Gastritis
What is gastritis?
Gastritis is not a single disease, but several different conditions
that all have inflammation of the stomach lining.
What causes gastritis?
Gastritis can be caused by
drinking too much alcohol, prolonged use of
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen, or infection with bacteria such as
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Sometimes gastritis develops after major
surgery, traumatic injury, burns, or severe infections. Certain diseases, such
as pernicious anemia, autoimmune disorders, and chronic bile reflux, can cause
gastritis as well.
What are the symptoms of gastritis?
The most common symptoms are abdominal upset or pain. Other symptoms are:
- belching,
- abdominal bloating,
- nausea, and
vomiting
- or a feeling of fullness or
of burning in the upper abdomen.
Blood in your vomit or black stools may be a
sign of bleeding in the stomach, which may indicate a serious problem requiring
immediate medical attention.
How is gastritis diagnosed?
Gastritis is diagnosed through one or more medical tests:
- Upper gastrointestinal
endoscopy. The doctor eases an endoscope, a thin
tube containing a tiny camera, through your mouth (or occasionally nose) and
down into your stomach to look at the stomach lining. The doctor will check
for inflammation and may remove a tiny sample of tissue for tests. This
procedure to remove a tissue sample is called a biopsy.
- Blood test. The doctor may check your red blood cell count to see
whether you have anemia, which means that you do not have enough red blood
cells. Anemia can be caused by bleeding from the stomach.
- Stool test. This test checks for the presence of
blood in your stool, a
sign of bleeding. Stool test may also be used to detect the presence of H.
pylori in the digestive tract.
Next: What is the treatment for gastritis? »
- ibuprofen, Advil, Children's Advil/Motrin, Medipren, Motrin, Nuprin, PediaCare Fever, etc. - Explains the medication ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, Medipren) a drug used for the management of mild to moderate pain, fever, and inflammation. Article includes descriptions, uses, drug interactions, and side effects.
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) - A complete blood count (CBC) measures the concentration of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the blood and aids in the diagnosis of conditions and diseases such as anemia, malignancies, and immune disorders.
- Anemia - Read about anemia (low blood cell count, low hemoglobin) causes like iron deficiency, stomach ulcers, medications, colon cancer, trauma, vitamin 12 or folate deficiency, leukemia, myltiple myeloma and more.
Latest Medical News
|
|
 |
From WebMD
Digestive Disorders Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Gastritis
Barrett's Esophagus »
What is Barrett's esophagus?
Barrett's esophagus is a
complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), primarily in
white men. GERD is a disease in which there is reflux of acidic fluid from the
stomach into the esophagus (the swallowing tube). It most commonly causes heartburn.
There
are two requirements for the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus. The requirements necessitate an endoscopy of the esophagus. During endoscopy, a long flexible tube with a light and camera at its tip (an endoscope) is inserted
through the mouth and into the esophagus to view and biopsy (sample tissue from) the lining of the esophagus. The two requirements are:
- At endoscopy, an abnormal pink lining should be seen as replacing the normal whitish lining of the esophagus. This abnormal lining extends a short distance (usually less than 2.5 inches) up the esophagus from the gastroesophageal junction (the GE junction, which is where the e...
Read the Barrett's Esophagus article »
|
Digestion RSS