Gastritis
Gastritis is a general term for inflammation of the inner lining of the stomach. Although this problem may occur for several reasons. The cause of gastritis is generally a result of infection by a certain bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. Of course, there are other causes as well. Gastritis can occur very suddenly, which is known as acute gastritis. It also can occur over time, which is called chronic and progressive gastritis. In some cases, it may lead to ulcers and increase the risk of stomach cancer. However, for most people, this condition is not very serious and will improve quickly with follow-up treatment.

What factors lead to gastritis?

Gastritis has several causes. Some of the bad habits that cause inflammation of the stomach lining include:

Drinking too much alcohol
Eating spicy food
Smoking
A lot of stress and anxiety
Long – term use of aspirin, pain – killers, and fever reducers (non – steroidal anti – inflammatory drugs (NSAID).

Problems that affect gastritis include:

Bacterial and viral infections
Serious surgeries
Physical injuries and burns
Some diseases can also cause gastritis, such as:

Auto – immune disorders: when the immune system inadvertently attacks healthy body cells.
Chronic bile reflux: when bile, the liquid involved in food digestion, returns to the stomach and then to the esophagus.
Pernicious anemia: when the stomach is unable to digest vitamin B12.

What are the symptoms of gastritis?

Gastritis symptoms vary from person to person. But the most common symptoms include:

Stomach discomfort or pain
Burping and hiccups
Rectal bleeding
A feeling of fullness or burning in the stomach
loss of appetite
The presence of blood in vomit or stool (a sign of bleeding in the lining of the stomach)
The symptoms of this problem are very similar to other disorders. Of course in these cases, the doctor must examine all the conditions carefully.

Diagnostic methods

The doctor first performs a physical examination and asks questions about the person’s medical history. He will then recommend these tests:

Barium test: This test is actually a type of X-ray of the upper parts of the digestive system, including the esophagus, stomach, and the beginning of the small intestine. First, the patient eats a liquid called barium so that it is possible to take images of the internal organs.
EGD upper endoscopy: In this method, the internal parts of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine will be visible. A flexible tube equipped with a small camera is inserted through the throat and upon entering the esophagus, stomach, and the beginning of the small intestine. It provides the doctor with images of its internal space. The endoscope tube is also capable of sampling tissues.
Blood test: In order to detect H pylori, the type of bacteria in the stomach, the patient must take a blood test.
If the number of red blood cells is not enough, the person is suffering from anemia.
Stool test: In this test, the presence of bacteria that cause gastritis is detected. For this purpose, a small piece of stool is taken to the laboratory.
Another sample will be taken to detect the presence of blood in the stool. In fact, the presence of blood in the stool is a sign of bleeding in the inner layers of the stomach.
Breath test: This test is done to detect the presence of stomach bacteria in the breath.

How to treat gastritis?

Based on these factors, your doctor will provide the suitable treatment method:

Age, general health status, and history of other diseases
Severity of symptoms
How to manage the use of drugs and treatment methods by the patient
Is the disease worsening or not?
What type of treatment does the patient communicate better with?
In most cases, the doctor prescribes the use of antacid drugs to reduce the secretion of stomach acid. This helps to improve the inflammation of the stomach lining.

In addition, where the cause of gastritis is H. pylori bacteria, the use of drugs that destroy this bacteria should be on the agenda. In this situation, the patient should take more than one type of antibiotic along with proton pump inhibitors (stomach acid reducers). Sometimes it is necessary to take anti – diarrheal medicine.

Avoid foods, drinks, or drugs that aggravate symptoms and cause stomach pain. If you smoke, it is better to quit.

Home Remedies

Potato juice and licorice extract are among the most useful home remedies for gastritis.
How to use
Mix the juice of one potato with half a teaspoon of licorice powder and drink it before breakfast. You should not eat anything else for twenty minutes after drinking it.
Thyme and fennel tea
Drinking a cup of thyme and fennel tea can help reduce the symptoms of gastritis. Drink this tea three days in the morning before breakfast and avoid eating and drinking anything else for twenty minutes after that.

Mint tea can also reduce the symptoms of this disease.

There are also some yoga poses that you can practice every morning to reduce digestive stress. Yoga strengthens the back and abdominal muscles and helps to expel gases.