Wei Laboratories, Inc.
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What is Gastritis?
Gastritis is a term used to describe a group of conditions with one thing in common: inflammation of the lining of your
stomach. The inflammation of gastritis is often the result of infection with the same bacterium that causes most
stomach ulcers. However, other factors — such as traumatic injury, regular use of certain pain relievers or drinking too
much alcohol — also can contribute to gastritis.
Gastritis may occur suddenly (acute gastritis) or it can occur slowly over time (chronic gastritis). In some cases,
gastritis can lead to ulcers and an increased risk of stomach cancer. For most people, however, gastritis isn't serious
and improves quickly with treatment.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of gastritis include:
• A gnawing or burning ache or pain (indigestion) in your upper abdomen that may become either worse or better
with eating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Belching or bloating
• A feeling of fullness in your upper abdomen after eating
• Weight loss
Acute gastritis occurs suddenly and is more likely to cause nausea and burning pain or discomfort in your upper
abdomen. Chronic gastritis develops gradually and is more likely to cause a dull pain and a feeling of fullness or loss
of appetite after a few bites of food. For many people, though, chronic gastritis causes no signs or symptoms at all.
Occasionally, gastritis may cause stomach bleeding, although it's rarely severe. But be aware that bleeding in your
stomach that causes you to vomit blood or pass black, tarry stools requires immediate medical care.
Causes
Gastritis usually develops when your stomach's protective layer becomes weakened or damaged. A mucus-lined
barrier protects the walls of your stomach from the acids that help digest your food. Weaknesses in the barrier allow
your digestive juices to damage and inflame your stomach lining.
A number of factors can contribute to or trigger gastritis, including:
• Bacterial infection. People infected with Helicobacter pylori can experience gastritis — most commonly chronic
gastritis. Half the world's population is thought to be infected with this bacterium, which passes from person to
person. But the majority of those infected don't experience any complications of H. pylori infection. In some people,
H. pylori may break down the stomach's inner protective coating, causing changes in the stomach's lining. The
reason why some people experience complications from H. pylori infection and others don't isn't clear. However,
doctors believe vulnerability to the bacterium could be inherited or it could be caused by lifestyle choices, such as
smoking and high stress levels.
• Regular use of pain relievers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil,
Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve), can cause both acute gastritis and chronic gastritis. Using these drugs
regularly or taking too much of these drugs may reduce a key substance that helps preserve the protective lining of
your stomach. Stomach problems are less likely to develop if you take NSAIDs only occasionally.
• Excessive alcohol use. Alcohol can irritate and erode your stomach lining, which makes your stomach more
vulnerable to digestive juices. Excessive alcohol use is more likely to cause acute gastritis.
• Stress. Severe stress due to major surgery, traumatic injury, burns or severe infections can cause acute gastritis.
• Bile reflux disease. Bile — a fluid that helps you digest fats — is produced in your liver and stored in your
gallbladder. When it's released from the gallbladder, bile travels to your small intestine through a series of thin
tubes. Normally, a ring-like sphincter muscle (pyloric valve) prevents bile from flowing into your stomach from your
small intestine. But if this valve doesn't work properly, or if it has been removed because of surgery, bile can flow
into your stomach, leading to inflammation and chronic gastritis.
• Your own body attacking cells in your stomach. Called autoimmune gastritis, this rare condition occurs when your
body attacks the cells that make up your stomach lining. This produces a reaction by your immune system that can
wear away at your stomach's protective barrier. Autoimmune gastritis is more common in people with other
autoimmune disorders, including Hashimoto's disease, Addison's disease and type 1 diabetes. Autoimmune
gastritis can also be associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency.
• Other diseases and conditions. Gastritis may be associated with other medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS,
Crohn's disease, parasitic infections, some connective tissue disorders, and liver or kidney failure.
Western Medical Treatment
Treatment of gastritis depends on the specific cause. Acute gastritis caused by NSAIDs or alcohol may be relieved by
stopping use of those substances. Chronic gastritis caused by H. pylori infection is treated by eradicating the bacteria.
Most gastritis treatment plans also incorporate medications that treat stomach acid in order to reduce signs and
symptoms you're experiencing and promote healing in your stomach.
Medications to treat stomach acid
Stomach acid irritates inflamed tissue in your stomach, causing pain and further inflammation. That's why, for most
types of gastritis, treatment involves taking drugs to reduce or neutralize stomach acid, such as:
• Antacids. Over-the-counter antacids (Maalox, Mylanta, others) in liquid or tablet form are a common treatment for
mild gastritis. Antacids neutralize stomach acid and can provide fast pain relief.
• Acid blockers. When antacids don't provide enough relief, your doctor may recommend a medication, such as
cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), nizatidine (Axid) or famotidine (Pepcid), that helps reduce the amount of
acid your stomach produces.
• Medications to shut down acid 'pumps.' Medications called proton pump inhibitors reduce acid by blocking the
action of tiny pumps within the acid-secreting cells of your stomach. This class of medications includes
omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex) and esomeprazole (Nexium).
Medications to treat H. pylori
Doctors use several regimens to treat H. Pylori infection. Most use a combination of two antibiotics and a proton pump
inhibitor. Sometimes bismuth (Pepto-Bismol) is added to the mix. The antibiotics help destroy the bacteria, and the
proton pump inhibitor relieves pain and nausea, heals inflammation and may increase the antibiotics' effectiveness.
To ensure that H. pylori has been eliminated, your doctor may test you again after treatment.
Alternative Medicine
Alternative Medicine
There is a significant progress using alternative medicine in this area.
If you want a referral of an expert alternative medicine practitioner in your
local area, please use our free referral service by calling our toll-free at
1-888-919-1188, or e-mail us to wei@weilab.com, or click the button
at the right to have us contact you.
Information collected from mayoclinic.com
Gastritis is a term used to describe a group of conditions with one thing in common: inflammation of the lining of your
stomach. The inflammation of gastritis is often the result of infection with the same bacterium that causes most
stomach ulcers. However, other factors — such as traumatic injury, regular use of certain pain relievers or drinking too
much alcohol — also can contribute to gastritis.
Gastritis may occur suddenly (acute gastritis) or it can occur slowly over time (chronic gastritis). In some cases,
gastritis can lead to ulcers and an increased risk of stomach cancer. For most people, however, gastritis isn't serious
and improves quickly with treatment.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of gastritis include:
• A gnawing or burning ache or pain (indigestion) in your upper abdomen that may become either worse or better
with eating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Belching or bloating
• A feeling of fullness in your upper abdomen after eating
• Weight loss
Acute gastritis occurs suddenly and is more likely to cause nausea and burning pain or discomfort in your upper
abdomen. Chronic gastritis develops gradually and is more likely to cause a dull pain and a feeling of fullness or loss
of appetite after a few bites of food. For many people, though, chronic gastritis causes no signs or symptoms at all.
Occasionally, gastritis may cause stomach bleeding, although it's rarely severe. But be aware that bleeding in your
stomach that causes you to vomit blood or pass black, tarry stools requires immediate medical care.
Causes
Gastritis usually develops when your stomach's protective layer becomes weakened or damaged. A mucus-lined
barrier protects the walls of your stomach from the acids that help digest your food. Weaknesses in the barrier allow
your digestive juices to damage and inflame your stomach lining.
A number of factors can contribute to or trigger gastritis, including:
• Bacterial infection. People infected with Helicobacter pylori can experience gastritis — most commonly chronic
gastritis. Half the world's population is thought to be infected with this bacterium, which passes from person to
person. But the majority of those infected don't experience any complications of H. pylori infection. In some people,
H. pylori may break down the stomach's inner protective coating, causing changes in the stomach's lining. The
reason why some people experience complications from H. pylori infection and others don't isn't clear. However,
doctors believe vulnerability to the bacterium could be inherited or it could be caused by lifestyle choices, such as
smoking and high stress levels.
• Regular use of pain relievers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil,
Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve), can cause both acute gastritis and chronic gastritis. Using these drugs
regularly or taking too much of these drugs may reduce a key substance that helps preserve the protective lining of
your stomach. Stomach problems are less likely to develop if you take NSAIDs only occasionally.
• Excessive alcohol use. Alcohol can irritate and erode your stomach lining, which makes your stomach more
vulnerable to digestive juices. Excessive alcohol use is more likely to cause acute gastritis.
• Stress. Severe stress due to major surgery, traumatic injury, burns or severe infections can cause acute gastritis.
• Bile reflux disease. Bile — a fluid that helps you digest fats — is produced in your liver and stored in your
gallbladder. When it's released from the gallbladder, bile travels to your small intestine through a series of thin
tubes. Normally, a ring-like sphincter muscle (pyloric valve) prevents bile from flowing into your stomach from your
small intestine. But if this valve doesn't work properly, or if it has been removed because of surgery, bile can flow
into your stomach, leading to inflammation and chronic gastritis.
• Your own body attacking cells in your stomach. Called autoimmune gastritis, this rare condition occurs when your
body attacks the cells that make up your stomach lining. This produces a reaction by your immune system that can
wear away at your stomach's protective barrier. Autoimmune gastritis is more common in people with other
autoimmune disorders, including Hashimoto's disease, Addison's disease and type 1 diabetes. Autoimmune
gastritis can also be associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency.
• Other diseases and conditions. Gastritis may be associated with other medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS,
Crohn's disease, parasitic infections, some connective tissue disorders, and liver or kidney failure.
Western Medical Treatment
Treatment of gastritis depends on the specific cause. Acute gastritis caused by NSAIDs or alcohol may be relieved by
stopping use of those substances. Chronic gastritis caused by H. pylori infection is treated by eradicating the bacteria.
Most gastritis treatment plans also incorporate medications that treat stomach acid in order to reduce signs and
symptoms you're experiencing and promote healing in your stomach.
Medications to treat stomach acid
Stomach acid irritates inflamed tissue in your stomach, causing pain and further inflammation. That's why, for most
types of gastritis, treatment involves taking drugs to reduce or neutralize stomach acid, such as:
• Antacids. Over-the-counter antacids (Maalox, Mylanta, others) in liquid or tablet form are a common treatment for
mild gastritis. Antacids neutralize stomach acid and can provide fast pain relief.
• Acid blockers. When antacids don't provide enough relief, your doctor may recommend a medication, such as
cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), nizatidine (Axid) or famotidine (Pepcid), that helps reduce the amount of
acid your stomach produces.
• Medications to shut down acid 'pumps.' Medications called proton pump inhibitors reduce acid by blocking the
action of tiny pumps within the acid-secreting cells of your stomach. This class of medications includes
omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex) and esomeprazole (Nexium).
Medications to treat H. pylori
Doctors use several regimens to treat H. Pylori infection. Most use a combination of two antibiotics and a proton pump
inhibitor. Sometimes bismuth (Pepto-Bismol) is added to the mix. The antibiotics help destroy the bacteria, and the
proton pump inhibitor relieves pain and nausea, heals inflammation and may increase the antibiotics' effectiveness.
To ensure that H. pylori has been eliminated, your doctor may test you again after treatment.
Alternative Medicine
Alternative Medicine
There is a significant progress using alternative medicine in this area.
If you want a referral of an expert alternative medicine practitioner in your
local area, please use our free referral service by calling our toll-free at
1-888-919-1188, or e-mail us to wei@weilab.com, or click the button
at the right to have us contact you.
Information collected from mayoclinic.com
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