Gastritis is generally developed when the protective layer of the stomach is weakened or damaged. Gastritis is a problem which is caused due to inflammation in the lining of the stomach. This inflammation can result into stomach ulcer. The gastritis causes includes traumatic injuries, regular use of pain killer, and drinking too much of alcohol.

Gastritis can be acute and chronic. An acute gastritis is referred to as ‘Erosive gastritis’, which is caused by severe inflammation of the stomach lining, due to excessive alcohol consumption, or use of inflammatory drugs. It can be only diagnosed by endoscopy. Patients are unknown with this condition, as it occurs very gradually. It also leads to bleeding and weight loss. On the other hand, chronic gastritis refers to a wide range of problems of the gastric tissues which are caused by irritation of the stomach lining.

Advertisement

There are some of the different types of gastritis, which are as follows:

1. Radiation gastritis- It occurs when the radiation is given to the lower left side of the chest or upper abdomen.
2. Postgastrectomy gastritis- It occurs when part of the stomach is removed while surgery. This procedure is also called partial gastrectomy.
3. Atrophic gastritis- It is caused when the antibodies attack the stomach lining, and so it becomes thin and lose all the cells that produce acid and enzymes.
4. Eosinophilic gastritis- It is caused due to an allergic reaction. In some cases, the cause is unknown.
5. Lymphocytic gastritis- It is another type of white blood cell which is accumulated in the walls of the stomach and other organs.

Signs and symptoms of gastritis

The signs and symptoms of gastritis are as follows:

• Hiccups
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Dark, tarry stools
• Indigestion or dyspepsia
• Vomiting, possibly of blood
• Unexpected weight loss

Causes of gastritis

There are some of the common causes of gastritis include:

• Medical drugs (aspirin)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Use of potassium supplements
• Use of iron tablets
• Use of various types of alcohol
• Physical stress
• Autoimmune diseases
• Anemia and chronic vomiting.
• Tuberculosis
• Bacterial infections
• Viral infections
• Fungal infections
• Parasites and worms

Diagnosis of gastritis

Endoscopy is the most common test for the diagnosis of gastritis which is followed by the biopsy of the stomach. The physician recommends different types of medicines to reduce anxiety and discomfort before starting the procedure for endoscopy. A thin tube with a camera at the end is inserted through the patient’s mouth to the stomach. The doctor monitors the lining of the stomach and the small intestine. The doctor moves the tube around the stomach to take the full images of it and observes if any damage persists in the stomach or not. After this, the doctor can perform the biopsy, which involves the collection of tissues, which is examined under a microscope.

Risk factors of gastritis

Following are the risk factors of gastritis:

• Infection with H. pylori
• Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
• Chronic pain such as low back pain
• Alcoholism
• Cigarette smoking
• Older age

Most forms of chronic gastritis do not cause any symptoms. Gastritis cannot be considered as a single disease, but several different conditions combine due to the inflammation of the stomach lining. Research suggests that abdominal pain is the main reason for the gastritis in children and teenagers. This occurs in about 25% of the patients. So the treatment should be given high priority so that gastritis can be stopped from becoming erosive or acute.

Related Tags: iron supplements cause hiccups, can iron tablets cause erosive gastritis, partial gastrectomy caused gastritis, gastritis cause back pain, iron tablets and chronic gastritis, iron supplements with treament of gastritis, iron tablets causes gastritis, iron supplements erosive gastritis