Gastritis Overview
Learn About Gastritis
Gastritis occurs when the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed or swollen.
Gastritis may last for only a short time (acute gastritis) or it may linger for months to years (chronic gastritis).
The most common causes of gastritis are:
- Certain medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen and other similar drugs
- Heavy alcohol drinking
- Infection of the stomach with a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori
Less common causes are:
- Autoimmune disorders (such as pernicious anemia)
- Backflow of bile into the stomach (bile reflux)
- Cocaine use
- Eating or drinking caustic or corrosive substances (such as poisons)
- Extreme stress
- Viral infection, such as cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus (more often occurs in people with a weak immune system)
Trauma or a severe, sudden illness such as major surgery, kidney failure, or being placed on a breathing machine may cause gastritis.
Many people with gastritis do not have any symptoms.
Symptoms you may notice are:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pain in the upper part of the belly or abdomen
If gastritis is causing bleeding from the lining of the stomach, symptoms may include:
- Black stools
- Vomiting blood or coffee-ground-like material
Treatment depends on what is causing the problem. Some of the causes will go away over time.
You may need to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other medicines that may be causing gastritis. Always talk to your health care provider before stopping any medicine.
You may use other over-the-counter and prescription drugs that decrease the amount of acid in the stomach, such as:
- Antacids
- H2 antagonists: famotidine (Pepcid), cimetidine (Tagamet), and nizatidine (Axid)
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), Iansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (AcipHex), and pantoprazole (Protonix)
Antibiotics may be used to treat gastritis caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
Guthrie Medical Group PC
Ukorn Srivatana is a Gastroenterologist in Horseheads, New York. Dr. Srivatana and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastritis. His top areas of expertise are Gastritis, Barrett Esophagus, Choledocholithiasis, Gastrectomy, and Endoscopy.
Robert Pavelock is a Gastroenterologist in Utica, New York. Dr. Pavelock and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastritis. His top areas of expertise are Barrett Esophagus, Benign Esophageal Stricture, Lower Esophageal Ring, Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy.
Geisinger Clinic
John Boger is a Gastroenterologist in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. Dr. Boger and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastritis. His top areas of expertise are Encopresis, Bowel Incontinence, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Gastrectomy, and Endoscopy.
The outlook depends on the cause, but is often very good.
Blood loss and increased risk for gastric cancer can occur.
Contact your provider if you develop:
- Pain in the upper part of the belly or abdomen that does not go away
- Black or tarry stools
- Vomiting blood or coffee-ground-like material
Avoid long-term use of substances that can irritate your stomach such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, or alcohol.
Summary: Gastric cancer afflicts 27,000 Americans annually and carries a dismal prognosis. One reason for poor outcomes is late diagnosis, as the majority of gastric cancers in the United States are diagnosed at a relatively advanced stage where curative resection is unlikely. Gastric precursors (such as atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia) are precancerous changes to the stomach mucosa which incr...
Summary: The study is researching an experimental drug called dupilumab. The study is focused on participants with active eosinophilic gastritis (EoG) with or without eosinophilic duodenitis (EoD). Participants with EoD only are not eligible for enrollment. EoG and EoD are uncommon, persistent, allergic/immune diseases in which eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) gather in large numbers in the stomach...
Published Date: January 30, 2023
Published By: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Feldman M, Jensen PJ, Howden CW. Gastritis and gastropathy. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 52.
Kuipers EJ. Acid peptic disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 130.