Gastritis: Symptoms and Complications

Causes of gastritis

Gastritis is an "inflammation of the gastric mucosa, which can come on suddenly in a violent way (acute gastritis) or manifest itself in a milder way over a longer period of time (chronic gastritis).

The causes of gastritis are particularly numerous and different from each other, and it is precisely on the basis of the triggering cause that the disease manifests itself in a more or less aggressive way. In most cases, gastritis - the so-called "common" - is the result of an "unregulated diet (rich in excesses, spicy and fatty foods, irritating foods or spices of the gastric mucosa, etc.), alcoholism, smoking, recurrent infections and abuse of gastric-damaging drugs. More rarely, the origin of gastritis lies in autoimmune diseases, psychosomatic disorders, Helicobacter pylori, radiotherapy and gastric burns. Gastritis is often related to the formation of gastric ulcers, which in turn are responsible for worsening gastric symptoms.

Gastritis: symptoms

For further information: Gastritis Symptoms

Heartburn - known to most as heartburn - is the common symptom of all symptomatic variants of gastritis. However, it should be noted that the symptoms of gastritis are quite varied and differ according to the triggering cause, the patient's general state of health and the (acute or chronic) course of the disorder.

Acute gastritis symptoms (extremely common)

Chronic gastritis signs and symptoms

Bad breath
Bitter mouth
Stomach ache
Weight loss
Dysphagia
Dyspepsia
Hemorrhage (symptom of hemorrhagic gastritis)
Fever (rare)
Tarry stools
Flatulence
Lack of appetite
Meteorism (swollen belly)
Nausea
Feeling of abdominal fullness after eating
He retched

Achloridia / hypochlorhydria (typical of atrophic gastritis)
Hypergastrinemia, deficiency or lack of secretion of pepsinogen and intrinsic factor (typical of atrophic gastritis)
Increased risk of stomach cancer
Formation of peptic ulcers
Bad breath, heartburn, anorexia, bloating, nausea, vomiting, blood in stool and vomit

Complications

All the variants of gastritis require therapy, which can be simply behavioral, therefore based on the correction of incorrect eating habits or life, or pharmacological. In case of lack of therapy, in fact, the symptoms of gastritis can worsen, weighing heavily on the patient's health. Among the most frequent complications associated with gastritis, we remember:

Gastric ulcers
Stomach bleeding
Perforations of the stomach
Pernicious anemia, possible complication of atrophic gastritis
Hyperhomocysteinemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency, a possible complication of atrophic gastritis
Increased risk of gastric cancer, complication from autoimmune atrophic gastritis or gastritis H. pylori- untreated employee
Hypovolemic shock and death (extremely rare complications resulting from untreated hemorrhagic gastritis)

A correlation was also highlighted between autoimmune atrophic gastritis and other serious diseases, such as: Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thyrotoxicosis, myxedema, Addison's disease and type I diabetes.

Considerations

Gastritis is therefore a multiform and variegated disorder, the symptoms of which can appear mildly or more violently. However, it should be noted that the typical symptoms of gastritis are not always an indicator of a disease in progress. Often times, in fact, an abundant and hyperlipidic meal, especially when consumed voraciously, causes heartburn, a feeling of gastric fullness and nausea. In such circumstances, the presumed gastritis is quickly resolved by a dietary correction. Even natural remedies for gastritis are sometimes sufficient to relieve its characteristic symptoms.
If heartburn, nausea and dyspepsia continue to torment the patient, it is recommended to consult a doctor or specialist to undertake a specific therapy for gastritis as soon as possible (for further information: read the article on drugs for the cure of gastritis).