Gastritis, at its most basic, is a stomachache. Specifically, gastritis means the stomach's lining is inflamed. Gas and diarrhea may accompany gastritis, depending on the cause.
Most people have experienced gastritis at one point or another in their lives. The causes can be bacterial, viral, fungal, from anti-inflammatory medications, autoimmune disorders, such as lupus, or even caused by cigarette smoke.
Many people experiencing gastritis self-medicate first, and if the cause is transitory, antacids and the like may be effective. However, for chronic gastritis, a person needs to see a physician.
The doctor will usually take a complete medical history first, and prescribe a proton pump inhibitor medication, to see if less acid in the stomach will take care of the problem. The physician will probably also prescribe a bland diet low in fat and acid. If the gastritis symptoms do not resolve, the doctor will often order an upper GI panel to determine if the patient has an ulcer causing the gastritis, and will treat the patient accordingly.
If the patient does not have an ulcer, the doctor may then test for the presence of H. pylori and other Helicobacter species. If these bacteria are present, the doctor will then prescribe antibiotics and keep the patient on the proton pump inhibitor, until the symptoms have resolved, and the patient no longer tests positive for H. pylori.
Chronic gastritis should be taken as a symptom of an underlying cause. The chronic presence of H. pylori is known to contribute to stomach cancer, and a peptic ulcer left untreated can also turn malignant.
Gastritis is rarely fatal, but can mask other diseases such as acute coronary syndrome or aortic aneurysm rupture. Because of this, a person should always see a doctor when gastritis symptoms do not abate.
Symptoms of gastritis vary among individuals, and in many people there are no symptoms. However, the most common symptoms include:
Nausea or recurrent upset stomach
Abdominal bloating
Abdominal pain
Vomiting
Indigestion
Burning or gnawing feeling in the stomach between meals or at night
Hiccups
Loss of appetite
Vomiting blood or coffee ground-like material
Black, tarry stools
Gastritis sufferers who wish to keep the pain and discomfort of this infection at bay without having to rely on any medications may want to consider following a gastritis diet. Gastritis is a type of infection that causes that lining of the stomach to become inflamed. When this occurs, pain and other symptoms may occur that can prevent you from doing your usual tasks. Although there are medications prescribed by doctors for severe cases, those who are suffering from mild gastritis can try and prevent the infection from being triggered by eating the right kind of food. This is where following a gastritis diet comes in.
Surprisingly, not many people are aware of how beneficial gastritis diet can be. This isn’t your ordinary diet where you lose weight and such. This one is designed to prevent your gastritis from acting up so you can move around freely and have one less thing to worry about. This diet is designed to show gastritis sufferers which types of food should be eaten and which ones should be avoided. This way, you will be able to create a dish that is ideal for your stomach where it won’t cause your stomach lining to be irritated.
Here are a few examples of food that you need to remove from your daily diet:
Unripe fruits
Nuts with the exception of almonds
Chocolate
Cabbage
Dried beans
Fried chicken
Starchy food like pasta, wheat and rice
Spices like chili powder, cinnamon and peppermint
Coffee
Carbonated drinks
Food that can cause gas like onions and peas.
Now that you have an idea on which kinds of food you need to stay away from, here are some examples of what you can happily add to your regular meals:
Lean meats
Blueberries
Sea Vegetables
Squash
Vegetables that are dark green in color and leafy
Low-fat milk
Whole grains
Vegetable or Olive oil
Coconut water
Water
If you are going to try the gastritis diet out, you need to follow it strictly to get the results you want. There are some tips that are worth keeping in mind that can help you stick to this program. Here are some that you should know.
Eat smaller meals. This helps your stomach to digest the food you have consumed compared to eating three larger meals.
Chew your food slowly to prevent indigestion.
Reduce the amount of salty, oily, and sweet foods as much as possible.
Reduce intake of snacks or products that have trans-fat.
Take supplements like multivitamins.
Gastritis diet is designed to help alleviate the symptoms of gastritis. Following this diet can help you feel more comfortable and free from any pain at all. No need to keep on drinking medication when your gastritis acts up. You just need to stick with your gastritis diet to be free from this problem in the long run.
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 used to treat gastritis include:
Antibiotic medications to kill H. pylori. If H. pylori is found in your digestive tract, your doctor may recommend a combination of antibiotics to kill the bacterium. Antibiotic regimens are different throughout the world. In the United States, antibiotics prescribed for treatment of H. pylori include amoxicillin, clarithromycin (Biaxin), metronidazole (Flagyl) and tetracycline. You'll likely need to take antibiotics for two weeks, depending on their type and number.
Medications that block acid production and promote healing. Proton pump inhibitors reduce acid by blocking the action of the parts of cells that produce acid. These drugs include the prescription and over-the-counter medications omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, esomeprazole, dexlansoprazole and pantoprazole. Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors, particularly at high doses, may increase your risk of hip, wrist and spine fractures. Ask your doctor whether a calcium supplement may reduce this risk.
Medications to reduce acid production. Acid blockers — also called histamine (H-2) blockers — reduce the amount of acid released into your digestive tract, which relieves gastritis pain and encourages healing. Available by prescription or over-the-counter, acid blockers include ranitidine, famotidine, cimetidine and nizatidine.
Antacids that neutralize stomach acid. Your doctor may include an antacid in your drug regimen. Antacids neutralize existing stomach acid and can provide rapid pain relief. Side effects can include constipation or diarrhea, depending on the main ingredients.