Any person at least once in his life has encountered an inflammatory process in his stomach. This pathology is accompanied by various symptoms. A common sign of stomach upset is stool retention. Constipation with gastritis is a problem that causes patients great inconvenience. What can cause a similar symptom and how to deal with it? This is described in the article.
Can it occur with gastritis?
Stool delay occurs in many pathologies of the digestive system. It is expressed in the absence of bowel movement for two or more days. This phenomenon is accompanied by discomfort in the abdominal region, a sense of tension.
Can there be constipation with gastritis? This question worries many patients with a similar disorder, because the pathology is chronic. Stool retention is often observed in people with this disease, it occurs both with high and low acidity. There are several ways to get rid of this symptom, however, the choice of treatment methods should depend on the cause that caused constipation in gastritis. The factors contributing to its occurrence are described in the following sections.
How does constipation occur?
Pathological processes occurring in the stomach affect the activity of the intestine. Therefore, the frequency of bowel movements and the appearance of feces (shape, color) may vary. Constipation with gastritis is one of the frequent manifestations of a violation of the functions of the digestive tract. If you do not determine the cause of the pathology, treatment of stool retention with medication will be ineffective. In case of a malfunction in the stomach, insufficiently processed food penetrates the intestines. This organ is difficult to digest it to the end. Therefore, there is a delay in bowel movements. In chronic gastritis, constipation can occur if the patient neglects the doctor's recommendations, does not take medication on time, and does not adhere to the correct diet.
Foods That Can Cause Stool Disorders
One of the reasons for the appearance of this symptom is the abuse of the following types of food:
- Wheat bread, muffin.
- Rice groats, potatoes.
- Products containing chocolate and cocoa powder.
- Desserts.
- Fruits and berries with astringent properties.
In addition, difficulties with the defecation process often arise with the excessive use of strong black coffee, tea, hot chocolate.
Other factors
There are several other reasons that can trigger constipation with gastritis. These include:
- Harmful addictions (smoking, abuse of alcohol-containing products).
- Emotional overstrain.
- Hungry diets.
- Taking certain medications (drugs for depression, medications to eliminate spasm, diuretics).
- Binge eating.
Sometimes stool retention is one of the first symptoms that indicate the development of the disease. Patients are in no hurry to consult a doctor, believing that the malaise is caused by stress and will soon pass by itself. However, a problem of this kind requires careful attention to your health.
Delayed stool with different types of gastritis
There are several types of this pathology of the stomach.
In advanced cases and in the absence of adequate treatment, it can lead to deformation of the organ. Constipation with atrophic gastritis, the most severe form of the disease, is quite common. The gastric mucosa in patients with this diagnosis is constantly irritated. This condition is dangerous, and it is very difficult to cure it. People with atrophic gastritis do not experience constant discomfort, however, during an exacerbation period, unpleasant sensations appear. The disease is characterized by symptoms such as heartburn, bloating in the abdomen, burning sensation in the upper part of the peritoneum, malfunctioning of the intestines, and bouts of vomiting. With increased acidity of the gastric juice, the symptoms are approximately the same. Stool retention occurs as a result of exposure to adverse factors. This can be emotional overstrain, smoking, starvation, excessive consumption of food or alcohol, and a violation of the diet. Ignoring the doctor’s prescriptions leads to dangerous consequences, for example, the formation of ulcers in the digestive tract. In medical practice, mixed gastritis with constipation, which alternate with diarrhea, is often found. A similar combination is also observed in patients with an atrophic form of pathology.
The disease is often accompanied by impaired bowel activity. This explains the discomfort and the feeling of incomplete emptying after a bowel movement.
Should I use a laxative effect?
The delay in stool does not bother the patient constantly, but with exacerbation it becomes a serious problem. A person cannot go to the toilet for 3 days, and this forces him to use medicines or an enema.
However, such methods can improve the situation only for a short period of time. Then the patient's condition worsens, and constipation alternates with diarrhea. To cope with the problem, you must first identify its cause, adjust the diet and lifestyle. Means with a laxative effect should be used only as a last resort. To eliminate the ailment, special medicines are needed. For example, constipation in gastritis with high acidity disappears only after the use of funds designed to combat the disease itself. These are antibiotics, antacids. Bowel washing with enemas provokes dehydration and removes beneficial microorganisms, so the use of this method is undesirable.
Food to be Excluded
Stool retention is often caused by an improper diet. Products that contain little fiber adversely affect the work of the digestive tract. Therefore, experts recommend that patients limit the use of rice cereals, potatoes, and wheat flour bread. It is necessary to limit desserts, fatty dishes of meat, milk and fish. Some fruits and berries (pears, quinces, bird cherry) also contribute to stool retention.
Dietary Principles
The diet should be based on the needs of the patient's body and the features of the digestive tract.
A large amount of fiber helps the intestines work better, cleanses it of toxins. It is useful to add a little butter to the dishes. Walnuts also have a beneficial effect on the digestion process. You need to eat often (at least 3 times a day), but in small portions. Snacks should be discarded. Patients need to consume a sufficient amount of water (approximately 30 ml per 1 kg of body weight). Experts advise drinking every half hour in small portions. In addition, compotes, decoctions of chamomile, berry fruit drinks should be included in the diet. Food and liquid should not be too warm or too cold.
What foods should be consumed?
If constipation occurs with gastritis, what should I do to eliminate the symptom? First of all, you need to strictly adhere to the rules of nutrition. The following products are able to establish a bowel movement:
- Kefir, yogurt, yogurt. With increased acidity, you should choose products with a sweet rather than sour taste.
- Boiled vegetables or steamed (potatoes, carrots, beets).
- Coarse bran and flour products.
- Buckwheat, oat or barley porridge with the addition of butter in a small amount.
- Fruits and berries. You should give preference to apples, peaches, apricots, plums, black currants.
- Fresh greens (dill, parsley, celery stalks).
Alternative methods of therapy
If constipation occurs with gastritis, how to treat it with the help of remedies based on medicinal plants? There are several methods. For example, the use of leaves of plantain or blueberries, buckthorn bark in the form of decoctions. A feeling of discomfort in the intestines helps eliminate teas from fennel, lemon balm and peppermint.
To cope with stool retention, carrot juice and a rhubarb drink should be included in the diet. Flax seeds that are pre-boiled or infused for half an hour are useful. The tool is consumed with water or jam. Then it will be the most effective. Honey is also used to combat constipation. This product must be combined with water and drunk in the morning, on an empty stomach. However, the use of such a tool is permissible only in the absence of individual intolerance. Patients with high acidity are recommended to include bananas in the diet, with a lower one - sauerkraut juice. Berries and fruits are best consumed before meals. You can make mousses, mashed potatoes, smoothies with the addition of yogurt.
Other recommendations
It should be remembered that physical inactivity increases the risk of constipation in gastritis. Therefore, patients with this diagnosis should regularly exercise, swim or run. Physical activity should be moderate. If a delay in stool bothers a person for more than 3 days, and proper nutrition does not improve well-being, it is necessary to take a small dose of castor oil. The tool not only helps to facilitate the bowel movement, but also prevents the formation of cracks. There are also several drugs with a laxative effect ("Slabilen", "Microlax", "Dufalac", "Regulax"). However, medication should only be prescribed by a doctor. Exceeding the recommended amount of the drug is highly undesirable.
Conclusion
In the presence of a chronic form of gastritis, which is accompanied by a delay in stool, you should not try to solve the problem yourself. It is necessary to consult with a specialist and undergo examinations.
The doctor prescribes therapy to the patient, and also provides recommendations on the correct diet, which must be clearly observed. Constipation is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon. It is accompanied by a deterioration in well-being, therefore, in order to cope with the problem, it is necessary to identify its cause as soon as possible.