Managing Gastritis: Cure for the Ailment
Those who are suffering from gastritis-related problems are always on the look-out for a gastritis cure. Gastritis refers to health issues that stem from an inflammation of the stomach lining. The inflammation can be the result of a bacterial infection similar to the one that causes ulcers or it can also be brought on by injury or substance abuse. Dependence on pain killers and excessive usage of alcohol are known to wear down the stomach lining. Gastritis is also found to flare up during periods of stress in a patient’s life. Medical conditions such as bile reflux disease, autoimmune gastritis trigger the symptoms of this problem and sometimes it is the fall-out of other major problems such as AIDS, Crohn’s disease of kidney failure. Gastritis seems to be a particular problem for seniors as the stomach wall thins with age.
Types of Gastritis
Acute gastritis and chronic gastritis describe the two types of gastritis seen most commonly. Acute happens suddenly and chronic is a slower, more progressive development. In both versions of gastritis patients complain about a burning pain in the upper abdomen. In some cases the pain gets better after eating and in some cases it worsens. There is usually some vomiting and nausea. Loss of appetite and weight loss are also likely to happen in cases where the symptoms persist. The symptoms are much more noticeable in acute gastritis than chronic gastritis. In some cases, there may be some internal stomach bleeding which can become apparent in vomiting blood or black stools and this requires immediate medical attention.
Controlling gastritis
It is important to be pro-active in treating gastritis because left untreated it can lead to stomach ulcers and in rare cases even to stomach cancer. It is a good idea to set up a doctor’s appointment at the earliest possible as you will probably need to meet a family physician and a gastroentologist. The doctors are likely to use oral medical history, a physical examination, blood tests, stool tests and breath tests for initial diagnosis. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and x-ray may also be used before the final course of treatment is decided.
Gastritis is essentially caused by stomach acid irritating inflamed stomach tissue which leads to further inflammation and acute pain. So the treatment or cure is largely focused on neutralizing stomach acids. Doctors recommend the use of antacids such as Maalox and Mylanta for this and they can be taken as liquid or tablets. These work well for mild cases of gastritis. Acid blockers are another possible cure for gastritis and medicines such as cimetidine, ranitidine and famotidine available commercially as Tagamet, Zantac and Pepcid work by reducing the amount of stomach acid that is produced. There are also medicines that are targeted at reducing stomach acid by limiting the action of the pumps that secrete the acid and these are called proton pump inhibitors and examples of these are Prilosec and Prevacid. Sometimes the gastritis is caused by an H. Pylori infection and in these cases proton pump inhibitors are used with antibiotics. This sequence of treatments usually controls the symptoms associated with gastritis. Doctors are likely to conduct a test to ensure that the bacterial infection has been controlled where it is found to be the trigger for the gastritis.
Those who have had gastritis are likely to be vulnerable to the problem. They should focus on a healthy life style that combines nutritious foods, good exercise regimen and a calm psychological environment to limit the possibility of a repeated flare-up. It is also a good idea to actively manage weight while creating a good life style. Gastritis can be painful and disruptive but it is a manageable ailment.