Atrophic gastritis is a fairly common disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastritis, unfortunately, is diagnosed in many patients, and as practice has shown, in half the cases there is an atrophic form of the disease. Symptoms and treatment of different types of atrophic gastritis are similar, but there are some differences.
The main signs of atrophic gastritis
Atrophic gastritis is a disease that is characterized by damage to the gastric mucosa. Depending on the form of the disease, inflammation can spread throughout the surface of the stomach or can be concentrated in certain places. Experts have not yet succeeded in determining the reliable causes of gastritis. It is likely that the disease develops because of the following factors:
- unfavorable (aggressive) working conditions;
- malnutrition;
- strong drugs;
- malicious viruses and bacteria.
With atrophic gastritis with increased or decreased acidity, the gastric mucosa is constantly in an inflamed condition and is irritated. Struck gastritis stomach, in contrast to a healthy organ, restored after regular aggressive effects of gastric juice, as well as heavy and irregular food can not. Because of this, the mucous membrane becomes thinner with time, and the glands that produce gastric juice gradually become atrophic.
The main symptoms of atrophic gastritis include the following manifestations:
- One of the most common signs is epigastric or, more simply, the heaviness in the stomach that appears after eating.
- After eating people with atrophic gastritis necessarily eructate (sometimes with sour taste). Some patients suffer frequent heartburn.
- Chronic atrophic gastritis is characterized by such a symptom as a sharp weight loss .
- The disease in almost all cases manifests itself as a violation in the work of the intestine. Patients complain of frequent swelling, irregular stools, excessive gas formation, and permanent discomfort in the abdomen.
- In the late stages of atrophic gastritis can make itself felt by dermatological diseases, dry skin, impaired immunity, weakness, malaise, loss of efficiency.
- The main symptom that appears with atrophic hyperplastic gastritis is painful sensation. Hungry and nocturnal pains are familiar to everyone suffering from gastritis with high acidity.
- With gastritis with low acidity, patients often develop liver and bile duct disease. Sometimes the disease is accompanied by anemia.
- A distinctive symptom of focal atrophic gastritis is intolerance to fermented milk products.
Methods of treatment of atrophic gastritis
Knowing the symptoms of atrophic gastritis will help in a timely manner to start treatment of the disease. The treatment course should be selected by a specialist on an individual basis. Regardless of the stage and forms of the disease, the patient must follow a diet that excludes heavy food from the diet. There is through strength is not necessary - the inflamed stomach is saturated much more quickly, and it is absolutely necessary to make a discount.
Strong drugs are prescribed only during periods of exacerbation. In general, the treatment includes the use of antacids - special drugs that normalize acidity with atrophic gastritis. The most popular antacids are:
- Almagel;
- Gaviscon;
- Rutatsid;
- Altacid;
- Maalox;
- Phosphalugel ;
- Gasterin and others.