Given the modern lifestyle of a person, many of us have encountered the problem of the inflammatory process of the gastric mucosa, and we know what gastritis is. Due to the self-healing ability of the glandular tissue lining the inner walls of the stomach, the disease often goes unnoticed. However, the process of pathological deviation can acquire an acute and even chronic form. The acute phase of the disease affects the inner epithelium of the walls of the stomach. The problem is exacerbated by the presence of infectious agents. The chronic form of gastritis (we will consider the symptoms and treatment in the article) lies in wait for those people who did not see a doctor on time, did not take preventive measures and neglected treatment in the early stages.
The role of the stomach in digestion
Before we learn what gastritis is, let's talk about the role of the stomach in our body. It is a muscle of a hollow structure. As part of the digestive system, this organ is located between the esophagus andduodenum, and has a number of properties.
Basic functions of the stomach:
- Mechanical and chemical processing of food products coming after primary processing from the oral cavity through the esophagus. The accumulated food mass after enzymatic and hydrochloric acid action moves into the intestine.
- Absorption of a range of nutrients. This process occurs in almost all organs of the digestive system. Absorption of a large amount of water, dissolved impurities of mineral s alts, a small amount of amino acids and glucose molecules predominates in the stomach.
- Protective and bactericidal function. In case of violation of the excretory work of the kidneys, this role is taken over by the stomach. Gastric juice has a strong bactericidal effect, adversely affecting the activity of microorganisms. Basically, this is due to monobasic hydrochloric acid.
Signs of acute gastritis
Acute gastritis can develop under the influence of various chemical, mechanical or bacteriological factors. Typical signs of gastritis are: malaise and acute pain in the epigastric region. Perhaps a state of nausea and even vomiting. In such cases, food remains will contain impurities of mucus and bile. There is a general feeling of weakness in the body. In exceptional cases, the patient's blood pressure decreases, the pulse quickens, and the skin becomes pale. If the patient's elevated body temperature is a symptom of gastritis, treatment should be started immediately, as ignoring it can lead to seriouscomplications.
Disease recognition
Medical recognition of the disease with the help of gastroscopy reveals swelling and redness of the stomach lining. The course of the disease passes with petechial hemorrhages and erosions. For a more accurate diagnosis, doctors recommend an electrocardiogram. Under symptoms similar to gastritis, an acute attack of myocardial infarction can occur, which gives pain not in the region of the heart, but in the epigastrium.
Acute Phase Treatment
Treatment of gastritis in the acute phase is carried out by gastric lavage and the introduction of drugs such as "No-shpa", "Platifillin" or "Papaverine". In severe cases, urgent hospitalization and the introduction of saline, which is a liquid with a 5% glucose content, are necessary. The method of treating gastritis with antibiotics should be used only with an obvious bacteriological factor.
Causes of disease
What is gastritis? What can provoke him? The determining factors for the occurrence of gastritis of the stomach are called:
- Food poisoning from low-quality foods.
- Chemical intoxication with reagents and toxic compounds.
- Pathogenic effect of pathogenic microflora.
- Physical overstrain of the body, taking into account physiological characteristics.
- Failure to follow the basic principles of proper nutrition, eating habits.
There are several main causes of this disease. First of all, a prerequisite for the occurrence of gastritiscan serve as a prolonged violation of the acid balance in the gastric environment. The imbalance of acid and alkali in the stomach occurs under the influence of hydrochloric acid. Any deviation of its composition from the norm leads to dyspeptic disorders and other problems of a motor-secretory nature. The acid-base state of gastric juice can be low, high or within the normal range.
Bactericidal causes
A spiral-shaped gram-negative bacterium may be a predisposing factor for gastritis. According to some reports, Helicobacter pylori microbes lead to functional abnormalities of the immune system in more than 80% of recorded cases of stomach diseases. Actively moving along the inner surface, the bacteria are fixed on the mucous layer. This is followed by an accelerated synthesis of enzymes of the amidases group. Under the influence of urease, a local change in acidity occurs, which will be discussed later.
Low acidity
Frequent stressful situations and inflammatory processes can provoke a sharp decrease in the level of acidity in the stomach. Under the influence of sympathetic nervous tissue, the metasympathetic department located on the walls of the organ is excited. The destructive effect of irritating signals that come from the center directly affects the composition of gastric juice. Gastritis with low acidity negatively affects the quality of food digestion, often provokes a spasmodic effect. For the patient, this is expressed by a feeling of nausea and bouts of flatulence. Food residues are compacted in the muscle cavity andunder the action of parasitic bacteria begin to rot. The feeling of nausea is a response to convulsive contractions in the stomach. The normal process of absorption of useful elements stops and leads to a general disruption of the body as a whole. It should be noted that against the background of natural aging, this phenomenon is inevitable and manifests itself gradually (but only in old age). Increased protection of the stomach as opposed to the reproduction of parasites leads to extensive inflammation. Some drugs, in this case, will become a catalyst for further suppression of the production of hydrochloric acid. All this leads to the production of lactic acid, which can attack the walls of the stomach, which are vulnerable due to a lack of mucus.
High acidity
Contrary to popular belief, hyperacidity of the stomach is much less common than hyposensitivity. Hyperactivity of the fundic glands leads to an excess of internal secretion, which threatens the appearance of ulcers not only in the stomach, but also in the alimentary canal. Acute pain and heartburn disturb the patient. For the correct diagnosis of gastritis with high acidity and its differentiation, it is necessary to apply an instrumental medical examination. The basic procedures for determining acid-dependent diseases are probing and pH-metry. The most accurate data can be obtained using the second method, when sensors measure the level of acid directly from the stomach.
Reflux gastritis
This is another form of the disease when the digestive mechanism deviates from the norm due toreverse flow of food masses from the duodenum through the sphincter of the gastric pylorus. Usually this valve has a thickening of the circular layer, which is responsible for regulating the flow of substances from the stomach towards the intestines. Pyloric fibers should prevent the return of food residues.
The main danger of the reverse flow of food into the stomach cavity lies in the bile and enzymatic fluid, which corrodes the mucous layer and the surface of the walls of the stomach. Reflux gastritis can be a pathology of chronic duodenitis, a postoperative complication of the digestive tract, an intramuscular sphincter disorder, or a side factor after taking certain pain medications.
Duodenal reflux gastritis develops after a retrograde ejection of contents from the initial section of the small intestine. This is facilitated by various inflammatory processes occurring in this zone, in which pressure rises. As a result, the reverse sphincters fail, and cardia insufficiency develops, that is, weakness of the lower valve of the stomach.
Causes of gastritis of bile reflux often become congestion in the duodenum. The biliary form of this disease can be triggered by insufficient muscle contraction of the pylorus or a coordination disorder in the sequence of these contractions between the stomach and intestines.
Classification of the degrees of the acute form of the disease
What is acute gastritis, and what are its degrees known? This will be discussednext.
Catarrhal gastritis
The catarrhal period of inflammation of the mucosa is due to a systematic violation of the diet or poisoning in a mild stage. This form includes all the key signs of gastritis.
Fibrinous gastritis
Fibrinous gastritis acts as a secondary disease to more severe infections such as diphtheria or tuberculosis. The lesions are concentrated on the walls of the stomach and look like a protein film. Scar tissues appear due to poorly soluble fibrin.
Necrotic gastritis
Necrotic, severe degree of gastritis is associated with the fibrinous form of the disease directly by the same reasons. However, coagulative necrosis is due to the ingestion of pronounced chemicals, when necrosis of some areas occurs as a result of acid poisoning. Colliquation necrosis is characterized by impregnation of the affected area with calcium s alts. In this situation, the phenomenon of petrification is observed, when calcium s alt deposits appear on the necrotic area. With this condition of the tissues of the digestive tract, surgical medical intervention is required.
Phlegmonous gastritis
A purulent form of gastritis that affects not only the mucous, submucosal loose tissue, but even the muscular frame of the organ. This type of disease is usually associated with previous injuries, open ulcers or tumor growth. If the serous membrane is affected, the disease is dangerous with serious complications in the form of perigastritis or peritonitis, when food masses penetrate intoabdominal space. Without urgent medical measures, the victim is at risk of death.
Chronic disease
Chronic form of gastritis is manifested by inflammation of the gastric mucosa for a long time. The course of the disease passes in an undulating way, in the form of sharp exacerbations and subsequent sluggish remissions.
Symptoms of gastritis of the stomach depend on the composition and level of acidity of the gastric juice. With secretory relative insufficiency of the stomach, heaviness in the abdomen and aching pains in the epigastric region are predominantly felt. Do not leave the feeling of fullness and nausea after eating. The patient may complain of constant regurgitation. Due to gastric discomfort, many begin to limit themselves in the amount of food eaten. In turn, this affects the entire body and leads to weight loss. Additional troubles include a tendency to diarrhea. Often the stool becomes liquid, mushy, but without impurities of blood or mucus.
When examining a patient by palpation of the abdomen, chronic gastritis is characterized by moderate pain in the epigastric region. Gastritis with normal or increased acidity of the gastric juice, mainly occurs in young people. In addition to the pain syndrome, the disease is accompanied by heartburn after eating, belching with a sour aftertaste and the likelihood of constipation. Often the surface of the tongue is covered with an abundant coating of white. Often, along with gastritis, inflammation of the duodenal mucosa (duodenitis) develops. Then the symptomsgastritis of the stomach are observed a slightly different quality.
Diagnosis of the chronic form of the disease
The diagnosis of chronic gastritis is determined by the same method of gastroscopy as in the acute phase of the disease. Based on the data obtained, and relying on information from the patient, a conclusion is made about the state of the mucosa. Changes in the gastric mucosa can be significant - swelling and varying degrees of redness, widespread process (the so-called total lesion) - or partial (only certain areas are affected). The damaged surface of the stomach may become eroded and show signs of atrophy. The study of the internal structure by x-rays will help to exclude a number of diseases, including stomach cancer or peptic ulcer. The clinical course of these diseases is very similar. Although this type of examination has lost its defining significance, it remains relevant in some cases when the patient's condition is unstable and does not allow other procedures to be performed. To determine the adequate treatment of gastritis, it is necessary to know the level of acidity of gastric juice using a probe. Other acid test methods (using tablets) will only give approximate results.
Treatment of chronic gastritis
The chronic form of the disease requires an integrated approach to treatment. A properly selected diet should be combined with a group of drug therapy drugs. Medicines in relation to the mucous membrane and walls of the stomach perform enveloping andrestorative functions. As a rule, doctors prescribe antacid and absorbent drugs. It is recommended to take medication some time after eating. Tablets reduce the intensity of inflammation of the mucosa and allow the stomach to resume its normal work. For better functioning of the digestive system, enzymes are used that break down complex food structures into simpler elements.
In no case do not self-treat gastritis. Symptoms of various forms of the disease are quite similar. Before starting therapy, you need to determine the type of disease, and only a specialist can do this.
Atrophic focal gastritis
Focal atrophic gastritis is mildly expressed by slight discomfort and an unpleasant burning sensation in the epigastric region. However, a feeling of heaviness and a state of nausea can occur even after eating a light meal. The work of locally affected cells is compensated by he althy epithelial tissues. After ignoring the first signs of atrophic gastritis, heartburn, loss of appetite and a sluggish increase in temperature are added to them.
This disease refers to the chronic form of gastritis, when parietal cells gradually disappear. In other words, the number of parietal cells responsible for the production of hydrochloric acid decreases. In turn, all this leads to a lack of vitamin B12 and threatens with megaloblastic anemia. Due to the process of destruction of the parietal glands, it gradually becomes thinnermucous layer in the stomach. A progressive disease damages the fundus of the stomach, gradually affecting its walls. Timely started, correct treatment can prevent the development of atrophic gastritis into a cancerous tumor.
Inflammation of the antrum of the stomach
Antral gastritis is a chronic inflammation of the pyloric part of the stomach. In another way, this disease is called group B gastritis when the causative agent is a bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori (Helicobacter Pylori). The comfortable habitat of this pathogen ranges from 4 to 6 in terms of pH acidity. In aggressive conditions, the bacterium adapts and takes an inactive form. At the onset of a favorable moment, it can again infect he althy cells of the organ. The enzymes produced by the bacterium adversely affect the intragastric environment. Under their influence, urea is converted to ammonia, and the mucous layer loses its usual viscosity. After that, harmful microbes move to the lower, so-called antrum of the stomach (hence the name - antral gastritis). Penetrating into the cells of the epithelium, they actively multiply. The integrity of tissues is violated, which subsequently leads to a complication of the work of the secretion glands.
Diffuse gastritis
The prerequisites for this type of gastritis are dystrophic processes in the tissues of the stomach. Cell division of the secretion glands is defective, so tissue degeneration does not end properly. Over time, he althy cells are increasingly replaced by immature ones. As clear evidencethis disease will be gastric depressions in the form of pits.
Erosive form of the disease
The appearance of erosive wounds in the gastric mucosa is often the result of stressful situations. The reason for the appearance may also be the change of the spring-autumn seasons, when psychological perception intensifies. Improper and irregular nutrition also contributes to the development of erosive gastritis. Full restoration of the areas affected by erosion depends on the specific case, which has its own characteristics. Sometimes wound healing is slow, then the treatment is delayed for several months.
With the erosive form of gastritis, the pain component is an order of magnitude higher than with other types of the disease. This fact is directly related to food intake. It happens that this is due to the condition of the walls of the stomach, and is complicated by internal bleeding. Erosive gastritis does not depend on the level of acidity. This diagnosis can only be made by resorting to gastroscopy.
Giant hypertrophic gastritis
A very rare type of gastritis, which is otherwise referred to as Menetrier's disease. It is manifested by alimentary dystrophy of the lower extremities and lumbar, partial anemia of the affected areas. The disease develops against the background of general exhaustion, as a result of a progressive metabolic disorder. The main clinical signs are not only protein-free edema, but also pain in the epigastric region, nausea, and periodic vomiting, which are ordinary for the disease. There is a decrease in the amount of proteins in the blood due to changes in the structure of the mucosamembranes of the affected organ. Thanks to gastroscopy, wide swollen folds of the mucosa are recognized. A blood test, in such cases, shows a reduced level of hemoglobin and protein (hypoproteinemia). Treatment must be carried out only in a hospital.
Prevention of gastritis
General recommendations of gastroenterologists will help to avoid serious problems not only with the stomach, but also with the digestive tract as a whole. You must adhere to the following prevention rules:
- Striving for proper nutrition and a balanced diet. Try to avoid eating too much, especially at popular fast food establishments. Fragrant meat or fish dishes can have exceptional taste, but at the same time, provoke irritation of the mucous membrane. A large number of additives and spices disrupt the functioning of the tubular glands, which negatively affects the entire epithelium. In addition, nutritionists insist on the mandatory alternation of solid and dry food with liquid dishes.
- Pay attention to the quality of the water and food you eat. If the quality of the products is in doubt, it is better not to use such products for cooking. Strictly monitor the appearance and smell of food when you visit public canteens. If possible, ask sellers for quality certificates or declarations of conformity, if they are provided for this type of goods. When shopping for food, focus on natural ingredients and avoid artificial ingredients.
- One ofAn effective way to prevent any manifestations of gastritis is to follow the diet. Today, the culture of food is becoming an increasingly relevant topic. An important role is assigned to the schedule of food consumption. By adhering to the established time and regularity in this matter, the level of gastric secretion can be normalized.
- It is worth noting that the diet for gastritis is not only relevant. Excessive load on the stomach during overeating contributes not only to the appearance of gastritis, but can lead to obesity. The situation will be aggravated by a feast in the late evening. Control the amount of food you eat.
- It is a well-known fact that calm, pleasant music has the best digestion. Doctors recommend not to rush and chew food thoroughly, without being distracted by other processes.
- Smoking does not directly affect the condition of the gastric mucosa, but in combination with alcohol or other factors, indirectly provokes changes in its composition. Counterfeit alcoholic products often caused not only inflammation, but also dangerous chemical burns. The abuse of alcohol-containing drinks leads to irreversible consequences throughout the body. A disease such as gastritis is no exception.
- Features of working with toxic and chemical compounds require the use of special protective equipment. In case of accidental or intentional ingestion of these substances into the digestive tract, erosive-ulcerative forms of gastritis develop.
- For the prevention of stomach abscess, it is necessary to deal strictly and in a timely mannertreatment of purulent-inflammatory processes of an infectious nature.
Diet for gastritis with high acidity
Food consumption should be reduced to a fractional way: frequent meals in small doses. In the presence of Helictobacter bacteria, spicy foods and alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the daily diet. Diet for gastritis provides for the predominance of a variety of vegetables and fruits in the diet. Moreover, you can use them both fresh and boiled. Almost any diet for gastritis excludes the consumption of fatty foods. During an exacerbation, the consumption of dishes containing potatoes, boiled rice or oatmeal should be minimized. During the recession of gastritis, high-grade meat products can be added to the daily diet.
Restriction in food for gastritis of low acidity
First of all, a diet for gastritis of the stomach with a low level of acid should be focused on stimulating the proper functioning of the organ. Activation of gastric secretion occurs under the biochemical influence of certain substances contained in meat broths, soups, borscht, as well as in products made from whole grain flour. Both fresh vegetables and fermented and pickled foods have a stimulating effect.
Allowed drinks in case of illness
Diet for gastritis includes not only the right food, but also drinks. Some are well absorbed, reduce the level of acid in the stomach, and partially neutralize it. To theminclude jelly and milk, but in both cases one should not assume that these liquids will replace medicines. They can be used as a supplement to dry food.
Weakly brewed tea is recommended to drink chilled. It is undesirable to use sour juices of the citrus group. For these purposes, juices interspersed with pulp are suitable: banana, pear or tomato. Juices should be at room temperature. Mineral-alkaline waters will help to cope with the disease faster. Diet for gastritis excludes the use of any kind of sweet sparkling water.
