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- What is gastritis?
- Symptoms of gastritis
- Causes of gastritis
- Prevention of gastritis
- Risk factors for gastritis
- Complications of gastritis
- When to see a doctor about gastritis
- Diagnosis of gastritis
- Conventional treatment of gastritis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of gastritis
- Living with gastritis
- Caring for someone with gastritis
Gastritis can be caused by a number of factors:
- Alcohol (in excessive amounts) - heavy drinking causes a great deal of damage to the body and in particular damages the lining of the stomach
- Backflow of bile - if there is a back-flow of bile from the small intestine into the stomach, this can irritate the stomach lining, especially if this occurs often
- Bacteria overgrowth - certain bacteria can overgrow in the stomach (and other parts of the gastrointestinal system) which can damage the delicate pH balance of the stomach and allow them to proliferate even more. The bacterial overgrowth can be caused by a number of reasons, but ultimately the results is the same, an irritated stomach lining and gastritis symptoms. The bacteria most often responsible are: Helicobacter pylori and e.coli bacterium
- Constipation - excessive constipation can put an immense pressure on the whole gastrointestinal system, from the constant straining and dryness of the colon, which can weaken the function of the gastrointestinal system and enable infection and inflammation to occur
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- Medications - certain medications can irritate the stomach lining, causing symptoms of gastritis. The medications that most commonly cause problems are: aspirin, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), naprogesic, but there are many others that can cause gastritis (including antibiotics)
- Stress - some people who are stressed, especially if the stress is excessive or prolonged, can have an overproduction of acid in the stomach, which can really irritate the lining, when there is no food in there to digest and no protection for the stomach lining from the stomach acids
- Vomiting - people who vomit excessively can cause a great deal of damage not just to the stomach, but also to the esophagus, when the stomachs acids are continuously being sent up from the stomach up the esophagus and through the mouth and expelled out. People who are the most likely to vomit excessively, are bulimics, but it can occur in people who have a severe gastrointestinal infection (bacterial gastroenteritis)
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< 2: symptoms 4: prevention > Last reviewed: 10 November 2007 || Last updated: 27 January 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
