On the other hand, histamine 2 blockers are other treatments used to improve gastritis, which unlike antacids, these blockers help the body reduce the acid that is secreted by the stomach.

Histamine 2 (H2) blockers greatly improve acid reflux, which is what gives you the burning sensation in the pit of your stomach. These medications are usually taken in the first hour of the day on an empty stomach, although they can also be taken before bed so that you can sleep better without feeling these symptoms that take you away from sleep.

Proton-pump inhibitor

These proton pump inhibitors are similar to the histamine 2 blockers I just mentioned, because this drug also reduces gastric acid production and improves digestion quickly.

Look here Omeprazole: Contraindications, side effects, benefits, etc.

The effect of these inhibitors takes about 30 minutes to be noticed, so it is recommended that you wait that long before starting to drink or eat something. This and the other medications can be purchased at any pharmacy, preferably with a prescription, since you cannot self-medicate, they are stomach protectors.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are prescribed when gastritis is caused by the Helicobacter Pylori bacterium, it is an infection caused by poor cooking of some food, or one that has expired and ingested, or if you have drunk contaminated water, for example if you went to a river and did not you tried before.

It is a treatment that lasts from 7 to 10 days, in order to completely eliminate the bacteria, however recent studies have found that the bacteria have become more resistant, because it lasts in patients for up to more than two weeks.

Natural remedies for gastritis

In general, it is the elderly who tend to turn to natural remedies, since they are like a tradition to which they are faithful, they prefer to heal themselves, and depending on the disease, a natural remedy may or may not be effective, but in In the case of gastritis, it is totally favorable to comply with a natural treatment to heal quickly.

1. Honey

You must add two tablespoons of pure honey to a glass of warm water, eat it every day on an empty stomach, your stomach must be completely empty, you cannot drink juices or eat anything before taking this concoction.

What it will do is reduce heartburn and naturally heal the walls, strengthening it, combine this with a balanced diet that benefits you just like honey does .

2. Olive oil

In a cup of warm or hot milk, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil, take it daily first thing in the day, make sure you are fasting, you must not have had anything for breakfast, or juice, your stomach must be completely empty. This natural remedy cures the stomach from irritation.

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3. Onion

Daily you should consume a quarter tablespoon of onion and Nigella kaloonji seeds, this helps heal acute gastritis, and the black seeds eliminate ulcers, and also help in cases of stomach cancer.

4. Oats

Oatmeal with honey is a good breakfast for anyone who suffers from gastritis and ulcers, just pour yourself a cup of oat flakes or porridge every day and you will see how you will improve quickly.

5. Psyllium

The Psyllium (ispaghol) should be consumed in yogurt, add two to three tablespoons and add a banana too, you should eat it daily always before breakfast, let’s say half an hour before, your stomach health will improve greatly.

Consequences of gastritis

When you see all the information regarding gastritis, you may think that it is something mild that you do not have to worry about unless it lasts for months, and if it is not your case you have nothing to worry about, just keep taking care of your eating habits. But if you are one of those who suffer from chronic gastritis, you should take care of yourself even more because you could suffer any of the following consequences:

Peptic Ulcers: Gastric or Duodenal

People who have chronic gastritis usually associated with H. pylori bacteria suffer from peptic ulcers, be they gastric or duodenal. It happens when the lining of the gastric mucosa breaks and ceases to exert the corresponding protection.

If it is a gastric ulcer, we speak that the injury has occurred in the stomach, but if the injury occurs in the small intestine, then it is a duodenal ulcer, known as erosive gastritis.

Pernicious anemia

Pernicious anemia occurs when vitamin B12 is not being absorbed and as a consequence the red blood cells decrease, the oxygenation of the body’s tissues is affected. The main origin of this is: atrophic gastritis and autoimmune gastritis.

Regarding this we recommend you read  Pernicious Anemia: Risks, Causes, Treatments and Diagnoses

This pernicious anemia presents symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness, paleness, loss of appetite, poor concentration, constipation or diarrhea, and bleeding gums. In the long term, it causes damage to the nervous system and causes depression or some neuropathy.

Stomach cancer

Stomach cancer was mentioned above in a comparison or relationship with gastritis, here it is mentioned as one of the most serious consequences of suffering from chronic gastritis, it has its beginning in the stomach and becomes gastric cancer.

However, it is not something that everyone who has chronic gastritis will suffer, only those who have gastritis caused by Helicobacter Pyroli infection are more likely, since researchers have suggested that this bacterium could transform substances in some foods such as sausages into a chemical that ends up mutating in the DNA of the lining cells.

General recommendations for gastritis

Finally, the general recommendations for those who suffer from gastritis in any degree is that they go to the doctor if they suffer from the symptoms described in this article, since it is the only one that can tell you the degree to which your gastritis is and do the necessary tests to rule out that it is something else.

When the gastritis picture is serious, and there is even bleeding, you must remain fasting while you take the treatment, the inflammation decreases, then slowly you will start healthy eating and drink healthy liquids.

The lifestyle change is necessary if you are already suffering from gastritis, even if you want to prevent it, in case you have it, try to go to a quiet place, de-stress and eat healthily to be able to heal and eliminate the symptoms completely.

It is very important that in this lifestyle change you stop consuming alcohol and smoking, you must completely stop these bad habits that greatly harm your health, especially when it comes to gastritis.

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Exercise, avoid very fatty foods, do not eat more than your body needs, do not eat outside the usual hours, do not starve yourself, keep your body weight healthy and of course: control stress.

One last very important thing that you should know and it is a recommendation that you cannot forget or ignore is that you do not self-medicate, each individual is unique, and the treatment that served one is not exactly certain that it will serve another.