Chronic superficial gastritis develops due to many provoking factors. The disease may seem harmless, but is it really? It includes a number of stages and, as it develops and lacks proper therapy, it passes from one form to another.
Features of the disease
This ailment, like other lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, has an acute or chronic form. Chronic superficial gastritis often recurs. With a long course, degeneration of the mucous membrane eventually begins, which leads to an atrophic form. Its symptoms are clearly manifested in elderly patients. This condition is the most dangerous, as it can provoke the appearance of a cancerous tumor.
The article will consider the initial stage, which in medicine is called superficial gastritis. Elimination of the disease is achieved by drugs in combination with dietary nutrition.
Varieties of chronic superficial gastritis
Chronic gastritis has its own varieties, depending on which focus of the stomach has undergone pathological changes.
- Chronic superficial reflux gastritis belongs to type C. Its development is provoked by dysfunction of the pylorus. This causes reflux (throwing) of the contents of the duodenum into the stomach. The patient has nausea, weight loss, heaviness in the stomach, belching, indigestion or constipation, dyspepsia. Often there is dryness of the skin, a decrease in hemoglobin and asthenia.
- Chronic superficial antral gastritis belongs to type B. The disease is caused by inflammation of the gastric mucosa and the negative effects of bacteria. There is a high level of acidity, which is the basis for diagnosing gastric pH-metry. The disease manifests itself in pain in the stomach. They can appear both before and after eating. The patient complains of belching, nausea, heaviness in the stomach, stool instability. Without proper therapy, such chronic focal superficial gastritis provokes gross changes in the gastrointestinal tract.
Main stages of superficial gastritis
The first stage of the disease is superficial gastritis. This form does not cause much suffering to the patient. Inflammation of the gastric mucosa is not pronounced. With it, tissues located deep in the stomach and duodenum are not affected. The disease does not belong to the category of dangerous conditions. At this stage, the further development of the disease should be suspended, since it easily flows into the next stage and takes on a chronic course.
Initially, chronic superficial gastritis was not regarded by medicine as an independent disease. This form was observed by doctors, but no special therapy was prescribed.
Superficial gastritis, despite its seeming harmlessness, needs timely treatment. It is important to understand here that the diagnosis involves changes in the stomach, an increased level of irritation of the mucous membrane, an inadequate response to certain foods, and other factors.
Diagnosis
When conducting a diagnosis, it is important to determine not only the form of the disease (chronic atrophic superficial gastritis, hypertrophic form with a low level of acidity or, on the contrary, increased). This helps to understand the further development of the disease. For example, gastritis with low acidity indicates the possible development of an oncological tumor.
Symptoms of superficial gastritis
Chronic superficial gastritis doctors call simple or catarrhal, because the inflammation affects only the upper layer of the mucosa. The younger the patient, the faster the recovery of tissues subjected to irritation.
How does chronic superficial gastritis manifest itself? Symptoms vary. Some time after a meal that irritates the stomach (approximately 2-6 hours), the first symptoms of acute gastritis may appear.
According to the level of exacerbation, superficial gastritis can be mild, moderate and severepronounced. Depending on the degree of damage, the symptoms will be different.
With superficial gastritis in a chronic form, inflammation does not affect the glands and does not provoke their atrophy. Most often, this type of disease occurs in men at a young age. Sometimes the pain is pronounced and very similar to the pain of an ulcer. Patients complain of heaviness in the stomach, belching and heartburn.
How does chronic superficial gastritis manifest itself? An exacerbation is characterized by decreased appetite, asthenia, dizziness, sour belching, indigestion, an unpleasant taste in the mouth with increased salivation or dryness, a feeling of squeezing the stomach.
The strength of pain can be different. The skin becomes pale, the tongue is covered with a white or gray coating. There may be a drop in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate. General analysis reveals neutrophilic leukocytosis.
Main causes of disease
Undoubtedly, the disease does not appear without a reason. This condition is preceded by a systematic malnutrition with the use of any products that influenced the development of the disease. For example, a pathological condition develops from the use of spicy, low-quality food, coffee on an empty stomach, stress, long breaks in eating.
In order not to disturb your he alth, you should be careful about your diet and diet, and periodically examine the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.
If provocateursthere are many developments, then even a superficial form can appear rather unpleasantly. Usually, the duration of catarrhal gastritis is 5 days, since the restoration of the mucosa is quite fast.
Basic diagnostic methods
Modern medicine involves the use of endoscopy. This procedure has become painless, as technical progress has stepped far forward. Modern diagnostics is able to give a complete picture of the state of the gastric mucosa, determine what form of gastritis the body is affected, whether a person has an ulcer or an oncological process, whether gastritis is an atrophic or superficial form.
Treatment for mild illness may be limited to a light diet and avoidance of smoking and drinking alcohol.
Complications
Chronic superficial gastritis can cause complications such as dystrophy of superficial epithelial cells, as well as provoke inflammatory infiltration of the gastric mucosa plate.
Recently, medicine has found a direct link between the superficial form and the reproduction of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is present in the stomach of any person. If it is detected, you should undergo a special course of treatment under the strict supervision of a doctor.
The use of a diet with pathogenic bacteria will not be able to fight and, if you do not undergo the necessary therapy, not only the upper layers of the stomach, but also the epithelium, which lies much deeper, will subsequently be destroyed.
Treatment
How it stopschronic superficial gastritis? Treatment involves the use of drugs in conjunction with diet. The gastroenterologist prescribes antibiotics to help lower the level of stomach acid.
Usually two drugs are prescribed together: Metronidazole and Clarithromycin or Amoxicillin and Clarithromycin. The duration of the course and dose is selected by the doctor. As a rule, the duration of treatment is two weeks.
To lower the level of acidity, drugs such as Omeprazole and Ranitidine can be used. These funds cause not only a decrease in acidity, but also contribute to the protection of the mucosa and the relief of pain. It is also possible to use antacids, which also reduce the acidity of the stomach. These drugs include "Almagel", "Maalox", "Gastal".
With the superficial form of gastritis, gastroprotectors are not used, since such drugs are used for such a disease as a stomach ulcer.
Compliance with the rules of a he althy lifestyle
If doctors have determined that you have superficial gastritis, then the basis of treatment will be a review of the regimen, diet and the rejection of bad habits. After all, it's no secret that gastritis, degenerated into an ulcer, can cause cancer. Many young men and women are dying from this disease these days.
Proper daily routine, he althy eating, stress reductionfactor and skillful opposition to the hardships of life is the key to long-term full-fledged work of the body, including the stomach.
Dieting
What is important in the treatment of a condition such as chronic superficial gastritis? Diet is the basis of therapy. The most important thing is the temperature of the food. Very hot dishes (temperatures above 60ºС) and very cold ones (below 15ºС) provoke sharp pains caused by irritation of the walls of the stomach.
The best option is to eat food, the temperature of which is approximately 37ºС.
Food consistency
Products must be thoroughly chopped. It is desirable to bring them to the state of a liquid slurry. Avoid eating hard and rough foods. The daily ration should be about 3 kg.
When compiling a diet, the important fact is taken into account that a person should consume approximately 30% of the total daily calorie and food volume for breakfast, only 15% for lunch or a snack before lunch, lunch should be 40%, and dinner 15%.
If a patient has concomitant diseases such as inflammation of the pancreas, cholecystitis, then it is advisable to eat not 4 times a day, but break it into 6-8 servings. Dinner should be long before going to bed (at least 2 hours). In no case should you overeat, take long breaks between meals and consume dry or spicy foods.
This excludes the use of:
- thick, high-fat meat or chicken broths;
- food containing pepper and s alt;
- marinades;
- products that contain spices, preservatives, artificial flavors, flavor enhancers;
- raw vegetables.
It is recommended to eat boiled meat, chicken or rabbit meat. All products are used in crushed form in the form of mashed potatoes or steamed cutlets. From fish, the use of low-fat cod, pike perch, pink salmon, pike is recommended.
Vegetables are consumed only pureed. Fruits are recommended in the form of juices, jelly compotes and purees. Cereals from semolina, oatmeal, rice groats should be boiled in water. Dairy products should not be fatty.
Traditional medicine in the treatment of superficial gastritis
Chronic superficial gastritis can be treated in folk ways. Among the methods, a number of the most accessible and effective should be singled out. First of all, the use of vegetable juices is advised.
Drinking potato juice is one of the most effective methods. It is able to eliminate a small inflammation in the stomach. When chopping potatoes on a fine grater, the juice should be strained and drunk immediately after squeezing, as it darkens quickly.
Initially, potato juice is consumed slowly, about 1/8 cup 30 minutes before breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then the volume is increased to half a glass at a time. The course of treatment is 3 weeks.
Cabbage juice also has its beneficial effects. It can be consumed in the mornings and evenings one hour before takinghalf a glass of food. Use is contraindicated in acute gastritis or exacerbation of chronic superficial gastritis.
Decoction of flax seeds. The result is a thick drink, similar to jelly. The use of such a drug protects the gastric mucosa from the effects of acid, which contributes to the rapid relief of the inflammatory process. To make such a decoction, you need to boil 70 g of flaxseed in 1 liter of water for 5 minutes and let it brew for 2 hours, then pass through a sieve and take 1 tbsp. decoction before each meal.
Using a collection of medicinal herbs. Chamomile, St. John's wort, celandine are taken in the same amount and poured over two mills of boiling water overnight. The next day, 30 minutes before a meal, drink 1/4 cup. The procedure is repeated 4 times a day.
Conclusion
Superficial gastritis is the first step towards the development of an atrophic process in the stomach, which can lead to the appearance of a cancerous tumor. At the first symptoms of the disease, it is advised to immediately contact a gastroenterologist. It is very important to stop the further development of the disease. The disease progresses quite quickly. Treatment is carried out in combination with dietary nutrition.
