Acute gastritis is a sudden inflammation or swelling in the lining of the stomach, causing severe pain and discomfort. This pain is usually temporary and only lasts for a short time.

Gastritis is different from gastroenteritis. Gastritis directly affects the stomach and often entails vomiting and nausea.

In contrast, gastroenteritis can affect both the stomach and intestines. As a result, it can cause diarrhoea in addition to the vomiting and nausea.

The prevalence of chronic gastritis in developing countries has reduced, but acute gastritis is still common.

What are the signs and symptoms of acute gastritis?

Most people with acute gastritis do not experience any symptoms. However, you may show signs of mild to severe conditions, including:

• Loss of appetite.
• Indigestion.
• Black stools.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Blood in vomit similar to that of coffee grounds.
• Pain in the upper part of the abdomen.
• Bloated feeling in the upper abdomen after eating.

Some symptoms of acute gastritis may be related to other health conditions, so to determine exactly what you have it is advisable to see a doctor.

If your gastritis symptoms last a week or longer, you should definitely contact a doctor. If you experience vomiting blood, seek medical attention immediately.

Some health conditions may cause symptoms that are similar to gastritis, such as:

• Peptic ulcers.
• Crohn’s disease.
• Gallstones, gallbladder or food poisoning, which can cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

What are the causes of acute gastritis?

Acute gastritis occurs when the lining of the stomach is damaged or weak, which in turn allows digestive acids to irritate the stomach. The causes of acute gastritis include:

• Medications such as non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids, which are the most common causes of acute gastritis.
• Bacterial infections such as H pylori.
• Excessive alcohol consumption.

NSAIDs and corticosteroids are he most common causes of acute gastritis.

Other less common causes include:

• Viral infection.
• Extreme stress.
• Autoimmune disorders, which can cause the immune system to attack the stomach lining.
• Digestive diseases and disorders, like Crohn’s disease.
• Bile reflux.
• Use of addictive substances.
• Surgery.
• Kidney failure.

Who is at risk of acute gastritis?

Factors that increase the risk of developing acute gastritis include:

• Using non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids.
• Excessive alcohol consumption.
• Surgery.
• Kidney failure.
• Liver failure.
• Respiratory failure.

How does a doctor diagnose acute gastritis?

Normally, a doctor will ask you detailed questions and conduct some tests to diagnose acute gastritis, including:

• A complete blood count (CBC) to check your overall health.
• A blood, breath, or saliva test to check for H pylori.
• A faecal test to check for blood in your stool.
• An oesophageal or endoscopy to explore the lining of your stomach.
• A gastric tissue biopsy.
• An X-ray to help doctors identify structural problems in the digestive system.

How do you treat acute gastritis?

In most cases, acute gastritis requires medical treatment. The treatment and recovery times depend on the cause of gastritis.

However, some cases will go away without treatment. In addition, a bland diet without stimulating food can help you recover quickly.

Food that is low in natural acids, fat and fibre is tolerated well. If you start experiencing constant vomiting, try consuming warm soups instead.

Other treatments, such as those used to treat viruses, involve taking medication to reduce symptoms.

Medication

Your doctor will usually recommend a combination of medication to treat acute gastritis:

• Antacids, which help neutralise stomach acid.
• H2 antagonists to reduce stomach acid production.
• Proton pump inhibitors to help inhibit stomach acid production, which should only be used once every 24 hours and for no more than 14 days.
• Antibiotics, which are only to be ingested in the event of a bacterial infection.

Antibiotics may be combined with proton pump inhibitors, antacids or H2 antagonists. The treatment usually lasts between 10 days to a month.

Your doctor may also recommend that you stop using any NSAIDs or corticosteroids to gauge symptom relief. However, you must not stop taking these without your doctor’s advice.

Lifestyle changes

Symptoms can be reduced by making lifestyle changes such as:

• Avoiding or limiting alcohol consumption.
• Avoiding spicy, fried or acidic food.
• Splitting main meals into smaller meals.
• Actively controlling and reducing stress.
• Avoiding medication that irritates the stomach lining, such as aspirin or NSAIDs.

Taking the necessary preventive measures

Some of the following will help you in preventing the condition:

• Washing your hands often with soap and clean water, especially before meals.
• Ensuring that food is cooked thoroughly.
• Avoiding or limiting your alcohol intake.
• Frequent use of non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided. If you have to, ingest them with food and water to avoid symptoms of gastritis.

The information provided herein is not a substitute for any medical advice. Please consult a doctor for more information.

This article first appeared on Hello Doktor. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.