What is the difference between gastroenteritis and gastritis

Gastritis occurs when the protective lining of the stomach weakens, allowing digestive juices to damage it. This leads to inflammation. Gastritis can be chronic, developing slowly and lasting for a long time, or acute, developing and resolving quickly.

The condition can also be erosive or nonerosive. Erosive gastritis is severe and causes the stomach lining to wear down.

It may come on suddenly or develop over time. Nonerosive gastritis, on the other hand, causes changes to the stomach lining rather than a gradual breakdown. There are also subtypes. For example, acute stress gastritis is erosive, and it develops in response to changes due to critical illness.

Most commonly, gastritis is due to H. Reactive gastritis, which is caused by irritants, is also relatively common. NSAIDs such as ibuprofen Advil and some other common pain relief drugs can cause stomach irritation and gastritis. NSAIDs represent the most common cause of stomach ulcers. Autoimmune conditions can lead to gastritis. For example, in people with autoimmune atrophic gastritis, the immune system attacks the stomach lining.

Physical trauma or damage to the stomach lining can also lead to gastritis. For example, a person who has undergone surgery to remove part of their stomach may develop postgastrectomy gastritis, which causes the lining to degenerate. The mechanisms behind this issue are still unclear, but postgastrectomy gastritis may stem from increased acid reflux, reactions from the vagal nerve, or a reduction in the number of acids triggered by hormones.

Dietary factors do not usually cause gastritis, but food allergies and celiac disease can contribute to it. Some people, including older adults and individuals with compromised immune function, are more likely to develop gastritis. Many health issues and factors such as smoking can also increase the risk of developing this condition. Other infections that can increase the risk of gastritis include tuberculosis and syphilis.

Although stress alone isn't a cause of peptic ulcers, it is a contributing factor. Symptoms Gastritis Nausea or recurrent upset stomach Abdominal bloating Abdominal pain Vomiting Indigestion Burning or gnawing feeling in the stomach between meals or at night Hiccups Loss of appetite Vomiting blood or coffee ground-like material Black, tarry stools Ulcer Abdominal pain Dyspepsia or indigestion Bloating and fullness Mild nausea may be relieved by vomiting Belching and regurgitation Feeling very hungry 1 to 3 hours after eating How We Can Help Helicobacter Pylori Testing Torrance Memorial Physician Network provides breath test for Helicobacter Pylori.

What Happens During the Test? After The Test Your breath samples are sent to the laboratory where they are tested. You may resume your normal activities. You may resume your normal diet and medicines unless you have other tests that require dietary restrictions.

Test Results Your doctor will notify you as soon as your laboratory test results are available. If the test indicates that you do have a H.

One month after antibiotic treatment your doctor might order a repeat breath test to make sure the infection has been cured.

Some low-dose PPIs can be bought from your pharmacist without a prescription. If an H. Gastritis that lasts for a long time can increase your risk of developing:. Page last reviewed: 20 May Next review due: 20 May Symptoms of gastritis Many people with gastritis caused by a bacterial infection do not have any symptoms. In other cases, gastritis can cause: indigestion gnawing or burning stomach pain feeling and being sick feeling full after eating If the stomach lining has been worn away erosive gastritis and exposed to stomach acid, symptoms may include pain, bleeding or a stomach ulcer.

When to see a GP If you have indigestion and stomach pain, you can try treating this yourself with changes to your diet and lifestyle, or with medicines you can get from a pharmacy, such as antacids. See a GP if: you have indigestion symptoms lasting a week or longer, or it's causing you severe pain or discomfort you think it's brought on by medicine you have been prescribed you're vomiting blood or have blood in your poo your poo may appear black Stomach ache and abdominal pain are not always a sign of gastritis.

Treatment typically lasts between 10 days and four weeks. Your doctor may also recommend that you stop taking any NSAIDS or corticosteroids to see if that relieves your symptoms. Lifestyle changes may also help reduce your acute gastritis symptoms.

Changes that could help include:. According to research originally published in The Original Internist , certain herbs improve digestive health. They may also help kill H. Some of the herbs used to treat acute gastritis include:.

Some herbs may interact with other medications. Your doctor should be aware of any supplements you take. The outlook for acute gastritis depends on the underlying cause. It usually resolves quickly with treatment. However, sometimes treatment fails and it can turn into chronic, or long-term, gastritis. Chronic gastritis also may increase your risk of developing gastric cancer.

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