Gastritis: symptoms, causes and treatments

Gastritis is a condition caused by inflammation of the stomach lining. It can be characterized as either chronic or astute. Most cases aren’t serious and symptoms typically go away once the condition’s treated.

Symptoms
The most common symptoms of gastritis include:

• Indigestion
• Stomach pain
• Heartburn
• Difficulty digesting food
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Loss of appetite
• Blood in the stool

Sometimes gastritis presents no symptoms at all.

Causes
Among the possible causes of gastritis are:

• Use of anti-inflammatory drugs
• Overconsumption of alcohol
• Bile reflux
• Stress
• Tobacco
• A bacterium, parasite or virus in the stomach

Treatment
In some cases, the only treatment that’s needed is to avoid consuming items that cause stomach irritation such as alcohol, spicy foods, coffee and anti-inflammatories. In cases of acute gastritis — when symptoms start suddenly and go away after a few days — liquid meals may help to soothe the stomach. If it’s chronic, treatments may include antibiotics, acid blockers or antacids.