Superficial gastritis: what is it? Causes, Symptoms and Methods of Treatment

Inflammation of the gastric mucosa is an extremely common disease, to which people of different sexes and ages are equally exposed. So why there is a superficial gastritis, what is it and what symptoms are accompanied? What methods of treatment exist? These questions are of interest to many.

Superficial gastritis: what is it and why does it occur?

The superficial form of gastritis is inflammation and further dystrophic changes in the upper layer of the glandular epithelium of the stomach, while deeper tissues remain unaffected. This is the initial stage, which in the absence of treatment can progress and lead to the defeat of deep layers and even to the development of peptic ulcer. As for the reasons, they can be different:

• Most often, the development of superficial inflammation is associated with malnutrition. Irregular eating habits, eating "dry", consuming excess spices, salty, sharp and acidic foods, rough fiber - all this negatively affects the condition of the stomach.
• To risk factors can be attributed and bad habits. It has been proved that in smokers and people who abuse alcohol, gastritis is diagnosed much more often.
• Inflammation of the gastric mucosa is sometimes caused by the uncontrolled intake of certain medications.
• Hormonal disorders and diseases of the endocrine system (for example, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease) increase the risk of developing gastritis.
• Chronic foci of infection also contribute to the development of such a disease. This group includes carious teeth, chronic sinusitis, tonsillitis, etc.
• Sometimes the cause may be increased activity of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.

Superficial gastritis: what is it and what symptoms are accompanied?

The first stages of inflammation develop slowly due to the constant irritation of the mucous membrane. Therefore, in the initial stages, symptoms may be absent altogether, except for a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

But as the development progresses, diffuse superficial gastritis begins to cause characteristic signs. In particular, patients often complain of pain in the epigastric region or right hypochondrium, and they can be point-like. In addition, patients suffer from severe heartburn. It is worth noting that all these symptoms are exacerbated after eating, especially if a person used acute or acidic foods, alcohol.

Symptoms of the disease can also include periodic nausea. Often people complain of an unpleasant taste in their mouths. Superficial gastritis of the stomach is often accompanied by other digestive disorders: vomiting, diarrhea, eructations, etc.

In any case, if you have such symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor and go through all the tests necessary to confirm the diagnosis. The earlier to begin therapy, the less likely the development of complications.

Superficial gastritis: what is it and how to treat it?

Fortunately, at the initial stages of the development of the disease, no specific treatment is required. General restorative therapy and proper nutrition will help to stop the further development of gastritis.

Yes, patients are assigned mineral-vitamin complexes, immunomodulating drugs. It is also necessary to eliminate chronic foci of inflammation, if they exist, for example, to heal teeth, get rid of sinusitis, etc. If the cause of gastritis is a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be required, but this decision is made by the attending physician.

The most important is a gentle diet. Food should be divided - it is better to eat more often, but in small portions. In addition, it is necessary to exclude pickles, canned food, products with artificial colors and preservatives, food rich in fiber, spicy and spicy dishes from the diet. It is necessary to refrain from smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.