What is gastritis ?

Gastritis is a swelling, irritation, or erosion of the lining of the stomach. It can occur suddenly or gradually. Acute gastritis involves sudden, severe inflammation. Chronic gastritis include long-term inflammation that can last for years if it’s left untreated. Erosive gastritis is a less ordinary form of the condition. It generally doesn’t cause much inflammation, but can lead to bleeding and ulcers in the lining of the stomach. Regular use of recognized pain relievers and drinking too much alcohol also can contribute to gastritis. Stress or trauma can also cause gastritis. A type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori is the most common bacterial cause of gastritis. Medications and dietary changes can reduce stomach acid and simplify gastritis symptoms.

What causes gastritis ?

Gastritis could be caused by irritation due to unbounded alcohol use, chronic vomiting, stress, or the use of trusted medications such as aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs.
It can also be caused by any of the following :-

• Helicobacter pylori:- A bacteria that lives in the clammy lining of the stomach, without treatment, the infection can lead to ulcers, and in some people, stomach cancer.
• Bile reflux:- A backflow of bile into the stomach from the bile area.
• Infections caused by bacteria and viruses

If gastritis is left unprocessed, it can lead to a severe loss of blood and may increase the risk of developing stomach cancer.

What are the symptoms of gastritis ?

Symptoms of gastritis differ among individuals, and in many people there are no symptoms. However, the most common symptoms include :-

• Recurrent or nausea upset stomach
• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Indigestion
• Gnawing or burning feeling in the stomach between meals or at night
• Hiccups
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting blood or coffee ground-like material
• Black, tarry stools

What are the Risk Factors of Gastritis ?

Factors that increase your risk of gastritis include :-

• Bacterial infection. Although infection with Helicobacter pylori is among the most common worldwide human infections, only few people with the infection generate gastritis or other upper gastrointestinal disorders. Homeopathy believes vulnerability to the bacterium could be inherited or could be caused by lifestyle choices, such as smoking and diet.
• Regular use of pain relievers. Common pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen can cause both acute gastritis and chronic gastritis. Using these pain relievers regularly or taking so much of these drugs may reduce a key material that helps preserve the protective lining of your stomach.
• Older age. Older adults have an increased risk of gastritis because the stomach lining swings too thin with age and because older adults are more likely to have autoimmune disorders or H. pylori infection than younger people are.
• Excessive alcohol use. Alcohol can irritate and destroy your stomach lining, which makes your stomach more vulnerable to digestive juices. Uncontrolled alcohol use is more likely to cause acute gastritis.
• Stress. Serious stress due to major surgery, injury, burns or severe infections can cause acute gastritis.
• Your own body attacking cells in your stomach. Called autoimmune gastritis, this type of gastritis happens when your body attacks the cells that make up your stomach lining. This reaction can wear away at your stomach’s protective roadblock. Autoimmune gastritis is more familiar in people with other autoimmune disorders, including Hashimoto’s disease and type 1 diabetes. Autoimmune gastritis can also be related with vitamin B-12 deficiency.
• Other diseases and conditions. Gastritis may be similar with other medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease and parasitic infections.

Complications :-

Left untreated, gastritis may lead to stomach boil and stomach bleeding. Rarely, some forms of chronic gastritis may increase your risk of stomach cancer, especially if you have large thinning of the stomach lining and changes in the lining’s cells.

Home Treatment For Gastritis ?

• Follow an anti – inflammatory diet
• Take a garlic extract supplement
• Try probiotics
• Drink green tea with manuka honey
• Use essential oils
• Eat lighter meals
• Avoid smoking and overuse of painkillers
• Reduce stress

Homeopathic Medicine For Gastritis

Some of the commonly prescribed homeopathic medicines for gastritis are Antimonium crudum, Argentum nitricum, Arsenicum alb, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla nigricans, Ipecac etc.Antimonium crudum :- People likely to respond to this remedy who have Indigestion from overeating, from intake of fatty food. Constant belching tongue milky white. Eructation of wind and fluid tasting of food taken after nursing the child vomits its milk in curds and refuses to nurse afterwards and is very cross. Argentum Nitricum :- Chronic duodenal boil with gnawing gathering pain boiling of stomach with radiating pain. Heartburn and flatulence coming away easily. Heart’s action disturbed by the stomach disorder. Arsenicum Alb :- This remedy is used when people have complaints from bad meat, water, vegetables, melons and watery fruits with an unquenchable thirst. Also in burning sensation in the stomach and abdomen with restlessness, red tongue and loose bowel. Nux Vomica :- This remedy is used when people have complaints from Dyspepsia from undigested food. Also in dyspepsia of drunkards, Tongue brown at the back, Hiccough from overeating, Weight and pain in stomach about half an hour after meals, Sour taste and nausea in the morning after eating. Pain radiating to various directions from the epigastrium with spasmodic vomiting, Constipation with frequent ineffectual urging. Pulsatilla Nigricans :- This remedy is used when people have complaints arising from fried and fatty food, Thickly coated moist white tongue, Dryness of the mouth, Putrid taste in the morning on walking and a sensation as if food had lodged under the sternum, Nausea with little vomiting, Heartburn, absence of much pain, Feeling of distension, Clothes have to be loosened, No thirst, only a desire to moisten the mouth and Bowels loose or regular. Ipecac :- This remedy is useful when people have Nausea prominent in any form of indigestion. Indigestion from fatty foods. Sharp pain in stomach going from left to right. The patient vomits all the water he drinks fermented stools, foaming like yeast with mucus.