How to diagnose gastritis

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 28, 2024
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Gastritis is a common disease in clinical practice, generally divided into chronic gastritis and acute gastritis. Acute gastritis is most commonly characterized by abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The symptoms of chronic gastritis vary and mainly include discomfort in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite, and even early satiety. For the diagnosis of chronic and acute gastritis, the preferred examination is gastroscopy. Gastroscopy includes both conventional and painless procedures, both aimed at examining the condition of the gastric mucosa. However, for some elderly patients, particularly those with underlying conditions like coronary heart disease, the risk associated with gastroscopy is higher. Therefore, if conventional or painless gastroscopy is not suitable for the patient, abdominal CT and upper GI barium meal can be chosen instead. After completing the gastroscopy, if chronic gastritis or gastric ulcers are diagnosed, it is advisable to further conduct tests to screen for Helicobacter pylori.

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What to do about gastritis nausea?

For gastritis and nausea, it is appropriate to use antispasmodic, antiemetic, and stomach mucosa protective medications. If there is significant vomiting, it can cause loss of body fluids, and it is necessary to promptly replenish fluids. During treatment, attention should be paid to a light diet, mainly consisting of soft, easily digestible food. Try to avoid raw, cold, spicy, and irritating foods. Regular eating habits should be maintained, with meals scheduled and portioned timely, following the principle of eating small, frequent meals. Gastrointestinal diseases are greatly related to emotions; maintaining a good mood has a positive effect on the treatment of gastritis.

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Is gastritis serious?

Chronic gastritis includes three types: chronic non-atrophic gastritis, chronic atrophic gastritis, and special types of gastritis. The severity of chronic gastritis depends on the type of gastritis and the extent of the lesion. If the chronic gastritis is chronic non-atrophic gastritis, and the gastric mucosa only shows hyperemia or edema without erosion, then it is relatively mild. With treatment, it can be cured in a short time. If chronic gastritis presents with erosion, and the nature of the erosion includes moderate to severe intestinal metaplasia or atypical hyperplasia, or if there is atrophy of the intrinsic gastric glands, then the condition is relatively severe. Treatment is relatively complicated, and there is a certain risk of cancer transformation.

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What are the symptoms of gastritis?

Chronic gastritis, under gastroscopy, can usually be divided into two main categories: chronic non-atrophic gastritis, also known as superficial gastritis, and chronic atrophic gastritis. The primary cause is related to Helicobacter pylori infection, although there are other related factors, such as exposure to cold, poor dietary habits, medication factors, and more. As for the symptoms of gastritis, there is individual variation. It can manifest as either excessive gastric acid or poor gastric motility. Excessive gastric acid can present as upper abdominal pain, heartburn, and acid reflux burn, among others. Poor gastric motility may lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, bloating in the upper abdomen, and poor appetite.

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What should you eat more of if you have gastritis?

Patients with gastritis should primarily consume a light and easily digestible diet. Firstly, porridge can be eaten, including millet porridge, Chinese yam porridge, coix seed porridge, and eel porridge. Secondly, soups such as chicken soup, pork rib soup, duck soup, and fish soup can be consumed. During the preparation of these soups, ingredients like Codonopsis, Astragalus, Poria, and coix seeds can be added, which are effective in strengthening the spleen, facilitating dampness removal, and nourishing the stomach, making them beneficial dietary therapy methods. Thirdly, well-cooked noodles can be eaten, as they also have a certain stomach-nourishing effect. Fourth, if consuming meat, it must be thoroughly stewed until soft before eating. This makes it less likely to burden the digestive tract and easier to digest, making it more suitable for patients with chronic gastritis.

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Does gastritis infect people?

Regarding whether gastritis can be contagious, it requires specific analysis of the circumstances. If the gastritis is caused by an infection of Helicobacter pylori, then it can be transmitted to others through shared meals or fecal-oral transmission. Under such circumstances, if others do not maintain clean eating habits or overeat, they are at a higher risk of developing chronic gastritis. If the occurrence of gastritis is not due to an infection from Helicobacter pylori, then it will not be contagious to others. Patients with gastritis should be cautious with their diet, avoiding spicy and irritating foods, and should not overeat. It’s important to eat regularly and in moderate amounts, and maintain a bland diet.