Gastritis is one of the most common ailments that almost every other person is suffering from these days, due to the fast lifestyle and the changing pattern of the way of living. Food habits have gone haywire, with no proper eating schedules, and food that is greasier and spicy due to time constraints that does not give enough time for home cooked meals; thus food on the go is the in thing.
Gastritis is a digestive disorder that affects the stomach and the digestive tract. It occurs due to inflammation of the abdominal lining, otherwise known as the esophagitis and leads to painful lesions. The protective layer within the inner membrane of the stomach lining or mucosa gets depleted, thereby, incapable of preventing the overflow of the stomach acids into the stomach.
Antral gastritis can be classified into three types:
- Non-erosive and non-specific gastritis
- Erosive and hemorrhagic gastritis
- Specific gastritis which indicates a disorder
Causes of gastritis
Gastritis can be caused due to any of the following reasons:
- H. pylori bacteria
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Oily and spicy food
- Skipping meals
- Smoking
- Drugs
- Stress
- Over consumption of NSAIDs
- Autoimmune disorders
- Infections
Diagnosing the gastritis
Gastritis can acute or chronic and if you are suffering from either, it is advisable to consult a health care provider immediately. Upon consultation, the doctor would examine you and note down all the symptoms and your eating habits.
If needed, the doctor may perform an endoscopy to determine the level of inflammation inside the stomach. It is procedure where a long tube attached with a camera is inserted inside the stomach through the mouth and throat. The doctor is able to see what is going on inside your stomach. The doctor may also suggest a biopsy in case they do find something unusual during endoscopy.
The doctor may also ask for a breath, blood or stool test to check for the H. pylori bacteria that is one of the causes for gastritis.
The doctor may opt for an X-ray of the digestive tract that will help him identify the problem areas.
Finding a cure for the gastritis:
Treatment of gastritis depends upon the severity of the condition and also on the causes that led to the ailment.
When gastritis is due to the over intake of NSAID drugs, control over the drugs will help immensely to get over the problem.
If gastritis is due to H. pylori bacteria
- Probiotics — eating raw yogurt, sauerkraut, fermented foods that you are able to tolerate
- In rare case antibiotics or might be necessary or use natural antibacterial herbs and foods that will help to eliminate the bacteria and in getting rid of the problem.
In most cases:
- Avoiding spicy and oily foods
- Setting proper eating schedules and a healthy foods and balanced diet helps in resolving the problem from the root.
- Avoiding packaged and processed food helps in getting rid of the issue.
One must avoid:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Drugs
- Over the counter drugs
To overcome and combat this ailment one must lead a healthy life and practice healthy living daily:
- Healthy diet
- Avoiding stress
- Getting plenty of sleep
Also, practicing a few home remedies such as Chamomile or Ginger tea is also a safe and easy way to get rid of gastritis.
