Given the modern way of life of a person, many of us are faced with the problem of the inflammatory process of the gastric mucosa, and we know what gastritis is. Thanks to the self-healing ability of the glandular tissue lining the inner walls of the stomach, the disease often goes unnoticed. However, the process of pathological deviation can acquire an acute and even chronic form. The acute phase of the disease affects the internal epithelium of the walls of the stomach. The problem is exacerbated by the presence of infectious pathogens. The chronic form of gastritis (we will consider the symptoms and treatment in the article) lies in wait for those people who did not go to the doctor on time, did not take preventive measures and neglected treatment in the early stages.
The role of the stomach in digestion
Before you know what gastritis is, let's talk about what role the stomach plays in our body. It is a muscle of a hollow structure. Being part of the digestive system, this organ is located between the esophagus and the duodenum 12, and has a number of properties.
The main functions of the stomach :
- Mechanical and chemical processing of food products after primary processing from the oral cavity through the esophagus. The accumulated food mass after enzymatic and hydrochloric acid exposure moves into the intestine.
- Absorption of a number of useful substances. This process takes place in almost all organs of the digestive system. In the stomach, the absorption of a large amount of water, dissolved impurities of mineral salts, a small amount of amino acids and glucose molecules predominates.
- Protective bactericidal function. In violation of the excretory function of the kidneys, the stomach takes on this role. Gastric juice has a strong bactericidal effect, adversely affecting the activity of microorganisms. This is mainly due to monobasic hydrochloric acid.
Signs of Acute Gastritis
Acute gastritis can develop under the influence of various chemical, mechanical or bacteriological factors. Typical signs of gastritis are: malaise and acute pain in the epigastric region. Perhaps a condition of nausea and even vomiting. In such cases, food debris will contain impurities of mucus and bile. There are general sensations of weakness of the body. In exceptional cases, the patient's blood pressure decreases, the pulse increases, and the skin becomes pale. If the patient’s elevated body temperature is a symptom of gastritis, treatment should be started immediately, since ignoring can lead to serious complications.
Disease recognition
Medical recognition of the disease using gastroscopy reveals swelling and redness of the lining of the stomach. The course of the disease passes with pinpoint hemorrhages and erosion. For a more accurate diagnosis, doctors recommend an electrocardiogram. Under symptoms similar to gastritis, an acute attack of myocardial infarction can occur, which gives pain not to the region of the heart, but to the epigastrium.
Acute phase treatment
The treatment of gastritis in the acute phase is carried out by washing the stomach and administering drugs such as No-Shpa, Platifillin or Papaverin. In severe cases, urgent hospitalization and the introduction of physiological saline, which is a liquid with 5% glucose, is necessary. The method of treating gastritis with antibiotics should be used only with an obvious bacteriological factor.
Causes of the disease
What is gastritis? What could provoke him? The determining factors for the occurrence of gastritis of the stomach are called:
- Food poisoning with low-quality products.
- Chemical intoxication with reagents and toxic compounds.
- Pathogenic effects of pathogenic microflora.
- Physical overstrain of the body, taking into account physiological characteristics.
- Failure to comply with the basic principles of proper nutrition, food intake.
There are several main reasons for the appearance of this disease. First of all, a prerequisite for the occurrence of gastritis can be a prolonged violation of acid balance in the gastric environment. An imbalance of acid and alkali in the stomach occurs under the influence of hydrochloric acid. Any deviation of its composition from the norm leads to dyspeptic disorders and other problems of a motor-secretory nature. The acid-base condition of the gastric juice is lowered, increased or is within the normal range.
Gram-negative bacteria in the form of a spiral can be a predisposing factor for the appearance of gastritis. According to some reports, helicobacter microbes lead to functional deviations of the immune system in more than 80% of recorded cases of stomach diseases. Actively moving along the inner surface, bacteria are fixed on the mucous layer. This is followed by accelerated synthesis of amidase group enzymes. Under the influence of urease, a local change in acidity occurs, which will be discussed later.
Frequent stressful situations and inflammatory processes can provoke a sharp decrease in the level of acidity in the stomach. Under the influence of sympathetic nervous tissue, a metasympathetic department is excited, located on the walls of the organ. The destructive effect of the annoying signals that come from the center are directly reflected in the composition of the gastric juice. Gastritis with low acidity negatively affects the quality of digestion of food, often provokes an antispasmodic effect. For the patient, this is expressed by a feeling of nausea and flatulence. Food residues are rammed in the muscle cavity and begin to rot under the influence of parasitic bacteria. The feeling of nausea is a response to convulsive contractions in the stomach. The normal process of absorption of beneficial elements stops and leads to a general disruption of the body as a whole. It is worth noting that against the background of natural aging, this phenomenon is inevitable and appears gradually (but only at an advanced age of a person). Enhanced protection of the stomach as opposed to the multiplication of parasites leads to extensive inflammation. Some drugs, in this case, will become a catalyst for even greater suppression of hydrochloric acid production. All this leads to the production of lactic acid, which can affect the walls of the stomach, which are vulnerable due to lack of mucus.
Contrary to popular belief, increased acidity of the stomach is much less common than hypo-event. Hyperactivity of the fundus glands leads to an excess of internal secretion, which threatens the appearance of ulcers not only in the stomach, but also in the digestive canal. Acute pain and heartburn disturb the patient. For the correct diagnosis of gastritis with high acidity and its differentiation, it is necessary to apply an instrumental medical examination. The basic procedures for determining acid-dependent diseases are probing and pH-metering. The most accurate data can be obtained using the second method, when the sensors measure acid levels directly from the stomach.
This is another form of the disease when the digestive mechanism deviates from the norm due to the reverse flow of food masses from the duodenum 12 through the sphincter of the gastric pylorus. Typically, this valve has a thickening of the circular layer, which is responsible for regulating the flow of substances from the stomach towards the intestines. Pyloric fibers should prevent the return of food residues.
The main danger of food returning to the stomach cavity lies in the bile and enzymatic fluid, which corrodes the mucous layer and the surface of the walls of the stomach. Reflux gastritis can be a pathology of chronic duodenitis, a postoperative complication of the digestive tract, intramuscular dysfunction of the sphincter, or a side factor after taking some pain medication.
Gastritis of duodenal reflux develops after a retrograde discharge of contents from the initial part of the small intestine. Various inflammatory processes that occur in this zone, in which pressure rises, contribute to this. As a result, reverse sphincters cannot cope, and cardia failure, i.e. weakness of the lower valve of the stomach, develops.
The causes of gastritis of bile reflux often become stagnation in the 12 duodenal ulcer. The biliary form of this disease can be triggered by insufficient muscle contraction of the pylorus or coordination violation of the sequence of these contractions between the stomach and intestines.
Classification of the degrees of the acute form of the disease
What is gastritis in acute form, and what are its degrees known? This will be discussed further.
The catarrhal period of inflammation of the mucosa is due to a systematic violation of the diet or poisoning in the mild stage. This form includes all the key signs of gastritis.
The fibrinous degree of gastritis acts as a secondary disease in more severe infections, such as diphtheria or tuberculosis. The lesions are concentrated on the walls of the stomach and look like a protein film. Scar tissue appears due to sparingly soluble fibrin.
Necrotic, severe gastritis is directly related to the fibrinous form of the disease for the same reasons. However, coagulation necrosis is caused by the ingestion of pronounced chemicals, when some sites become necrosis as a result of acid poisoning. Collication necrosis is characterized by impregnation of the affected area with calcium salts. In this situation, the phenomenon of petrification is observed, when salt deposits of calcium appear on the necrotic site. With this state of the digestive tract tissue, prompt medical attention is required.
A purulent form of gastritis, which affects not only the mucous, submucosal loose tissue, but even the muscular structure of the organ. This type of disease is usually associated with previous injuries, open sores or tumor overgrowth. If the serous membrane is affected, the ailment is dangerous by serious complications in the form of perigastritis or peritonitis, when food masses penetrate into the space of the abdominal cavity. Without urgent medical measures, the victim faces death.
Chronic form of the disease
The chronic form of gastritis is manifested by inflammation of the gastric mucosa for a long time. The course of the disease takes place in an undulating manner, in the form of sharp exacerbations and subsequent sluggish remissions.
Symptoms of gastritis of the stomach depend on the composition and level of acidity of the juice of the stomach. With secretory relative insufficiency of the stomach, heaviness in the abdomen and aching pain in the epigastric region are mainly felt. The feeling of overcrowding and nausea after eating does not leave. The patient may complain of constant regurgitation. Due to gastric discomfort, many begin to limit themselves in the amount of food eaten. In turn, this affects the whole body and leads to weight loss. Additional troubles include a tendency to diarrhea. Often, stools become fluid, mushy, but without impurities of blood or mucus.
When examining a patient by abdominal palpation, chronic gastritis is characterized by moderate pain in the epigastric region. Gastritis with normal or increased acidity of the juice of the stomach, mainly found in young people. In addition to pain, the disease is accompanied by heartburn after eating, belching with an acidic aftertaste and the likelihood of constipation. Often the surface of the tongue is covered with a plentiful coating of white. Often, along with gastritis, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the duodenum 12 (duodenitis) develops. Then the symptoms of gastritis of the stomach are observed in a slightly different quality.
Diagnosis of the chronic form of the disease
The diagnosis of chronic gastritis is determined by the same method of gastroscopy as in the acute phase of the disease. Based on the data obtained, and relying on information from the patient, a conclusion is made about the state of the mucosa. Changes in the gastric mucosa can be significant - edema and various degrees of redness, widespread process (the so-called total lesion) - or partial (only certain areas are affected). The damaged surface of the stomach can be covered by erosion and have signs of atrophy. Examination of the internal structure by radiography will help to rule out a number of diseases, including stomach cancer or peptic ulcer. The clinical course of these diseases is very similar. Although this type of examination has lost its decisive significance, it remains relevant in some cases when the patient’s condition is unstable and does not allow performing other procedures. To determine the appropriate treatment for gastritis, it is necessary to find out the acidity level of the gastric juice using a probe. Other methods of acidotest (using tablets) will give only approximate results.
Treatment of chronic gastritis
The chronic form of the disease involves an integrated approach to treatment. A properly selected diet should be combined with a group of medications. Medicines with respect to the mucosa and walls of the stomach perform enveloping and restoring functions. As a rule, doctors prescribe antacids and adsorbents. It is recommended to take medication some time after a meal. Pills reduce the intensity of inflammation of the mucosa and allow the stomach to resume its normal work. For the better functioning of the digestive system, enzymes are used that break down complex nutritional structures into simpler elements.
In no case do not independently treat gastritis. Symptoms of various forms of the disease are quite similar. Before starting therapy, you need to determine the type of disease, and this can only be done by a specialist.
Atrophic focal gastritis
Focal atrophic gastritis to a mild degree is expressed by slight discomfort and an unpleasant burning sensation in the epigastric region. However, a feeling of heaviness and a state of nausea can occur even after eating light food. The work of locally affected cells is compensated by healthy epithelial tissue. After ignoring the first signs of atrophic gastritis, heartburn, loss of appetite and a sluggish increase in temperature are added to them.
This disease refers to the chronic form of gastritis, when parietal cells gradually disappear. In other words, the number of parietal cells responsible for the production of hydrochloric acid is reduced. In turn, all this leads to a lack of vitamin B12 and threatens megaloblastic anemia. Due to the destruction of the parietal glands, the mucous layer in the stomach is gradually thinning. A progressive disease damages the bottom of the stomach, gradually affecting its walls. Properly started treatment can prevent the development of atrophic gastritis in a cancerous tumor.
Antrum inflammation
Antral gastritis is called chronic inflammation of the pyloric stomach. In another way, this disease is called group B gastritis, when the causative agent is a bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori. The comfortable habitat of this pathogen ranges from 4 to 6 in terms of pH acidity. In aggressive conditions, the bacterium adapts and takes an inactive form. When a favorable moment arrives, it can again infect healthy organ cells. The enzymes produced by the bacteria adversely affect the intragastric medium. Under their influence, urea is converted to ammonia, and the mucous layer loses its usual viscosity. After that, harmful microbes move to the lower, so-called, antrum of the stomach (hence the name antrum gastritis). Penetrating into the cells of the epithelium, they actively multiply. The integrity of the tissues is violated, which subsequently leads to a complication of the secretion glands.
Diffuse gastritis
The prerequisites for this type of gastritis are dystrophic processes in the tissues of the stomach. Cell division of the glands of secretion occurs inadequately, so tissue degeneration does not end properly. Over time, healthy cells are increasingly replaced by immature cells. .
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With the erosive form of gastritis, the pain component is an order of magnitude higher than with other varieties of the disease. This fact is directly related to food intake. It happens that this is due to the condition of the walls of the stomach, and is complicated by internal bleeding. Erosive gastritis does not depend on the level of acidity. This diagnosis can be made only by resorting to gastroscopy.
Giant hypertrophic gastritis
A very rare type of gastritis, which is otherwise referred to as Menetrie disease. It is manifested by alimentary dystrophy of the lower extremities and lumbar region, partial anemia of the affected areas. The disease develops against a background of general exhaustion, as a result of a progressive metabolic disorder. The main clinical signs are not only protein-free edema, but also ordinary pain diseases in the epigastric region, nausea, periodic vomiting. There is a decrease in the amount of proteins in the blood due to modifications in the structure of the mucous membrane of the affected organ. Thanks to gastroscopy, wide swollen folds of the mucosa are recognized. A blood test, in such cases, shows a reduced level of hemoglobin and protein (hypoproteinemia). Treatment should be carried out only in a hospital setting.
Gastritis Prevention
The general recommendations of gastroenterologists will help to avoid serious problems not only with the stomach, but also with the digestive tract as a whole. The following prevention rules must be adhered to:
- The desire for proper nutrition and a balanced diet. Try to avoid over-eating, especially in popular fast-food establishments. Fragrant meat or fish dishes can have exceptional taste, but at the same time, provoke mucosal irritation. A large number of additives and spices disrupt the work of the tubular glands, which negatively affects the entire epithelium. In addition, nutritionists insist on the mandatory alternation of solid and dry foods with liquid dishes.
- Pay attention to the quality of water and food consumed. If the quality of the products is in doubt, it is better not to use such products for cooking. Strictly monitor the appearance and smell of food when you visit public canteens. If possible, ask sellers for quality certificates or declarations of conformity, if they are provided for this type of product. When buying food, focus on natural ingredients while avoiding artificial ingredients.
- One of the effective ways to prevent any manifestations of gastritis is to follow a meal regimen. Today, food culture is becoming an increasingly relevant topic. An important role is given to the routine of food consumption. Adhering to the established time and regularity in this matter, you can normalize the level of secretion of the stomach.
- It is worth noting that the diet for gastritis is not only relevant. Excessive strain on the stomach during overeating not only contributes to the appearance of gastritis, but can lead to obesity. The situation will be aggravated by a feast in the late evening. Control the amount of food eaten.
- It is a well-known fact that quiet, pleasant music has the best digestion. Doctors recommend not rushing and chewing food thoroughly, without being distracted by other processes.
- Direct smoking does not affect the state of the gastric mucosa, but in combination with alcohol or other factors, it indirectly provokes changes in its composition. Counterfeit alcohol products often became the cause of not only inflammation, but also dangerous chemical burns. The abuse of alcohol-containing drinks leads to irreversible consequences throughout the body. A disease such as gastritis is no exception.
- Features of working with toxic and chemical compounds require the use of special protective equipment. In the event of accidental or intentional ingestion of these substances into the digestive tract, erosive and ulcerative forms of gastritis develop.
- For the prevention of stomach abscess, it is necessary to deal strictly and timely with the treatment of purulent-inflammatory processes of an infectious nature.
Diet for gastritis with high acidity
Food consumption must be reduced to a fractional method: frequent meals in small doses. In the presence of helicobacter microbes, spicy foods and alcohol are prohibited in the daily diet. The diet for gastritis provides for the predominance of a variety of vegetables and fruits in the diet. Moreover, they can be consumed both fresh and boiled. Almost any diet for gastritis excludes the consumption of fatty foods. During the period of exacerbation, the consumption of dishes containing potatoes, boiled rice or oatmeal should be minimized. During a recession of gastritis, meat products of the highest category can be added to the daily diet.
Food restriction for gastritis of low acidity
First of all, the diet for gastritis of the stomach with a low level of acid should be focused on stimulating the proper functioning of the body. The activation of gastric secretion occurs under the biochemical influence of certain substances contained in meat broths, soups, borsch, as well as in products from whole grain flour. Both vegetables and pickled and pickled products have a stimulating effect.
Allowed drinks for the disease
The diet for gastritis provides not only the right food, but also drinks. Some are well absorbed, reduce the level of acid in the stomach, and partially neutralize it. They include jelly and milk, but in both cases it is not necessary to assume that these liquids will replace drugs. They can be used as a supplement to dry food.
Weakly brewed tea is recommended to drink chilled. It is undesirable to use acidic juices of the citrus group. For these purposes, juices interspersed with pulp are suitable: banana, pear or tomato. The temperature of the juices should be room temperature. Mineral-alkaline waters will help to cope with the disease faster. The diet for gastritis excludes the use of any kind of sweet sparkling water.