Erosive gastritis: causes, symptoms and how to treat it

Definition

What is erosive gastritis (erosival gastritis)?

Gastritis itself is inflammation of the lining of the stomach.

Erosive gastritis or also known as erosival gastritis is the presence of many lesions (tissue damage) on the mucous membrane (mucous membrane) in the stomach, to be precise in the area of the lamina propria.

Lamina propria is the mucous membrane-forming layer that separates the innermost layer of cells from the smooth muscle tissue layer.

The inflammation that occurs is usually acute and can cause bleeding. However, it may also be chronic (occurring over many years) with few or no symptoms.

How common is this disease?

Erosive gastritis is a very common disease in the elderly and affects men more often than women.

People who are younger age can also get this disease due to various causes and risk factors.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of erosive gastritis?

According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, patients with mild erosive gastritis often show no signs. However, there are some who complain of gastritis symptoms, such as:

Symptoms of an ulcer include heartburn, feeling bloated, nauseous, and wanting to vomit
A burning sensation in the chest to the throat (heartburn)
Decreased appetite and feeling tired

Often times, the first sign of erosive gastritis is hematemesis or vomiting of something from his mouth (food or liquid) accompanied by blood. In addition, people with this condition also experience symptoms such as:

Melena. Bleeding conditions in the large intestine that cause black stools because they are mixed with blood.
Nasogastric aspirate.Discharge mixed with blood due to bleeding in the respiratory tract and stomach when choking due to difficulty swallowing.

These symptoms of erosival gastritis usually occur within 2 to 5 days. In severe cases, bleeding in the stomach can cause anemia (lack of red blood cells).

When should I see a doctor?

Each person may show different symptoms because the body's response is also different. The severity of the symptoms also depends on how many lesions are in the stomach.

If you find symptoms that are not mentioned above, do not hesitate to seek further consultation with a doctor.

Sometimes this condition doesn't cause symptoms unless it's severe enough. If common symptoms, such as an ulcer are bothering you, going to the doctor is the most appropriate step.

Likewise, when you realize that the ulcer medication that you have bought from a pharmacy or prescribed by a doctor does not show an effect.

Cause

What causes erosive gastritis?

Broadly speaking, the causes of erosival gastritis are not much different from other types of gastritis. However, the most common causes of erosive gastritis are:

Use of NSAID drugs

NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are often used to relieve pain from a variety of conditions.

Unfortunately, this drug should not be used in the long term, especially if it is not needed. The reason is, the drug can reduce the levels of special substances that protect the lining of the stomach. Over time, the protective layer will thin out and be damaged.

Drink alcohol

The substances contained in alcohol can erode the lining of the stomach. If alcohol is drunk excessively and continuously, the stomach will be susceptible to various digestive problems, one of which is erosive gastritis.

Stress

Stress is very influential on the health of the digestive system, especially on the production of stomach acid. If the stress gets worse, stomach acid will be produced excessively.

This unnecessary excess stomach acid can irritate the stomach lining and cause erosive gastritis.

In addition, some people also experience erosival gastritis due to other causes. These rare causes of erosive gastritis include:

Radiation therapy

Therapy carried out on cancer patients turns out to be able to disrupt the cells in the stomach, allowing damage. This may happen if the therapy is done around the stomach or chest.

Viral infections, injuries, and health problems

Cytomegalovirus infection can cause digestive disorders, such as erosive gastritis.

The presence of injury to the blood vessels can also increase the risk.

This indigestion can also be caused by Crohn's disease, which is inflammation of the ileum (the end of the large intestine).

Risk factors

What increases my risk of getting this disease?

A person can get erosival gastritis because it has risk factors. Some of the risk factors for erosive gastritis are:

Elderly. Age becomes a risk factor because they are taking pain medication. They also have digestive organs that have begun to decrease in function and condition.
Stress.Prolonged stress can worsen the digestive system. In addition, people who are stressed tend to take this out by drinking excessively, which increases the risk of erosive gastritis.

Diagnosis & Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are the usual tests for erosival gastritis?

In mild cases, erosival gastritis does not cause symptoms so it cannot be diagnosed by looking at the symptoms alone. The doctor will most likely ask you to do a medical test, namely an endoscopy.

This test is done with a special instrument, namely a gastroscope equipped with a lens. This tool will pass through the throat, esophagus, until it reaches the stomach. The goal, to see the presence of inflammation and determine how severe the inflammation is.

If a suspicious area is found, the doctor will take a small tissue sample (biopsy) for further examination in the laboratory.

What are the drug options for erosive gastritis?

In most cases, the treatment of erosive gastritis is taking gastric acid neutralizing drugs, namely antacids and drugs to suppress stomach acid production, namely H-2 blockers, such as ranitidine or cimetidine.

If it causes bleeding, the doctor will prescribe a prostaglandin E1 analog drug, such as Cytotec (misoprostol). This drug has been shown to prevent the formation of lesions in the stomach associated with the use of NSAID drugs.

This drug has an effect on the developing fetus. Therefore, you need to make sure you are not pregnant before using the drug.

Some of them also need to undergo a surgical process, such as total gastrectomy and angiography to stop severe stomach bleeding.

Then, you also need to be given intravenous fluids and blood transfusions as needed to prevent anemia.

Home remedies

What are some home remedies and lifestyle changes that can be done to treat erosive gastritis?

In addition to doctor's treatment, you also need to apply erosival gastritis treatment at home so that the condition improves quickly, such as:

Eat little but often.Eating large portions can stimulate excessive stomach acid production, which can trigger symptoms. It would be better if you eat less, but more often.
Avoid symptom-triggering foods. Some foods can irritate the stomach, especially spicy, acidic, and fatty foods.
Stop drinking alcohol. Alcohol can erode the lining of the stomach, worsening the symptoms of erosival gastritis.
Stop taking NSAIDs.Instead, you can do natural remedies to reduce pain, such as warm compresses or drinking acetaminophen if your doctor allows.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.