According to medical data, more than 80% of all diseases occur in the digestive system. The most common pathology is erosive gastroduodenitis. What is it? This is an inflammatory disease in which numerous erosive formations and ulcers with mucofibrinous contents form on the gastric mucosa. In addition, the mucous membrane of the duodenum is affected. In this case, the nutrition of the mucous membrane is disturbed, increased acidity of the stomach (hypersecretion) is observed, severe swelling occurs.
Exogenous Development Factors
The following factors are considered to be the most common causes of the disease:
- long-term treatment with antibacterial drugs;
- abuse of junk food (fatty, spicy, convenience foods);
- Infectious pathologies of the oral cavity and pharynx;
- frequent drinking, smoking;
- Helicobacter pylori bacteria (H. pylori), which cause erosive hemorrhagic gastroduodenitis (scientifically proven fact).
Endogenous factors
Under the influence of negative factors (bile acids, hydrochloric acid), ulcerations appear on the walls of the stomach and wounds form, which often (in the absence of proper therapy) lead to the appearance of duodenal ulcers and stomach ulcers. Provoke the appearance of this pathology: hormonal disorders; constant depressive states that negatively affect the nervous system; genetic (hereditary) predisposition. Erosive gastroduodenitis can also cause disorders in the immune system.
Classification
The systematization is based on morphological changes (structural) and the duration of the course of the disease. Gastroduodenitis can be divided into several forms: acute (up to three months) and chronic (more than six months).
In the catarrhal stage, the mucosa is not destroyed. When diagnosing visible swelling, redness. This form of the disease is easily cured.
Erythematous gastroduodenitis appears after a catarrhal form and is characterized by pronounced redness.
If there is chronic erosive gastroduodenitis, intestinal metaplasia often occurs (the appearance of mucous cells in the stomach, normally they are absent).
Clinical picture
At the initial stage, the manifestations of the disease practically do not occur. Subsequently, the patient has cramping pain, especially after eating as a result of the formation of scar-ulcerative deformity in the pyloroduodenal zone.
Erosive gastroduodenitis symptoms have the following: a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, nausea, vomiting, sour belching, heartburn. Pallor of the skin and a decrease in appetite are noted. The patient complains of an unpleasant taste in the oral cavity and unstable stool (diarrhea, constipation).
Diagnostic Methods
In some cases, fibrogastroscopy (FGDS) is used - a modern method of examining the esophagus, duodenum and stomach. For these purposes, a special apparatus called a fibrogastroscope is used. With the help of this medical procedure, a gastroenterologist determines the severity of inflammation, the size and number of erosive formations.
Fibrogastroscopy is not performed with a strong gag reflex. Such people are recommended radiography, ultrasound and biopsy (if necessary). Having clarified the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the appropriate therapy. In addition, a blood test is taken for the presence of white blood cells and ESR (their increase indicates a pathology).
How to treat erosive gastroduodenitis: drug therapy
The following drugs are prescribed:
- antibacterial agents (Amoxicillin, Metronidazole), they eliminate Helicobacter pylori bacteria;
- bismuth drugs ("De-nol") - have an astringent effect and relieve inflammation;
- antacids ("Almagel", "Maalox") - reduce acidity and reduce the aggressive influence of negative factors.
Chronic erosive gastroduodenitis is treated longer and includes the obligatory adherence to a diet, which implies the exclusion from the diet of products with a fibrous structure and coarse fiber (bran bread, turnips, sinewy meat, radishes). You should also completely abandon any alcohol, tobacco, carbonated drinks, canned food, coffee, strong tea, fried and salty foods. Food should be warm and thermally processed.
During cooking, it is necessary to limit the consumption of spices. Food is recommended to eat every 2-3 hours in small portions. Mandatory products are the following: steam cutlets, meatballs, oatmeal and semolina, mucous soups, jelly, soft-boiled eggs, low-fat sour cream, hard cheese, non-fat varieties, pasteurized milk. All of these foods have an antacid effect.
Therapy with folk remedies
Medicinal herbs can alleviate the patient’s condition and even cure erosive gastroduodenitis. Treatment with folk remedies in combination with traditional methods of therapy shows good results:
- Mix two parts of St. John's wort grass, yarrow, chamomile flowers with one part of celandine. Grind all components in a coffee machine to a powder state, pour into a thermos and pour 500 ml of boiled water. Let it brew overnight and take 1/3 cup before meals. The duration of therapy is 1.5 months.
- Mix one part of St. John's wort, bearberry leaves, rose hips with two parts of chicory, centaury and four parts of smoky grass. Make a plant powder. Two large spoons pour 500 ml of boiling water, leave for the night and drink a decoction of ¼ cup before meals.
- Grind three parts of caraway seeds fruit, eight parts of St. John's wort, plantain, coughweed, four parts of knotweed, centaury, two parts of calamus rhizome, mint and one part of yarrow. Brew two tablespoons from the whole mass in 500 ml of hot water, insist all night and drink a quarter cup.
Sea buckthorn oil and honey have good anti-inflammatory properties. Include these components in your diet. But before using herbal decoctions, we advise you to consult a doctor, as some herbs can cause negative reactions. To protect yourself from this pathology, eat properly and regularly check.