Types of gastritis: what to do and how to treat, reasons, what to take

September 7, 2018
Gastroenterology
Yuri Kucherenko

There are many problems with the digestive organs, but gastritis holds the palm. It is caused by a bacterium that does not take root in a healthy stomach. But as soon as it penetrates the digestive organ weakened by inflammation, its rapid reproduction begins. And this is expressed by an acute condition. What is gastritis like? Acute and chronic. Moreover, from acute to chronic is a short step. In the overwhelming percentage of cases, untreated gastritis smoothly turns into a chronic disease and getting rid of it becomes much more problematic.

How does this happen

Gastritis is a pathology directly related to inflammation of the gastric mucosa.

At some point, a person affected by the disease feels extremely unpleasant consequences, which, as a rule, are expressed in the following manifestations:

stomach pain;
feeling of a heavy stomach;
vomiting one after another;
nausea and loose stools;
heartburn and acid belching;
dizziness and weakness.

Of course, even today, in the age of widely developed technologies and availability of information, not everyone knows what gastritis is like and how it manifests itself.

Such an acute condition usually occurs after some external provoking factor. For example, taking some kind of medication, alcohol, chemicals (alkali, acid), spicy or fatty foods. Usually a person copes with this condition on his own and does not associate it with the manifestation of gastritis. And he doesn’t notice how the disease becomes a chronic companion for life.

Gastritis: types, causes, prevention

Why does gastritis occur? Most often, the reason is poor nutrition; in normal condition, the mucous membrane performs a protective function that prevents damage to the walls of the stomach from foreign aggressive substances that enter the stomach along with food, as well as from the gastric juice itself. Over time, this shell becomes thinner under the influence of various factors. There can be many reasons: decreased immunity, unhealthy food, use of certain medications, alcohol, or infection with certain types of bacteria.

Types of gastritis of the stomach

The classification of gastritis is very complex; in this article we will talk about its main types. It is divided into acute and chronic.

Acute is a type of gastritis that occurs for the first time.

Its symptoms:

sharp pain;
belching;
diarrhea;
bloating;
burning;
heaviness.

What are the types of gastritis?

There are several types of acute gastritis, depending on its course:

catarrhal;
fibrinous;
necrotic;
phlegmous;
chronic.

To overcome a disease, you need to know enough information about it. So, let’s look at what types of gastritis there are in more detail.

Catarrhal

Catarrhal is the simplest and most common form, diagnosed by gastroscopy. Occurs as a result of mild food poisoning, allergies, overeating and even nervous tension. Typically, this type of gastritis is accompanied by small pinpoint bleeding, a large amount of mucus, thickening in some places of the stomach and the presence of edema.

Its symptoms:

sour breath;
dry mouth;
vomiting of undigested food debris;
weakness and fever.

Fibrinous

Fibrinous is a more severe form; in addition to the above symptoms, new ones are added. Inflammatory processes begin, accompanied by tissue necrosis in a small amount. Purulent formations begin to appear. Depending on the depth of tissue damage, superficial and deep gastritis are distinguished. A variety of this form requires immediate medical intervention.

Symptoms of fibrinous gastritis:

headache;
pain in the stomach, mainly after eating.

Necrotic

Necrotizing is not a very common form of gastritis; it occurs as a result of poisoning with chemicals. When, for example, acids enter the gastrointestinal tract, so-called coagulation necrosis is formed, if we are talking about salts - colliquation necrosis. With necrotic gastritis, ulcers and wounds appear not only on the mucous membrane, but throughout the entire thickness of the stomach. Most often, this type of disease affects alcoholics who drink alcoholic beverages with a high content of ethyl alcohol. People who have suffered from this type of disease experience discomfort in the stomach for the rest of their lives due to the formation of scars in it.

Its symptoms are:

constant thirst.
pain in the mouth, production of viscous saliva;
general weakness with headaches;
pale complexion;
vomiting often mucus or blood.

Phlegmous

Phlegmous is the most serious form of acute gastritis. May be a consequence of catarrhal gastritis. Accompanied by damage to all layers of the stomach. In the most severe cases it can be fatal. Requires immediate medical attention. With this type of gastritis, you should immediately consult a doctor and get recommendations for its treatment.

Symptoms of this type of gastritis and obvious signs are:

thirst;
fever, chills;
feeling of nausea, vomiting, most often bile or blood.

Chronic gastritis

Chronic gastritis most often appears after acute gastritis. Of course, it can occur either independently or due to the patient’s carelessness. After all, many are simply not aware that they suffer from such a disease. It can be identified by periodic exacerbations. If a person realizes that he has been suffering from stomach discomfort for a long time, he should consult a doctor. Among other things, the following symptoms are distinguished:

discomfort and feeling of heaviness;
heartburn;
nausea, most often after eating;
poor appetite;
belching with an unnaturally unpleasant odor;
unpleasant taste in the mouth;
constipation or loose stools;
bloating in the stomach.

It is worth paying attention to the condition of your hair and nails. If they are weak and brittle, and the nails are peeling, then this may also be a sign of chronic gastritis. This is due to poor absorption of nutrients and minerals due to impaired digestive function. Anemia often appears, a person begins to lose weight, begins to feel unwell, and experiences constant fatigue and drowsiness.

Various types of gastritis and their treatment must be started in a timely manner with the help of a qualified specialist.

Types of chronic gastritis

At this stage, there are several types of gastritis of the stomach according to type:

Type A or autoimmune gastritis. Occurs when there is a conflict between the cells of one’s own immunity and the gastric mucosa.
Type B or infection by Hilicobacter pylori bacteria.
Type C or reflux gastritis. With this type of disease, bile enters the stomach from the duodenum, which negatively affects the gastric mucosa, causing irritation and, as a result, disease.

How to determine the type of gastritis?

Naturally, even a professional can hardly make an accurate diagnosis in the presence of such a variety of gastritis without tests, so at the first sign you should immediately consult a doctor. How to find out what form of gastritis a patient has? To do this, the doctor will prescribe a number of tests: blood, caprology, gasteroscopy and other procedures. It is important to understand that treatment of gastritis with antibiotics is accompanied by the prescription of the necessary bacteria and antifungal agents that help restore the natural environment of the stomach.

In addition, you need to reconsider your diet and follow a diet for some time, which your doctor can also prescribe. It will depend on the existing form of gastritis of the stomach whether the patient will be admitted to a hospital or whether it is enough to follow the prescription at home.

Prevention of gastritis

We have already found out what types of gastritis and symptoms there are, let's now talk about how to prevent them. There is a set of measures that, if followed, can reduce the risk of disease to a minimum. Their main task is to reduce the negative impact on the gastric mucosa. To do this you need:

Be careful when taking certain medications that have a negative effect on the stomach. Take them along with beneficial medications that contain beneficial bacteria.
Lead an active lifestyle, avoiding excessive stress.
Emotional stress is contraindicated for people suffering from various forms of gastritis. This leads to dysfunction of the secret glands and to an exacerbation of the disease.
Proper nutrition and quality products. You should forget about quick snacks, you need to eat several times a day, in small portions. It is worth eating as little spicy, fried, salty and sour foods as possible. The diet should contain balanced food, with sufficient amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
Annual examination by a gastroenterologist. A timely visit to a specialist will help identify the disease at an early stage and receive the necessary treatment.

Types and forms of the disease

There are different types of acute gastritis of the stomach. Acute illness occurs:

catarrhal;
phlegmonous;
necrotic;
fibrinous.

The first form most often affects people. Fortunately, this is not the biggest problem, since the pathology affects only the upper layer of the gastric mucosa. If acute gastritis is not treated, it can turn into a chronic or, much worse, phlegmonous form. This condition can lead to the death of the patient. Necrotizing gastritis occurs due to toxic substances entering the stomach. Fibrinous gastritis affects people weakened by other serious infections.

Diagnosis of the disease

The classification of gastritis is very broad.

Therefore, to make an accurate diagnosis, a specialist must conduct a number of laboratory and instrumental studies:

First of all, the patient is prescribed fibrogastroduodenoendoscopy. A probe is inserted into the patient's oral cavity, with which you can examine the condition of the gastric mucosa and, if necessary, take material for a biopsy. Using fibrogastroduodenoendoscopy, you can determine the nature, shape and features of the course of gastritis.
PH measurements are also prescribed. This test is necessary to determine the level of stomach acidity.
It is mandatory to perform an analysis for the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the stomach. This may involve taking blood or examining a sample taken from a biopsy.

Catarrhal form

Even such a simple type of gastritis of the stomach as catarrhal will make a person suffer seriously. The sick person feels very nauseous, vomits food debris, has a sour smell from the mouth, the body temperature rises, is thirsty, and everything in the mouth is dry. This may be accompanied by dizziness or headache, general weakness, and loose stools. As a rule, this happens after eating foods that cause inflammation of the mucous membrane and thus open the gates for microbes.

However, if you take timely measures, you can be completely cured within a week. You need to rinse your stomach and do an enema. Activated carbon or more modern means of the same direction are quite suitable for the first time. If the pain is severe, then injections are required - painkillers and antispasmodics. And in case of severe vomiting, they give medications that stop vomiting and restore the water-salt balance in the body.

Types of gastritis of the stomach depending on acidity

The classification of gastritis identifies:

hyperacid form (increased acidity),
hypoacid (acidity reduced),
normocidal form.

With inflammation of the hyperacid type, most often only the superficial layer of the organ without glands is affected. There is no mucosal atrophy. Increased acidity contributes to the development of erosive gastritis and ulcers. This pathology can be diagnosed by FEGDS and pH-metry.

There are types of gastritis of the stomach in which the pH of the stomach is within normal limits. An increase in this indicator is often observed when infected with Helicobacter bacteria. These microbes enhance the secretion of hydrochloric acid and persist for a long time in such an environment.

You need to know not only the types of gastritis of the stomach, but also the stages of development of the disease. Stage 1 of gastritis is characterized by superficial inflammation of the organ wall. The submucosal and muscular layers are most often not involved in the process. Hypertrophy (thickening) of the mucosa is possible. Digestive function is slightly impaired.

At stage 2, new areas of the organ become inflamed. The disease occurs cyclically with frequent or rare exacerbations. There are no signs of tissue degeneration. With grade 3 inflammation, atrophy occurs. In this case, a large number of glandular cells die. With atrophy, acidity decreases and severe digestive disorders are observed. The body does not receive the necessary substances. Some types of gastritis (erosive, atrophic) may be accompanied by metaplasia (impaired cell differentiation).

Increased acidity

In the area of the body and fundus of the stomach, acidity is normally 1.5-2.3. In the antrum area it is more alkaline (4.6-7.4). With hyperacid gastritis this value is less than 1.5. This pathology is diagnosed mainly in young people and children. Chronic gastritis with high acidity often leads to the formation of a defect in the form of an ulcer.

Low acidity

The cause of low acidity is the death of parietal cells and fundic glands and their replacement with connective tissue. This condition can develop over years. This pathology is diagnosed in adults. The consequences of low acidity are intestinal dysbiosis, hypovitaminosis, weight loss and inflammation of other digestive organs (pancreas, gall bladder).

Phlegmonous gastritis

A very dangerous disease, often resulting in the death of the patient, which is rare. It is caused by streptococci, staphylococci, E. coli, gangrene bacillus and other pathogens. The bacteria instantly multiply and create a pustular lesion in the gastric mucosa. More often, oddly enough, men suffer from it.

Or those with weak immunity, such as HIV-infected people. Knowing how insidious gastritis can be, you should pay attention to the following symptoms:

severe stomach pain;
freezes and has a fever;
unbearably sick and vomits, often with bile and even blood;
thirsty, anxiety increases;
weakness develops into cardiovascular failure.

You can get sick in the most unexpected ways. Microbes can enter the stomach during furunculosis, a sore tooth, sepsis, erysipelas, and typhoid fever. All symptoms come on suddenly and quickly develop into a dangerous stage.

Gastritis: symptoms and signs

In the presence of gastritis, its first symptoms sometimes appear not at the beginning of the development of the disease, but at a fairly late stage, when it already becomes chronic or acquires complications. However, there are often cases when the first signs of gastritis appear within 1 to 2 weeks of the development of the disease. If you know them and pay attention to such call signs, then by consulting a doctor and changing your diet, you can quickly get rid of this insidious disease forever.

The following signs may indicate the appearance of acute gastritis:

heaviness in the stomach, which occurs both during meals and some time after finishing the meal;
nausea, often ending in vomiting;
heartburn;
frequent pain felt in the epigastric region (popularly this area is called “in the pit of the stomach”);
dry mouth or increased salivation;
a grayish-white coating on the surface of the tongue.

With the development of chronic gastritis, the symptoms of the disease become more blurred and erased. The body itself has already adapted to living with this disease, so its course is often calm, almost unnoticeable until periods of severe exacerbation. At such moments, pronounced signs of gastritis are noted:

feeling of discomfort in the abdomen;
bowel dysfunction;
bad breath;
constant heartburn;
pain in the stomach;
flatulence;
loss of appetite;
sudden weight loss.

If you do not pay attention to the symptoms of gastritis in time, you can get serious complications. It is possible that with such a negligent attitude towards one’s own health, ulcers, stomach cancer, and internal gastric bleeding develop.

Necrotizing gastritis

The necrotic form of gastritis occurs due to toxic substances. People who abuse alcohol are more at risk. Although ordinary people who drink low-quality alcohol can feel what gastritis is like. Workers of some enterprises working with alkalis and acids are at risk. Having penetrated the digestive organ, the caustic substance deeply affects the walls of the stomach and causes necrosis of some areas. And this leads to ulcers and erosions. The oral mucosa and esophagus can be affected simultaneously. In this state, the patient feels:

very noticeable pain in the stomach;
nausea and vomiting, often with bloody discharge;
desire for constant quenching of thirst;
increasing weakness.

And it all can start with strange and unpleasant sensations in the mouth, in the esophagus. Saliva becomes viscous. Everything can end very badly if you don’t rinse your stomach right away. You will probably need an ambulance and an antidote. After recovery, the patient may have a scar on the wall of the stomach, which means that for the rest of his life he will have to live according to a certain diet.

Diagnosis of gastritis

In order to make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct studies such as gastroscopy, ultrasound, bacteriological analysis of cells that are taken from both healthy and affected areas of the stomach.

During an ultrasound, you can examine light or dark areas and thereby determine the changes that are occurring.

Gastroscopy

Gastroscopy Gastroscopy is performed using a thin tube with an optical device at its end. The subject must carry out this procedure on an empty stomach. Before starting the study, the gastroscope is treated with alcohol, then the patient is injected with an atropine solution, and the pharynx is treated with an anesthetic. Next, the patient clamps the mouthpiece in his mouth, relaxes his throat and takes one sip. While the swallow is taking place, the doctor gradually pushes the gastroscope down the throat to the stomach and examines the inner surface. After a thorough examination, the physician takes pieces of the stomach lining to perform a biopsy. In the process of examining the tissues taken, the degree of damage and type are determined. This will help you choose the right course of treatment.

Fibrinous gastritis

Another type of acute gastritis, not common, but extremely dangerous, is fibrinous gastritis. In this case, the location of the mucosal lesion has a characteristic appearance. We are talking about numerous erosions under a cloudy film, the formation of which most often leads to an abscess. The patient feels:

nausea and vomiting with blood;
increased salivation, unpleasant taste in the mouth, belching;
dull pain in the stomach, often immediately after eating;
often headache, fever, weakness.

The disease is provoked by an internal infection that affects the blood - sepsis, scarlet fever, smallpox, typhoid fever. No treatment will help fibrinous gastritis if you do not get rid of the main cause - the existing pathogens.

Thus, the types of gastritis and symptoms differ from each other. And it is necessary to determine in time what methods and drugs to treat.

Symptoms

Unfortunately, chronic gastritis has no specific symptoms. It often manifests itself:

Dyspeptic disorders: heartburn, belching, nausea, vomiting, stool disorders, rumbling in the stomach, flatulence, etc.
Pain that occurs immediately after eating or some time after.
The appearance of weakness after eating and dizziness.
Hair loss and brittle nails.
Peeling of the skin.
The appearance of wounds in the corners of the mouth.
Iron deficiency or B12 deficiency anemia.

Attention! Signs of chronic gastritis directly depend on its type.

Thus, with the hypersecretory form, heartburn is more often observed, and with low secretion of gastric juice, nausea and regular bitter belching with a rotten taste are observed. In general, with normal or increased secretion, which occurs more often in young men, patients complain of pain that occurs “on an empty stomach.”

Attention! Men sometimes develop cancerophobia (fear of malignant tumors) and latent depression. Such patients suddenly begin to suffer from hypochondria, which cannot go unnoticed by their relatives.

Interestingly, chronic gastritis in children occurs almost the same as in adults. Since in most cases this disease develops during school, it is usually easier to treat and often occurs without visible signs.

Why does the disease manifest itself so acutely?

Now you know what types of gastritis occur in the acute phase. But why does this happen? There are external and internal reasons for this. External reasons are:

food that is too cold or too hot;
alcohol in large quantities or not of very high quality;
smoking;
spoiled, low-quality food, too fatty or spicy food;
long-term use of certain medications: aspirin, antibiotics, hormonal drugs and others that irritate the walls of the stomach.

There are also internal reasons that a person may not be aware of. But they insidiously lead to illness in the acute phase. This:

losing weight too quickly, as a result of which some substances previously associated with fat cells are released and go into the gastric mucosa, irritating it;
staphylococci and streptococci that have multiplied as a result of some infectious disease in the body;
rapid growth of your own stomach bacteria due to decreased immunity or other factors;
toxic substances that got inside and caused a burn to the mucous membrane.

Causes of gastritis

Fast food is one of the causes of gastritis. Smoking, alcohol abuse, frequent consumption of fatty and heavy foods are the main causes of gastritis. Human gastric juice consists of strong hydrochloric acid, and in order to protect the walls of the stomach from it, they have a layer of epithelium that protects them. When a person eats highly salted, spicy and fatty foods for a long time, the epithelium becomes thinner and can no longer protect the walls of the stomach from gastric juice. As a result, the walls are corroded. This is how gastritis occurs.

Chronic form

If a person has suffered the acute stage of gastritis, then he may not be aware that he needs medical help. Because not everyone knows what gastritis is like in general. Was it gastritis or just a temporary malaise due to the wrong food? If you miss treatment time, you can get a chronic form. She haunts a person constantly:

nausea after eating;
heartburn;
stomach discomfort and pain;
unpleasant taste in the mouth;
unpleasant belching;
flatulence.

Consequences of chronic gastritis

Regardless of what type of chronic inflammation is diagnosed, treatment should be carried out immediately because inflammation can cause serious complications, including:

internal bleeding;
inflammation of the peritoneum;
sepsis;
anemia;
inflammation of the pancreas;
prolonged vomiting will cause dehydration;
exhaustion of the body;
ulcer of the stomach, duodenum;
gastroduodenitis;
cancer of the stomach and duodenum.

Chronic form in different variations

It is generally accepted that gastritis is a bacterial disease. But it is not so. Chronic types of gastritis and their treatment vary. In a chronic condition, the types of disease differ:

Autoimmune gastritis (type A).
Bacterial as a result of infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria (type B).
Reflux gastritis (type C).

In order to understand all these types, you need a competent doctor. It is known what types of gastritis there are, and they can be distinguished by a number of tests. Among the main ones: gasteroscopy, blood, scatology and so on. Depending on what form is detected, the issue of inpatient or outpatient treatment will be decided, in which it is enough to follow the doctor’s instructions. Antibacterial drugs, antihistamines, adsorbents, and antibiotics are used for treatment. Only a doctor can determine medications, their dose and duration of use. Self-medication is unacceptable.

Kinds

According to the modern domestic classification, chronic gastritis can occur in the following morphological forms, which are diagnosed based on the histological picture:

Superficial chronic gastritis. The development of the disease begins with this form. It is characterized by normal thickness of the mucous membranes of the stomach, but degenerative changes are already noticeable in the upper layers of the epithelium.
Chronic diffuse gastritis, that is, accompanied by damage to the glands without atrophy of the mucous membrane. It represents an intermediate stage between the superficial and atrophic forms.
Atrophic gastritis is characterized by atrophy of special cells located in the deep layers of the gastric mucosa. In particular, with chronic hyperplastic gastritis, specific mucosal ridges become taller and thinner, and are also separated by corkscrew-shaped convoluted pits.

According to another classification, gastritis is distinguished:

Autoimmune (type A). As a rule, with this form of gastritis, mild inflammatory processes are found on the bottom and body of the stomach. It is not characterized by erosion, although in certain cases they can also occur. In addition, with autoimmune gastritis, antibodies to parietal cells and intrinsic factor, as well as hypoacidity, are detected. Unlike gastritis caused by Helicobacter, autoimmune gastritis extremely rarely ends in malignancy (degeneration into malignant formations) of lesions.
Helicobacter pylori
Helicobacter (type B). This type is the most common form of chronic gastritis. It occurs as a result of damage to the mucous membranes of the stomach by the Helicobacter bacterium. It causes the appearance of an inflammatory infiltrate in the mucous membranes and the progression of dystrophic changes. Typically, the pathological process develops in the antrum of the stomach and is called chronic antral gastritis. If the patient does not take any measures, the infection may spread to the body of the stomach, and atrophic changes will become more pronounced.
Chronic reflux gastritis (type C) is a type of antral gastritis and occurs as a result of the reflux of duodenal contents, saturated with bile, back into the stomach.
Chronic mixed gastritis (type A + B). It combines symptoms of different forms of the disease.

Special forms of gastritis

There are also a number of special forms of the disease. This:

Eosinophilic (allergic) gastritis is a rare pathology, which is often combined with vasculitis and allergies.
Granulomatous. This type of disease usually occurs with sarcoidosis, Crohn's disease, mycoses, tuberculosis and the presence of foreign bodies. It is characterized by the formation of tumors (granulomas) in the mucous membranes of the stomach, which is accompanied by dyspeptic disorders.
Hypertrophic gastritis or Ménétrier's disease is manifested by diarrhea, abdominal pain after eating and nausea. As a rule, it causes sudden weight loss.
Lymphocytic. With it, the mucous membranes of the stomach are saturated with lymphocytes.
Erosive. The presence of this form of chronic gastritis is indicated when erosion persists for more than 30 days. In such cases, patients complain of dyspepsia, pain and bleeding.
Chronic reactive. This form of the disease develops as a result of exposure of the mucous membranes of the stomach to bile, drugs and pancreatic enzymes.

Prevention

Before you eat or drink something, you should always think about whether it is for you or not. An expired product that, in your opinion, is still quite normal, exotic food that is too spicy, various diets, cleansing procedures from dubious authors. Or maybe there is not enough time for anything, even to eat properly. And you have to eat on the run and on the go. If so, then there is every chance of falling into a risk group. And if you consider how insidious gastritis can be, then with such an attitude towards food you can easily end up chronically ill without even noticing it. Here's what you need to do to avoid being at risk:

take medications only as indicated in the instructions for use, so as not to irritate the gastric mucosa;
move more, but do not overload yourself physically;
do not get irritated over trifles, since in people who have gastritis or are prone to it, nervousness increases the risk of developing and exacerbating the disease;
eat only good and fresh foods in normal combinations and quantities, abandon strict diets;
undergo a preventive examination with a gastroenterologist every year.

Common forms

Catarrhal

The most common form of the disease is catarrhal. This pathology occurs with a single exposure to an aggressive factor. Inflammation can be focal and diffuse (uniform). There are more than 1 million patients in the world. The causes of catarrhal inflammation are viral and bacterial infections, mucosal injuries, alcohol consumption, food poisoning and uncontrolled use of gastrotoxic drugs.

The disease is manifested by general malaise, abdominal pain, bitter taste in the mouth, nausea, hypersalivation (increased salivation), heaviness in the epigastric zone, vomiting and a feeling of fullness. With repeated and profuse vomiting, symptoms of dehydration appear. In severe cases, electrolyte disturbances are observed. Convulsions are possible.

Atrophic

This form of the disease is characterized by a chronic course. Atrophic gastritis is dangerous in terms of malignancy (degeneration into stomach cancer). This is facilitated by extensive tissue metaplasia. The disease is characterized by slow, steady progression. This pathology develops due to improper treatment of acute inflammation (non-compliance with diet, alcohol consumption, non-compliance with medication regimen).

Pernicious (B12-deficiency) anemia often develops against the background of catarrhal gastritis. Cause: impaired absorption of vitamins and iron. Signs of this pathology are dyspepsia, drowsiness, weakness, fatigue, pale skin and mucous membranes, pain and burning in the tongue, changes in its color, dry hair and brittle nails, peeling skin, shortness of breath and pain in the heart. Often, with atrophy of the mucous membrane, stool is disrupted.

Erosive

With this type of inflammation, single or multiple, shallow defects (erosions) are formed on the mucous membrane. This condition is dangerous because it can lead to stomach bleeding. Men get sick more often than women. The risk group includes older people. Risk factors for the development of erosive gastritis are drug addiction, alcoholism, mucosal burns, stress, tissue ischemia, diabetes mellitus, hormonal disorders, Crohn's disease and parasitic infections.

The hallmarks of this form of the disease are blood-streaked vomiting and melena (loose stool with clotted blood). Anemia may develop against the background of bleeding. Complications of erosive gastritis are shock, deformation of the stomach, narrowing of the outlet and ulcer formation. Differential diagnosis includes varicose veins of the esophagus, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, cancer and polyps.

Helicobacter

Helicobacter gastritis develops when Helicobacter bacteria enter the stomach. You can become infected through kissing infected people, dishes, toothbrushes, towels, unsterile endoscopic equipment, nebulizers, and by drinking unboiled water, unwashed vegetables and fruits. Helicobacter gastritis can occur in acute and chronic forms. This pathology requires the prescription of antibiotics (derivatives of metronidazole, Clarithromycin, Amoxiclav and Azithromycin).

Alcoholic

Alcoholic gastritis (gastropathy), a disease that develops after taking large doses of alcoholic beverages or during prolonged use of alcohol. Risk factors include stress, occupational hazards, smoking, obesity and drinking alcohol on an empty stomach.

Ethyl alcohol increases the production of hydrochloric acid, slows down the evacuation of food, reduces the protective function of the mucous membrane and impairs blood circulation. Distinctive signs of the disease are regurgitation, thirst, constipation, a feeling of fullness in the stomach and rapid satiety. There may be signs of alcohol intoxication in the form of neuropathy, muscle atrophy and rapid heartbeat.

Changing our lifestyle

Regardless of what types of gastritis a person has, he will have to change his previous lifestyle. By and large, you need to give up smoking and drinking alcohol. Of course, the acute phase can be cured and gastritis forgotten forever, but until the moment when the conditions for this occur again. But, alas, statistics say that every third patient with gastritis already has a chronic form. Because I didn’t get treatment on time. And the most attentive people to their health, after the first attack of acute gastritis, will change their eating habits and give up harmful addictions. Chronically ill people will have to do this in any case so as not to constantly experience malaise that threatens to turn into a dangerous form.

Treatment of acute gastritis

If the patient is taking any medications, be sure to tell the doctor about it so that he can prescribe the correct treatment. In addition, even if gastritis no longer appears, you should visit a gastroenterologist regularly.

Acute gastritis, the types, causes, prevention and treatment of which are discussed in this article, require mandatory adherence to a special diet. In addition, after the initial manifestation of the disease, the patient is recommended to fast for 24 hours so as not to burden the stomach.

When treating acute gastritis, one should concentrate on eliminating the root cause that provoked its occurrence. If acute gastritis was caused by chemical poisoning, gastric lavage is required.

Eating right

So, people with chronic gastritis should first of all worry about proper nutrition. But the difficulty is to create a menu that contains all the necessary nutrients. And at the same time, to give up your usual dishes, but not to deprive yourself of the joy of delicious food. That is, a strict diet for gastritis should nevertheless be tasty. At first you will have to eat only broths while the pain is tormented, then cereals, tea, soups. And then the menu becomes more diverse. Many steamed vegetables are allowed. But you will have to forget regular cabbage. Instead - colored.

I'll have to give up tomatoes. But you can eat potatoes, carrots, zucchini. You can eat eggs. But only soft-boiled. Dairy products are completely acceptable, but you need to choose ones that are not very sour. Cottage cheese can be eaten in the form of cheesecakes and casseroles. Milk – only for porridge or tea. Meat and fish should also be on the menu. But not fatty varieties and under no circumstances fried. Almost any cereals and pasta. You can also eat feather dishes. But not borscht, rassolnik or okroshka. Mushroom soup is also prohibited, as are the mushrooms themselves. But you can lean on vegetable soups and chicken soups. The dressing should be sour cream or egg.