The digestive system is not only the most complex in our body, it also experiences tremendous stress daily. Poor nutrition, coffee all day and a hearty dinner, fatty, sweet, spicy. It is not surprising that gastritis today is not uncommon even among young people. Abdominal pain, burning and digestion are an occasion for an immediate visit to the doctor, since complications of gastritis are much more difficult to treat.
What is gastritis
This is an inflammatory process that occurs in the gastric mucosa. In some cases, the process extends to deeper layers. The most common cause is Helicobacter pylori.
Symptoms of gastritis are pain in the stomach. It can be different, accompanied by intestinal disorders or constipation. Often, patients talk about severe bloating. The diagnosis is made only by a specialist based on the results of the examination. Treatment is carried out through therapeutic nutrition, as well as antibiotics, for example, Omez. Often they use drugs to reduce acidity (this is important so as not to irritate the affected areas), such as Nolpaza. In parallel, drugs are used that protect the mucous membranes, such as Almagel. If treatment is not started on time, then the likelihood of developing complications of gastritis is high.
Forms of gastritis
To begin with, it can be acute and chronic. The first develops rapidly, usually in a matter of hours or days. The cause of acute inflammation of the gastric mucosa may be infection by bacteria or a short exposure to irritants (drugs, chemicals, etc.). It is characterized by cellular infiltration (accumulation of particles and substances in the tissues that are not their normal component), impaired regeneration and subsequent atrophy of the glandular epithelium, impaired motor, secretory and endocrine functions of the stomach, as well as intestinal metaplasia. Acute gastritis, in turn, can be phlegmonous, corrosive, catarrhal and fibrous.
Chronic gastritis manifests itself as persistent structural changes in the mucous membrane of the stomach; it has practically no clinical manifestations. It can be bacterial, autoimmune. Reflux gastritis is also quite common, which develops as a result of the reflux of bile acids and lysolecithin into the stomach.
Depending on the acidity of the stomach, gastritis with increased acidity (complications will be discussed below) or reduced can develop.
Types of flow
The most common and simplest form of acute illness is called catarrhal. There can be many reasons for its appearance. Gastritis in this case develops with rotavirosis and allergic reactions. In this case, the mucous membrane is destroyed slightly. Usually only the surface layer is damaged, which is restored quite quickly.
Antibiotics are not prescribed for treatment. In this case, the body's defenses are enough to restore the integrity of the mucosa. Be sure to follow a sparing diet. This is important so as not to irritate the damaged mucosa and create all conditions for its recovery. Usually, doctors recommend that for 10-14 days, remove all their fatty and fried diets from their diet, switching to cereal soups, steam cutlets and mashed boiled vegetables. In the absence of proper treatment, complications of gastritis are not excluded, which will have to be treated much longer.
The complicated course of acute gastritis
It is accompanied by the production of large amounts of acid. Therefore, often the disease can go into the chronic stage. Moreover, if you choose the right treatment, then you can stop the symptoms in 5-7 days. It takes longer to fully cure.
Separately, it is worth mentioning about erosive gastritis. Complications are the development of the ulcerative process. This form of gastritis develops usually after alkalis or acids enter the stomach, which can damage its membrane. Depending on the degree of exposure, the walls of the mucosa are destroyed - this is the first step to the development of ulcers. Treatment involves a strict diet and the use of special drugs to protect the mucosa and healing, destroying bacteria.
Phlegmonous gastritis. It usually develops when a foreign body enters the mucosa and subsequently infects this area with an infection. A complication of gastritis is manifested in the form of peritonitis. Treatment involves surgery.
Fibrinous type. Its second name is diphtheria. It develops as a result of poisoning by sublimate, acids and serious diseases of an infectious nature. It is quite rare.
Chronic gastritis
It does not arise by itself. Usually, frequent relapses and improper treatment contribute to this. The insidiousness of this ailment lies in the fact that for a long time it can proceed unnoticed. The cause of its development may be a defeat of the mucous membrane by bacteria, as well as the reflux of bile into the stomach.
Complications of chronic gastritis are usually much more serious, since damage to the mucosa is deeper and more extensive than with acute gastritis. A characteristic feature is that the growth in the mucous membrane of the connective tissue leads to a decrease in acid production. The reason is simple: connective tissue replaces the cells that produce this secret. That is, in this case we are talking about gastritis with low acidity. There are complications, but the risk of their development can be minimized. To do this, you need to eat right and lead a healthy lifestyle. In addition, you can not tolerate pain. It is necessary to immediately pass the diagnosis and only on the basis of the results obtained to get a competent appointment.
Effects
It is very important to pay attention to the symptoms of gastritis in time. Treatment in adults and children can be very effective, the main thing is not to start the disease. The disease itself is not so terrible, but if you do not start adequate treatment, you will have to face quite serious complications. And the very first on the list is gastric ulcer.
It occurs if acute gastritis is not treated. Pathology most often occurs at the site of erosion. The condition is accompanied by acute pain, sometimes vomiting with an admixture of blood may appear. An ulcer affects all layers of the tissues of the stomach. Wounds are corroded by the stomach’s own acid. Complicating gastritis is dangerous because it is impossible to cure it. But when you follow the doctor’s recommendations, the ulcer can heal.
A stomach ulcer can also lead to serious complications. Therapy should be prescribed by the attending physician, there is no single treatment regimen, only the diet will be similar, which we will discuss below. A common consequence is a deficiency of B vitamins, resulting from poor absorption of nutrients. Frequent gastric bleeding is the cause of anemia. An alarm must be struck even if the blood loss is small.
Bleeding
It would seem that everything is really so serious, because we are talking about the symptoms of gastritis. Treatment in adults must necessarily be under the supervision of an experienced gastroenterologist. With erosive gastritis, you can seriously fear internal bleeding. They can be caused by a normal attack. Therefore, if you notice an admixture of blood in the vomit or an unusually dark feces, you should immediately call an ambulance.
Pancreatitis
Our body is a single system. When we talk about the digestive organs, they are all closely related. Chronic gastritis leads to inflammation of the pancreas. It manifests itself with severe pain, mainly in the upper left abdomen. Usually the pain appears immediately after food enters the stomach. Additional symptoms are diarrhea and nausea.
Treatment of pancreatitis is a whole range of measures. Depending on the diagnostic results, antibiotics are prescribed, as well as drugs containing digestive enzymes. Often used antispasmodics to relieve pain. As a rule, prophylactic treatment of dysbiosis is also carried out with preparations containing live bifidobacteria. The treatment should be long, otherwise the effect will be short-lived. Usually this requires at least a month of taking the drugs, after which the therapeutic diet must be followed for several months.
Damage to the duodenum and liver
Most often, this complication develops against the background of gastritis with low acidity. At first glance, it is quite harmless, but causes serious changes in the digestive system. In fact, there is a degeneration of the gastric mucosa, which cannot but affect the intestines. The duodenum and liver suffer. Similar complications are characterized by severe pain and flatulence, diarrhea. Sometimes patients even complain of loss of consciousness.
This leads to protein and vitamin starvation along the chain, since these substances are not properly absorbed. Dry skin, stomatitis, jams on the lips develop, nail plates are deformed. The main treatment is to remove the burden from the digestive system: a long diet and parallel intake of vitamins and minerals. If necessary, drugs are connected to normalize the work of the stomach and liver.
Malignant tumors
These are the most formidable complications of chronic gastritis with increased secretory activity. Doctors have long noted that if inflammatory or erosive processes occur on the mucous membranes for a long time, then the development of tumors begins here. Apparently, the degeneration of tissues at some point becomes irreversible. Therefore, it is necessary to heal the stomach on time.
Malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract is almost always a surgical intervention; in more than half of cases, the disease cannot be stopped. In this case, the patient can only take drugs that make life easier. If the operation was successful, then chemotherapy is recommended.
Features of childhood
Complications of gastritis in children develop much faster. This disease usually affects the surface layer of the mucosa and leads to its pathological changes. This disease very quickly leads to ulcerative damage. Most often, favorable conditions for the development of this pathology are malnutrition or drug abuse.
In the absence of proper treatment, gastroduodenitis, colitis and cholecystitis also develops against the background of gastritis. To correct this condition, antibiotics are prescribed along with probiotics, enzymes and antispasmodics, antihistamines and adsorbents, antiemetic and antidiarrheal drugs. The doctor chooses the drugs individually.
Diet for gastritis
In general, nutrition should be based on the following principles:
- the exclusion from the diet of heavy and rough foods, as well as products that cause fermentation and affect the level of acidity;
- food should be frequent: at least 7 times a day;
- dishes should only be warm;
- by consistency, the food should be mashed.
The exact list of allowed or prohibited foods will be written by a doctor. It is quite possible to cure gastritis, as well as its complications, but the process is not quick. In addition, there is always the possibility that imaginary well-being is just the next stage of remission, as is the case with chronic gastritis. A slight violation of diet or stress, and deterioration will again follow.