Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach lining that is usually caused by the bacteria called Helicobacter Pylori. This bacteria causes damage and inflames your stomach lining. Gastritis is a dangerous problem that can create a significant impact on an individual's daily life. Since the stomach lining gets thin with age, people over the age of 60 are more likely to develop gastritis.
Gastritis can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) depending on the causes and severity of the condition. Below are 7 most prevalent symptoms of gastritis that you should know about.
Gastritis causes inflammation and irritation of the intestinal lining. This can lead to pain that ranges from mild to severe. People with gastritis usually feel pain under the pit of the stomach (under the lower ribs). Often discomfort appears in the region of the left lower ribs. The pain usually occurs after a meal. Pain may appear or aggravate by eating certain foods like salty, sour, spicy, or very hot foods.
If the pain is intense, sharp, and burning, this can indicate an advanced form of gastritis. If the pain is dull, aching, and occurs rarely, it can be a symptom of chronic inflammation (chronic gastritis). If you have these symptoms, make sure to visit a gastroenterologist as soon as possible.
Another typical symptom of gastritis is an unpleasant taste in the mouth, which can be metallic or sour. It is felt mainly in the morning or throughout the day and can be accompanied by belching. It occurs when excess amounts of gastric juice with hydrochloric acid accumulate in the stomach.
Belly discomfort is the most common symptom of gastritis that affects over 90 percent of patients. You may have a feeling of pressure, heaviness, fullness, or severe fullness in the stomach, even if you ate a small portion. You may also experience nausea or bouts of nausea, accompanied by an unpleasant sensation in the upper abdomen and epigastric area.
Sensations appear or sharply increase during a meal or after a meal, pass after a couple of hours, as the food leaves the stomach, passing into the intestines.
Gasses and bloating are common symptoms of gastritis. You may have a sensation of seething in the abdomen with characteristic sounds, an increase in the waist, and unpleasant sensations in your abdominal cavity. After the passing of gasses, the discomfort relieves but over time flatulence may become more frequent and prolonged.
People often lose weight on the background of gastritis. But this happens gradually, over several months or even years. This happens because gastritis affects the person's appetite. Your appetite will definitely decrease when your stomach hurts and doesn't digest food well. Other symptoms like discomfort after eating, nausea, and particular reactions to certain foods (especially sweets, and fatty) also affect a person’s appetite.
Halitosis is a term describing bad breath. It is especially strong in the morning, before brushing your teeth, but may persist throughout the day. Often a person suffering from gastritis doesn't feel an unpleasant odor, but others may feel the odor. In most cases, it is impossible to solve this problem with mint candies or chewing gum.
Heartburn is the best known and most common symptom of gastritis. Almost all of us experience heartburn at least once in our lives. This is an extremely unpleasant symptom, which is described as a burning, unpleasant sensation behind the sternum (along the esophagus), which spreads up to the throat. Often, heartburn can also be accompanied by acid reflux, when part of the contents of the stomach back into the esophagus and pharynx.
Heartburn is most often caused by certain foods. The most common triggers of heartburn include:
chocolate
coffee
black tea (strongly brewed)
alcohol
fatty food
tomato juice
Most often, heartburn can increase with sudden movements like forwarding bends, lying down after a heavy meal, wearing tight belts, and tight clothes.
