Gastritis
by Dr. George J. Jeremiah M.D.
Gastritis, like any other “itis” your doctor occasionally may tell you that you are suffering from (e.g. conjunctivitis (eye) or pharyngitis (throat)), is nothing but the inflammation of the inner lining of the stomach wall. If you could peek into your stomach during the great “Gastric Attack”, it would be as red as a ripe tomato. If not treated, the red tomato would progress to a blood red rose. Should you choose to ignore the pain, the acid in the stomach could eat into its own wall causing a “Gastric Ulcer,” or even worse, a stomach perforation inside out.
You should realise from the above that gastritis, gastric ulcers, or gastric perforation are all different degrees of one ailment. If you ignore the early warning symptoms of gastritis, it may lead to a gastric ulcer.
Fortunately, most people cannot bear the pain of a stomach ulcer. So, ending up with a stomach perforation is uncommon. Whatever it may be, gastritis is a very
common complaint in any medical practice. It is not only simple to treat in the initial stages, but more importantly, it is easy to avoid getting gastritis in the first place. With that in mind, let us move on.
The symptoms and signs of gastritis are easy to diagnose. The pain is usually an upper abdominal pain (epigastric pain). Depending on the sensitivity of the individual and the severity of the gastritis, it can range from mild to severe. If severe, one can feel the pain at the back of the body opposite the epigastrium (the region of the stomach) or in the chest (heartburn).
Unlike the pain of acute gastroenteritis (diarrhea) which is intermittent, gastritis pain is usually continuous and progressive. Because the pain is triggered off by the acid nature of the stomach’s contents, the pain is somewhat reduced by food or drinks that are alkaline, e.g., soya bean. In some people, the pain is reduced with food. In others, it is made worse with food because of the nature of the food eaten.
Acid forming foods, e.g., meat, chicken, seafood, and grains, make the gastritis worse as would spicy food. Alkaline producing foods, e.g., fruit and salads, will usually calm an inflamed stomach. Some foods that are considered almost neutral are milk, butter, and cold-pressed vegetable oils.
Due to the intensity of the pain, one may feel nauseated or vomit. This vomiting exemplifies the wisdom of the human body in action. The body dictates that when ill for whatever reason, it demands absolute physical (and mental) rest.
If there is a bleeding ulcer in the stomach or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine), one may notice blood in the stools. But the colour of the blood is altered by the acid in the stomach. Hence, one may notice black spots (not red spots) on the stools. Fresh red stains of blood on the stools could be indicative of other problems such as piles or a tumour.
To recapitulate, gastritis pain is upper abdominal pain over the region of the stomach. The pain is usually continuous and may be felt at the mid-back region, if severe. It may also radiate upwards to the chest (heartburn). If severe, there may be vomiting.
Other illnesses that could mimic severe gastritis are cholecystitis (inflammation of the gall bladder), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), and appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix). These are not exhaustive. When in doubt, please check with your doctor.
Here are the most common causative factors of gastritis for the majority of patients:
- Irregular meal times (due to work?)
- Skipping meals (due to dieting?)
- Consuming very oily or spicy foods (our local foods are simply irresistible!)
- Drinking too much tea or coffee (it is the tannic acid in these drinks that triggers the gastritis, not the caffeine)
- Eating and drinking “junk foods,” e.g., chips and fizzy drinks
- Alcohol and medicines, especially aspirin related drugs
- Hectic life styles leading to stress
If you have made the diagnosis of gastritis, how should you treat it? As mentioned previously, rest physically and mentally.
Due to pain, quite possibly you would not be hungry. The wisdom of the body dictates "Do Not Eat".
However, you will feel thirsty. If so, drink water. You may chill it. I have found chilled water will help numb the pain. Make it a point to drink the water s-l-o-w-l-y. Do not gulp!
Hungry still? How about some fresh carrot or apple juice. Hungry again? Try some figs, dates, or a banana.
Consume one item at a time and only a small portion, at that. What your stomach needs most is rest.
However, if you must eat a meal, baked potatoes with steamed beans, cabbage, and carrots may be fine.
For salads, you could have raw celery or lettuce. But take care. Do not overeat.
Following a gastritis attack, ask yourself a few questions such as. Why did it happen? Has it happened before? Were the triggering factors the same? Could it have been prevented? Think! (Thinking is something very few of us take time to do because true thinking is hard work).
Many sufferers know about these causes, but
unfortunately, they do a point to drink the not listen to their bodies and do not realise the limits beyond which they push them. So,
whatever may be the trigger factor or factors in your particular case, take the precautions. The majority of cases are preventable. In the early stages of pain. You can D.l.Y, "Doctor-It-Yourself."
