Improper nutrition and lifestyle negatively affect the entire digestive system of people. The most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are ulcers and gastritis. Symptoms of these ailments are very similar to each other. Even an experienced gastroenterologist is not in all cases able to determine which disease a patient is concerned about. To determine the exact clinical picture, it is necessary to conduct some research: an x-ray of the stomach, FGDS. Speaking about how to distinguish an ulcer from gastritis, it should be noted that the main difference will be that with gastritis, the inflammatory process forms on the mucous membrane, and with an ulcer it is focal, tissues are deeply affected.
Definition of gastritis
Gastritis is an inflammation of the mucous walls of the stomach of varying intensity, which is why the secretory function is impaired. The disease is much easier than an ulcer. A simple form will succumb to treatment if the patient follows a certain diet. But, unfortunately, many often do not attach any importance to malaise with gastritis. The longer a person will neglect such symptoms, the greater the likelihood of inflammation of the submucosal layer.
In the event of a malfunction in the internal membranes of the stomach, wounds called erosion begin to form on the mucosa. Ulcerative or erosive gastritis is much more difficult, it is considered to be the first stage of ulcer development. With an exacerbation of this ailment, the patient feels severe soreness, vomiting occurs after eating.
Ulcer definition
Peptic ulcer is called a pathological change in the walls of the stomach of a certain location. An ailment develops due to the constant exposure to the gastric mucosa of aggressive acids.
Symptoms of Gastritis
When answering the question of how to distinguish an ulcer from gastritis, first of all, special attention should be paid to the symptoms of these diseases, despite the fact that they are similar to each other. If we talk about gastritis, then it can be chronic or acute. It can be low and high acidity. A large number of people suffer from moderate gastritis, which proceeds in a prolonged form. You can recognize it by the following symptoms:
- Soreness in the epigastric region, which aggravates after eating.
- Nausea.
- Severity.
- Heartburn.
- Decreased appetite.
Causes of gastritis
We continue to consider how to distinguish an ulcer from gastritis. Particular attention should also be paid to the causes of the development of these pathologies. As for gastritis, the main reason for its development most often lies in the presence of the Helicobacter pylori bacterium, which is also the causative agent of peptic ulcer. The presence of this bacterium can be found only after endoscopy, when scraping is taken from the mucous membrane of the organ.
In addition, eating disorders can provoke the development of gastritis, which should include:
- Eating smoked, greasy, and spicy foods.
- The presence in the daily diet of a large amount of too dry food.
- Irregular nutrition.
- Binge eating.
- Reception of insufficiently chewed food.
The following reasons can also provoke gastritis:
- Nervous disorder and stress.
- Tobacco and alcohol.
- Acceptance of certain medications.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- The lack of vitamins in the body.
- Hereditary predisposition.
How to distinguish an ulcer from gastritis yourself?
Today it is quite difficult to sign up to an experienced specialist, so some people are forced to independently determine the development of certain diseases. However, you should not abuse this opportunity, since only a qualified doctor can make the correct diagnosis.
How to distinguish gastritis from a stomach ulcer? As mentioned earlier, the symptoms of ailments are very similar. If you carefully look at your body, then you can notice the difference between an ulcer and gastritis. Consider some factors that tell you how to distinguish between symptoms of gastritis or ulcers.
Localization of pain
In case of gastritis, painful sensations disturb the patient constantly or periodically. If we talk about an ulcer, then it is characterized by a rare soreness, which has a clear localization. A person with a stomach ulcer can accurately show where it hurts. If you do not know how to distinguish gastritis from a stomach ulcer, symptoms of pain, or rather its localization, will help in this matter.
Time of onset of pain
Soreness with a patient's ulcer torments both night and day, which cannot be said about gastritis. However, a small amount of food helps relieve severe pain with a stomach ulcer.
Exacerbation period
How to distinguish an ulcer from gastritis yourself? What symptoms should I look for? Gastritis bothers the patient, regardless of the time of year, season. Exacerbation will depend on a violation of the diet. As for the ulcer, the pain in this case manifests itself mainly in the autumn-spring period.
Hungry pains
Many do not know how to distinguish an ulcer from gastritis. Reviews say that many patients with gastritis and an ulcer experience pain during hunger, but in this case there will be some differences. If hunger pain manifested 4 hours after eating, then this indicates the development of gastritis. If it begins to hurt in the abdomen in the near future after eating, while nausea and vomiting appear, the symptom indicates the development of an ulcer.
Gastritis also differs from an ulcer in that the patientβs blood count remains normal. In case of an ulcer, hemoglobin often decreases. The patient begins to worry about dizziness, fatigue, loose stools with an admixture of blood, or, conversely, hard stools, as well as vomiting with blood.
Among other signs of an ulcer, a plaque in the tongue and excessive sweating of the hands should also be noted. Those people who suffer from gastritis do not experience such symptoms.
Peptic ulcer can be completely asymptomatic, while it does not differ from gastritis. This will be typical mainly for elderly patients who have diabetes, as well as for people who take anti-inflammatory non-steroid drugs. In such situations, the patient is confident in his health until he has complications, the development of which forces a person to go to the clinic for medical help.
Reviews
According to patient reviews, it can be understood that most are not able to independently distinguish gastritis from a stomach ulcer. As a rule, when pain occurs, people think that they develop gastritis, but this symptom also appears with an ulcer. Experts strongly do not recommend delaying a visit to a medical institution if the first signs of these diseases appear. Only in case of timely treatment can it be possible to get rid of the disease.
Conclusion
Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that gastritis and gastric ulcer manifest themselves almost identically. But if you listen more carefully to your body, you can notice some difference in symptoms. In any case, monitor your diet and diet, lead a healthy lifestyle to avoid such ailments. Only in time diagnosed gastritis will exclude the development of peptic ulcer in the future.