What should I do if I have a flare-up of gastritis?

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 27, 2024
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When experiencing gastritis, it is important to actively use medical treatments, such as gastroprotective agents that suppress gastric acid secretion and antibiotics. At the same time, dietary adjustments should be made. The recurrence of gastritis is directly related to irregular eating habits. It's essential to follow a light diet, consume more vegetables and fruits, and eat less spicy, greasy, and stimulating foods. Additionally, avoid stimulants like strong tea, coffee, and hard liquor. Consume more vegetables to increase dietary fiber, and eat foods that are gentle on the stomach lining and easy to digest, such as millet porridge, rice soup, vegetable soup, and steamed egg custard.

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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 Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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How to diagnose gastritis

Gastritis is a common disease in clinical practice, generally divided into chronic gastritis and acute gastritis. Acute gastritis is most commonly characterized by abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The symptoms of chronic gastritis vary and mainly include discomfort in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite, and even early satiety. For the diagnosis of chronic and acute gastritis, the preferred examination is gastroscopy. Gastroscopy includes both conventional and painless procedures, both aimed at examining the condition of the gastric mucosa. However, for some elderly patients, particularly those with underlying conditions like coronary heart disease, the risk associated with gastroscopy is higher. Therefore, if conventional or painless gastroscopy is not suitable for the patient, abdominal CT and upper GI barium meal can be chosen instead. After completing the gastroscopy, if chronic gastritis or gastric ulcers are diagnosed, it is advisable to further conduct tests to screen for Helicobacter pylori.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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Symptoms of gastritis

Gastritis is divided into two types: acute gastritis and chronic gastritis. The main cause of acute gastritis is bacterial or viral infection, with primary symptoms including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Chronic gastritis is mainly caused by the digestion of the stomach itself due to stomach acid and pepsin. Its main cause is closely related to infection by Helicobacter pylori, with primary symptoms being upper abdominal distension, belching, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, poor appetite, and indigestion. For acute gastritis, a routine blood test is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. For chronic gastritis, a gastroscopy and a carbon-14 breath test are required to determine if there is an infection with Helicobacter pylori, which are the main examinations.

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
Gastroenterology
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What department should I go to for gastritis?

When gastritis is present, symptoms such as abdominal pain, acid reflux, belching, and bloating typically occur. Clinically, one can register under the Gastroenterology department, as the stomach is part of the digestive system. If the hospital is small and lacks a Gastroenterology department, registering under the Internal Medicine department could be considered. For gastritis diagnosis, registration should be made under Gastroenterology, and examinations such as gastroscopy and tests for Helicobacter pylori are required. Both gastroscopy and Helicobacter pylori tests require fasting for more accurate results. Moreover, treatment in Gastroenterology is more targeted.

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Does massage help with gastritis?

Gastritis might not necessarily be remedied by massage. Treatments for gastritis can include eradication of Helicobacter pylori, using medications to reduce gastric acid secretion, protecting the gastric mucosa, and enhancing gastric motility, among others. If the patient experiences depression or anxiety, anti-anxiety medications may also be used to adjust the patient's mood. The primary causes of gastritis may be infection by Helicobacter pylori, consumption of substances that damage or irritate the gastric mucosa such as aspirin or anti-rheumatic drugs, or ingestion of spicy and irritating foods, which harm the gastric mucosa. This results in inflammation, congestion, and edema of the gastric mucosa, where massage may not be effective. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a professional doctor.)