What to do about gastritis pain?

Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Upper abdominal pain caused by gastritis is usually due to excessive secretion of gastric acid, which irritates the gastric mucosa. In such cases, acid-suppressing medications are preferred, commonly including H2 receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors, with proton pump inhibitors being the first choice. Treatment plans should also be determined based on underlying diseases and the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection. If Helicobacter pylori infection is present, formal quadruple therapy should be initiated to eradicate the bacteria. If there is no infection, symptomatic treatment with proton pump inhibitors as the first choice is sufficient. Some patients may experience upper abdominal pain due to episodic gastric spasms. In such cases, antispasmodic pain relievers such as scopolamine butylbromide or anisodamine can be used for symptomatic treatment. It is also important to eat a light, easily digestible diet and to avoid exposure to cold. (Note: Please use medication under the guidance of a clinical doctor and based on specific circumstances.)

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Written by Wu Peng
Gastroenterology
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What are the symptoms of gastritis?

Chronic gastritis often lacks specific clinical manifestations, and the correlation between the pathological histological examination results of the gastric mucosa and the clinical manifestations is also relatively poor. Some patients show changes in the mucosa indicative of gastritis during gastroscopy, and pathological histological examinations reveal inflammation, but they may have no or only mild clinical symptoms. The clinical manifestations of most chronic gastritis are merely upper gastrointestinal dyspeptic symptoms, such as a sense of fullness in the upper abdomen, irregular dull pain, belching, decreased appetite, weight loss, fatigue, and worsening upper abdominal discomfort after eating. Patients with chronic gastritis often have no obvious specific physical signs; some may have mild upper abdominal tenderness or discomfort upon palpation. Patients with gastric mucosal lesions may have positive fecal occult blood tests; however, vomiting blood or having black stool is very rare, and long-term poor appetite or minor bleeding might be accompanied by anemia. In severe cases of atrophic gastritis and pernicious anemia, significant anemia symptoms may be present.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
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Can gastritis be cured?

Gastritis can be cured, primarily through medication, such as protecting the gastric mucosa, inhibiting gastric acid secretion, and appropriately using antibiotics. If there is a Helicobacter pylori infection, specific treatment for Helicobacter pylori must be conducted. After the treatment of gastritis, it is crucial to pay attention to dietary adjustments. Irregular eating habits can lead to the recurrence of gastritis. Therefore, it is advisable to maintain a light diet, consume more vegetables and fruits, eat less spicy and irritating food, avoid strong tea, coffee, and hard liquor which can damage the gastric mucosa, and keep a relaxed mood, which also positively affects the treatment of stomach diseases.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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Does gastritis infect people?

Regarding whether gastritis can be contagious, it requires specific analysis of the circumstances. If the gastritis is caused by an infection of Helicobacter pylori, then it can be transmitted to others through shared meals or fecal-oral transmission. Under such circumstances, if others do not maintain clean eating habits or overeat, they are at a higher risk of developing chronic gastritis. If the occurrence of gastritis is not due to an infection from Helicobacter pylori, then it will not be contagious to others. Patients with gastritis should be cautious with their diet, avoiding spicy and irritating foods, and should not overeat. It’s important to eat regularly and in moderate amounts, and maintain a bland diet.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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How to maintain gastric health usually?

Chronic gastritis is a common upper gastrointestinal disease, and it often relapses, so regular maintenance is particularly important. It is essential to develop good dietary and living habits, such as not getting chilled and avoiding excessive fatigue, quitting smoking and drinking, and eating a diet that is as light and digestible as possible. Eating regularly and in moderation, or having small, frequent meals, thoroughly chewing your food slowly rather than gobbling it down, minimizing stimulation from greasy, raw, or spicy foods, and maintaining a good mood all help.

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
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How to treat gastritis

Gastritis is mostly caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, or factors such as improper diet, medications, and emotional stress, which lead to gastric mucosal damage. In terms of treatment, it is best to first conduct a gastroscopy and test for Helicobacter pylori to determine the type of gastritis and whether there is an infection. Treatment should then be guided by the results. If it is not possible to conduct these tests, one can use proton pump inhibitors to suppress stomach acid, in combination with gastric mucosal protectants. If reflux gastritis is present, prokinetic drugs should also be used to inhibit reflux. (Use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)