Gastritis

Gastritis is caused by inflammation of the stomach and there are two types: Acute Gastritis (when it occurs suddenly) and Chronic Gastritis (when it occurs gradually). There are many factors that can cause gastritis but the two main ones are: The bacteria Helicobacter Pylori that lives in the lining of your stomach and can lead to bigger health problems such as ulcers or stomach cancer or other stomach infections brought on by bacteria as well as too much alcohol, stress, smoking and certain medications that you may be taking. If you are experiencing gastritis, it is best to avoid alcohol and caffeine, fast for the period you are having symptoms and avoid medications. If it goes untreated, it can lead to bigger problems.

SYMPTOMS OF GASTRITIS

Acute gastritis occurs suddenly and can last for anything from a few hours to a couple of days whereas chronic gastritis which occurs gradually may only bring mild symptoms. However, the most common symptom of gastritis is stomach pains along with nausea and vomiting (this may only last for 24-48 hours with acute gastritis). Other symptoms include bloating and cramping, loss of appetite, indigestion, bleeding and irregular bowel movements. If your symptoms do not go after a couple of days and they continue, it is best to see a doctor.

Treatments

The treatment of gastritis all depends on the cause of it. If it is acute gastritis caused by alcohol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, then it could be relieved by stopping the use of those things. However, there are other ways of treating gastritis if it’s worse.

Medication

Antibiotic medication — this type of medication is used to kill H. pylori in the digestive tract which might be causes the gastritis. Your doctor may suggest the combination of different types of antibiotics. These include medications such as clarithromycin (Biaxin) alongside amoxicillin (Amoxil, Augmention, etc) or metronidazole (Flagyl) in order to kill the bacteria. The course should last for seven-fourteen day and you must complete it in order for it to be effective.
Proton pump inhibitors — these kinds of medications block the acid production and start to promote healing. They reduce acid by stopping the actions of the cell parts that produce acid. These medications could include both prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex), esomeprazole (Nexium), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant) and pantoprazole (Protonix). Your doctor may suggest the use of a calcium supplement while taking these to help reduce the risk of the side effects in your hips, wrists and spine.
Histamine (H-2) blockers — this are acid blockers and work by reducing the amount of acid released inside your digestive tract, thus relieving the gastritis pain and can help to encourage healing. You can find these both over-the-counter or by prescription and include drugs such as ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid), cimetidine (Tagamet HB) and nizatidine (Axid AR).
Antacids — these medications are used to neutralise the acid in your stomach and can give quick pain relief. Your doctor may recommend adding antacids to your drug regimen to help control the symptoms of gastritis.

Things to do at Home

At home you can follow some steps to help to relieve the pain and symptoms of gastritis.

Limit or stop completely your consumption of alcohol — this can help to stop the irritation of alcohol on the mucous lining of your stomach.
Limit or stop completely your consumption of irritating foods — foods that are spicy, acidic, fried or fatty can irritate your stomach and make your symptoms worse.
Have smaller, more-frequent meals — this helps to reduce stomach acid in those who suffer from frequent indigestion.
Change pain relievers — these could be the cause of your gastritis and try to find medication that is less likely to irritate your stomach.

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