Gastritis is one of the stomach diseases that has been increasing recently. Often overlooked, gastritis is related to excess secretion of stomach acid and leads to more serious stomach problems if left untreated.
What is Gastritis?
The system that starts from the mouth and continues to the anus, which allows the food taken into the body to be broken down into building blocks and the substances that are not necessary for the body to be converted into feces and thrown out of the body, is called the digestive system. Diseases related to organs such as mouth, stomach, small and large intestines, anus that make up the digestive system are called digestive system diseases. The stomach is also one of the digestive system organs and there are many known stomach diseases.
One of the most well-known of these diseases is gastritis. Recently, changing living conditions and diets have led to an increase in stomach related diseases. Gastritis should be treated before it causes other diseases that are difficult to recover from. Bacteria that cause stomach ulcers if left untreated lead to this disease. While gastritis, called acute gastritis, may occur suddenly, chronic gastritis, which is persistent inflammation, may also occur due to delaying the treatment of previous diseases of the stomach. In recent years, stomach diseases have increased a lot due to nutrition and life habits, and gastritis is one of the most common of these diseases.
Gastritis, which reduces people's living standards considerably, causes more serious diseases if left untreated. In most people, gastritis is not serious and can be treated with simple treatments. However, in opposite cases, chronic gastritis can last for years. Therefore, its treatment should not be delayed. Many factors, such as excessive consumption of foods that are difficult for the stomach to digest, and not being able to move enough, cause more stomach acid to be secreted. Stomach acid is a very effective substance necessary for the breakdown of food.
Too much production causes the stomach membrane to weaken and become damaged over time. The stomach lining, which weakens due to stomach acid, becomes inflamed over time. Formed This inflammation affects people's nutrition and daily life. Therefore, gastritis should be taken seriously. It is usually successfully eliminated if treated promptly. However, if old eating habits continue, it is possible to re-emerge.
What are the Symptoms of Gastritis?
Gastritis caused by a bacterial infection initially does not show any symptoms in most people. However, if the disease progresses;
- Discomfort and burning sensation in the stomach,
- Permanent pain felt between the navel and lower ribs,
- Nausea that may cause vomiting from time to time,
- Anorexia due to stomach discomfort,
- Constant burping desire, bloating and feeling of fullness,
Again, black stools due to the progression of the disease are among the common symptoms.
These symptoms may appear suddenly due to acute gastritis, or they may occur from time to time due to chronic gastritis. There is also. However, these symptoms are common in many patients. Symptoms that occur in the later stages of the disease greatly reduce the standard of living. For this reason, it is necessary to treat gastritis without affecting human life too much.
What are the Causes of Gastritis?
Gastritis occurs as a result of inflammation of the stomach lining due to excessive secretion of stomach acid. One type of bacteria that causes this inflammation is Helicobacter pylori.
It is a type of bacteria that directly infects the stomach lining. It is possible for this infection to be transmitted from person to person. Although it has not been proven definitively, the formation of this bacterium in the stomach also depends on genetic conditions. Excessive alcohol consumption, routine use of non-steroidal pain relievers such as ibuprofen and aspirin, use of drugs such as cocaine, and smoking can cause gastritis. As we age, the stomach lining weakens and becomes thinner. For this reason, the likelihood of gastritis increases with advancing age.
The studies carried out bring It has been shown that excessive stress caused by these problems can also cause gastritis. People with autoimmune disorders such as type 1 diabetes are more likely to develop gastritis. Because such diseases cause the cells in the body to damage the stomach. It has been proven by studies that B-12 deficiency also causes gastritis. In addition, immune system diseases such as HIV, AIDS and Crohn's disease facilitate the emergence of infectious diseases such as gastritis.
What are the Types of Gastritis Diseases?
Gastritis is not a disease with many varieties. Acute gastritis, the symptoms of which occur suddenly and severely, gradually develops into chronic gastritis with inflammation of the stomach lining, if certain disorders in the stomach are not treated. Acute gastritis is mostly manifested by symptoms of indigestion, loss of appetite, black stools, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain and swelling, and even bloody vomiting. If these symptoms persist for more than a week, it is necessary to go to the hospital for immediate treatment.
In some acute gastritis patients, it can be seen that no symptoms are observed. In chronic gastritis, stomach pains are not usually seen. Difficulty in breathing, weight loss, pale skin color, bad taste in the mouth, especially when waking up from sleep, diarrhea or constipation, constant accumulation of saliva in the mouth, depression and urinary problems, which is one of the most important symptoms, are among the common symptoms of chronic gastritis. If stomach pain occurs in patients with chronic gastritis, there is a possibility that the disease may turn into ulcer or stomach cancer. Therefore, it is very important to treat both gastritis diseases as soon as possible.
How to Diagnose Gastritis?
Patients who apply to a doctor with gastritis complaints mostly focus on their nutritional history and life history. If the doctor sees the possibility of gastritis, it is possible to apply for various tests. Blood, stool and urine tests are often done to detect whether there is Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the body. Apart from this, a tasteless, colorless liquid containing radioactive carbon is given to the patient to detect this bacterium and a bag is taken from the patient. a blow is requested.
In case there is bacteria in the stomach, the bacteria breaks down this liquid and changes the structure of the drinkable liquid. This allows the detection of bacteria. In addition, endoscopy is one of the most common diagnostic methods. Endoscopy is the insertion of a tube through the mouth that can reach the small intestine. With this method, the stomach is visualized and bacterial infections can be detected by imaging. If necessary, the doctor can also take a sample from the stomach with this method. It is aimed to detect bacteria by examining the sample taken in the laboratory environment.
Another method used apart from this is X-ray of the upper digestive system. The patient is given barium (a white, metallic liquid.) to drink and the upper digestive tract is visualized under x-ray. As a result of X-ray, it is determined whether there is any abnormality in the stomach.
What are the Gastritis Treatment Methods?
The treatment of gastritis varies depending on the underlying causes. In cases of gastritis caused by heavily used pain relievers or alcohol, stopping the intake of these substances is a treatment method. Antibiotic drugs can be used to treat inflammation caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. This antibiotic treatment usually lasts for 1-2 weeks. Medications may be recommended to slow the secretion of stomach acid. Medicines containing omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole and pantoprazole are among these drugs. In addition, antacids that neutralize stomach acid are among the drugs used for treatment. The purpose of the use of these drugs is to reduce the symptoms by weakening the stomach acid.
However, the most effective treatment method is to change the lifestyle and eating habits of the patients. Eating fewer and frequent meals will reduce the effects of stomach acid. Consuming less spicy, acidic, fried or fatty foods, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, and changing painkillers if absolutely necessary will prevent gastritis.
If gastritis symptoms persist despite all the precautions taken at home, it is necessary to make an appointment with a health institution and be examined as soon as possible. In order to prevent gastritis from progressing to more serious diseases and to lead a healthier life, this should be done. importance should not be forgotten and treatment should be started as soon as possible.
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