Chronic atrophic gastritis is a disease of the stomach. It is characterized by pathological changes in the mucous membrane. The number of glands that secrete gastric juice decreases. Against the background of chronic atrophic gastritis, pathologies often develop that lead to stomach cancer.
The causes of chronic atrophic gastritis are very diverse. Most often, atrophy of the gastric mucosa is provoked by the rod-shaped bacterium Helicobacter pylori (Helicobacter pylori). The causative agent of infection causes superficial gastritis. Inattention to this problem and the lack of proper treatment ultimately lead to chronic atrophic gastritis. If there are many lesions, then the disease is called multifocal. The further the disease develops, the greater the area of the organ is affected.
Focal atrophic gastritis
Chronic focalatrophic gastritis is one of the types of gastritis. Atrophic foci are formed in the gastric mucosa. In these foci, the cells and glands responsible for the secretion of hydrochloric acid and pepsin die. They are replaced by epithelial tissue. As a result, the secretory function of the stomach decreases, acidity decreases, and the mucous membrane becomes thinner. This is the initial stage of atrophy. The course of the process is autoimmune, which only worsens the situation - the resulting autoantibodies begin to affect their own glands.
Chronic atrophic gastritis: symptoms of the disease
The symptomatic picture of atrophic gastritis is quite characteristic. Patient complaints usually sound like this:
- the stomach does not hurt, but after eating there is heaviness, a feeling of fullness;
- after each meal there is a burp with an unpleasant taste, and then heartburn;
- appetite decreased, stomach growls and gurgles;
- constant constipation and diarrhea that alternate between each other.
Chronic atrophic gastritis is not characterized by a change in weight upwards or its norm. The secretory function of the stomach decreases, and the patient loses weight. Problems with the absorption of essential substances lead to a deficiency of vitamins A and C. The skin becomes dry and pale, and vision deteriorates. Gums bleed, hair fall out, nails crumble. Sometimes there is sweating, dizziness and weakness after eating, as well as a burning sensation in the tongue and paresthesia (sensitivity disorder).
Tests
Changes in laboratory parameters are not typical for chronic gastritis. Only in combination with anemia, a decrease in hemoglobin is observed, and the color indicators of erythrocytes also change.
One of the most reliable methods is endoscopy. This study allows you to very carefully examine the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. In chronic gastritis, the gastric mucosa is pale gray, with damage. Due to its thinning, the vascular pattern becomes better visible, the area of \u200b\u200bfolds is smaller. The final conclusion is made after examining the material taken for a biopsy, which the doctor receives from the gastric mucosa during the procedure.
One of the diagnostic procedures is fecal analysis. In the feces of a patient suffering from chronic atrophic gastritis, unchanged muscle fibers are observed, as well as fiber and starch.
Ultrasonography of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder is also performed to diagnose concomitant pathologies.
Chronic atrophic gastritis: exacerbation
In acute atrophic gastritis, there is swelling of the walls of the stomach, plethora of blood vessels, destruction of the epithelium, and sometimes even erosion, as well as infiltration of leukocytes from the vessels to the outside. Symptoms are often quite severe: sharp pains, dyspepsia, high fever. Consciousness is often disturbed - the patient faints and may even fall into a coma.
Treatment
How to treat chronic focal atrophic gastritis? Treatment must be comprehensive. During the periodexacerbations need drug treatment, which includes anticholinergics acting on the peripheral nervous system. These drugs are used to relieve pain. Also highly effective are antacids, which regulate the acidity of the gastrointestinal tract.
The next item in complex treatment is proper nutrition and weight control. It helps prevent stomach cancer.
It is impossible not to pay tribute to the spa treatment, as well as exercise and physiotherapy. These components, which for some reason are often underestimated, are simply necessary for proper and complete treatment.
Diet
Is it possible to cure chronic atrophic gastritis? A diet for gastritis can not only prevent deterioration, but also speed up the healing process. First of all, you need to avoid smoked meats, canned and pickled foods, give up tobacco and alcohol, fried, fatty, s alty. Overeating is just as dangerous as undereating, so the entire daily diet should be divided into several meals and eat strictly on time.
With low acidity, milk, muffins and fresh bread are also excluded, and with high acidity, fermented milk products, tomatoes, spicy and sour foods, rich meat soups.
Prevention
Since gastritis is caused by a specific pathogen, the best prevention is the timely treatment of infection. By itself, it lasts one to two weeks and is a course of takingantibiotics prescribed by a doctor (independence in this matter can be very harmful, so self-medication is strictly prohibited).
Proper nutrition is considered important in the prevention of gastritis. It has long been observed that people with eating disorders are much more likely to suffer from stomach damage. Snacking on the run, fast food, not having a regular schedule and overeating at night lead to disorders, reduced immune function and increase the risk of gastritis and ulcers.
Folk treatments
How else can you get rid of such a disease as chronic atrophic gastritis? Treatment with folk remedies is possible, but it is worth remembering that self-medication can only worsen the situation. And although doctors very often prescribe folk remedies themselves, they should be taken only under the direct supervision of a specialist.
The following are recipes that help relieve symptoms and even cure chronic atrophic gastritis.
Tincture of calamus rhizomes
What grandmother's methods can heal chronic atrophic gastritis? Treatment with folk remedies can be effective in combination with medications and exclusively under the supervision of a specialist.
Air is a herbaceous evergreen plant. Its root helps to increase the secretion of gastric juice, reduces the risk of disorders, and also improves appetite and helps digestion. This tool has a large number of advantages, it is used not only forgastritis, but also in many other diseases (bronchitis, sinusitis, circulatory disorders). Preparing a tincture of three ingredients:
- 100 grams of honey;
- 15 grams of crushed calamus rhizomes;
- 1 liter cognac.
The plant is poured with cognac, and then infused for 6 weeks. After that, the liquid must be filtered, add honey and leave for another month. Ideally, you need to strain the tincture again, bottle it and put it in a dark place for another six months. But in principle, you can already start taking the medicine if there is no way to wait. Dosage - one teaspoon before meals twice a day. Relief will come fairly quickly.
Blueberries
This berry has a beneficial effect on the entire gastrointestinal tract as a whole. For example, it stops diarrhea, prevents colic, rids the stomach of the causative agent of Helicobacter pylori infection and restores thinned mucous membranes. For the treatment of gastritis, only fresh blueberries, grated with sugar (one teaspoon in the morning) are used. Jam is not suitable, because after boiling the berries lose almost all of their healing properties.
Banana
This fruit works as an absorbent and anti-inflammatory agent. Therefore, with gastritis, it is recommended to eat bananas daily as a dessert.
Dill
The seeds of this plant, boiled for two minutes in boiling water, treat gastritis and relieve unpleasant symptoms. The plus is that even small children can drink this decoction.
Cumin
This seasoning is added to soups, salads and second courses. Very effective for the treatment of gastritis are medicinal teas with cumin. A tablespoon of seeds is poured with water, boiled and infused for half an hour. This decoction is best drunk in the morning and evening, combined with other folk remedies.
Chamomile infusion
Folk treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis is possible with the help of chamomile infusion. Everyone knows the soothing properties of chamomile. She also shows them in relation to the irritated gastric mucosa. The advantage of this drink is that absolutely everyone can drink it, because it is completely safe for he alth (the exception is an allergy to chamomile). Two tablespoons of herbs are poured with a liter of boiling water, insisted, and then filtered. You can add honey, lemon or raspberry juice. Together with the right diet and other folk remedies, chamomile is great for gastritis.
Rosehip decoction
The high content of vitamins and minerals in rose hips speaks for itself. This plant is useful for any diseases, as it has a general tonic effect on the body. Among other things, rosehip cures gastritis. Within four to six weeks, it is recommended to drink a decoction prepared according to a certain technology: berries and leaves are mixed in equal proportions, four tablespoons of the mixture are poured into a liter of water. After boiling, the decoction is prepared for another 10 minutes, and then drunk 3-4 times a day between meals. Often gastritispasses after the first course, but if this does not happen, you need to take a break, and then be treated with a decoction again.
Kisely
Since natural kissels perfectly envelop the gastrointestinal tract, they are used in the treatment of gastritis to restore the gastric mucosa. However, too sweet or too sour jelly can worsen already disturbed stomach acidity, so the choice of berries and the cooking process must be carefully controlled. For cooking, it is better to choose high-quality blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.
Herbal Collection 1
The most commonly used folk remedies for the treatment of gastritis are herbal preparations. The first one is considered the most effective. Fee includes:
- 100 grams of St. John's wort;
- 50 grams of plantain;
- 50 grams of yarrow;
- 20 grams of flaxseeds;
- 50 grams of peppermint leaves;
- 20 grams of yarrow herb;
- 50 grams of angelica root;
- 50 grams of cumin seeds.
All herbs are thoroughly mixed, one spoon of the mixture is poured into a glass of water. You can't boil the mixture, you just need to heat it up strongly. After that, it is infused for 10 minutes. Drink this decoction only hot, an hour before meals. Treatment with herbal preparation No. 1 continues until the disease completely disappears.
Herbal Collection 2
This mixture of herbs is designed to normalize the activity of the stomach. To prepare it, you need to take 50 grams:
- triple leaves;
- mint leaves;
- wormwood herbs;
- dill seed;
- melilot grass;
- grass meadow eyebright;
- sage leaves;
- angelica root;
- St. John's wort;
- immortelle;
- calamus rhizome.
One spoonful of a mixture of herbs is poured with one glass of boiling water. After that, you need to let it brew for three hours, and then strain. The infusion is drunk three times a day, one glass. In order to completely get rid of gastritis, restore the walls of the stomach and improve well-being, herbal collection No. 2 should be drunk for at least two months.
