The symptoms of gastritis vary,
depending on the type of gastritis. In general, however, a person with
gastritis has indigestion and discomfort in the upper part of the abdomen.
Acute
Stress gastritis
In this type of gastritis,
injury or burn usually overshadows the stomach symptoms. However, the upper
abdomen may feel mildly uncomfortable. Not long after the injury, small bruises
may develop in the stomach lining. In a few hours, these bruises can change
into ulcers. The ulcers and the gastritis may disappear if the person recovers
quickly from the injury. If the person remains ill, however, the ulcers may
enlarge and start to bleed, usually 2 to 5 days after the injury. The bleeding
may turn the stool tar black, turn the stomach fluid red, or in severe cases,
cause blood pressure to fall. The bleeding can be massive and fatal.
Chronic
Erosive Gastritis
The symptoms of this type of
gastritis include mild nausea and pain in the upper abdomen. However, many
people with long term aspirin use have no pain. Some people may develop
ulcerlike symptoms, including pain, when the stomach is empty. If the gastritis
leads to bleeding stomach ulcers, symptoms may include passing out tar black stools
(melena) or vomiting blood (hematemesis) or partially digested blood that looks
like coffee.
Eosinophilic
Gastritis
The symptoms of this type of
gastritis include abdominal pain and vomiting caused by a narrowing or blockage
of the stomach outlet to the duodenum.
Ménétrier’s
Disease
The most common symptom of this
type of gastritis is stomach pain. Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and
weight loss are less common. Bleeding from the stomach is usual. Fluid
retention and tissue swelling may be caused by a loss of protein from the
inflamed stomach lining.
Plasma
Cell Gastritis
The symptoms include abdominal
pain and vomiting which can occur along with skin rash and diarrhoea.
Gastritis
from Radiation Therapy
This type of gastritis causes
pain, nausea, and heartburn because of the inflammation and sometimes because
of the development of stomach ulcers. Ulcers can perforate the stomach wall,
spilling stomach content into the abdominal cavity, causing peritonitis
(inflammation of the abdominal lining) and agonizing pain. This results in
severe illness characterized by a rigid abdomen which usually requires
immediate surgery.
Treatment
Many doctors treat a
helicobacter pylori infection if it is causing symptoms. The infection can be
controlled of eliminated with bismuth, antibiotics such as amoxicillin and
clarithromycin, and the anti-ulcer drug, omeprazole. At times, eliminating
helicobacter pylori from the stomach can be difficult.
Most people with acute stress
gastritis recover fully when the underlying illness, injury, or bleeding is
under control. Doctors try to prevent acute stress gastritis after a major
illness, major injury, or severe burns. Antacids, which neutralizes stomach
acid, and potent antiulcer drugs, which reduce or halt stomach acid production,
are commonly given after surgery.
Chronic erosive gastritis may
be treated with antacids. The person should avoid certain drugs such as aspirin
and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and irritating foods. Coated
aspirin tablets produce fewer ulcers than uncoated aspirin. Misoprostol
probably reduces the risk of ulcers caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs.
For a person with eosinophilic
gastritis, corticosteroids or surgery may be needed to relieve a blocked
stomach outlet.
Atrophic gastritis cannot be
cured. Most people who have this disorder must take supplemental injections of
vitamins B12.
Ménétrier’s disease may be
cured by removing part or all of the stomach, but no drug treatment is
effective.
Plasma cell gastritis may be
treated with ulcer drugs that block the secretion of stomach acid.
I hope these tips prove useful
to all those suffering from any of these types of gastritis.