Gastritis is when your stomach lining becomes inflamed. Many people with gastritis don’t have symptoms. Among those who do, symptoms can include nausea , vomiting, bloating , indigestion, or heartburn . This common condition can be acute (meaning it has a sudden onset) or chronic (meaning it develops gradually). In either case, there are many treatment options for gastritis, such as medication and lifestyle changes, that may alleviate symptoms.
Types of Gastritis Types Gastritis is classified according to how long you’ve had symptoms and what the underlying cause is. Acute vs. Chronic Gastritis Gastritis can be a temporary illness resulting from an acute cause, like an infection. Other times, gastritis is a chronic condition that develops slowly, with symptoms that may be unnoticeable or inconsistent but lead to more serious problems over time.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c4edbe4f-c109-4f43-9f8d-72b3720ffeb2 Acute gastritis is a sudden and temporary condition characterized by inflammation and irritation, which may include shallow breaks in the stomach lining.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b359baa4-bcac-4982-9b1f-2dc62c81df77 It often leads to a noticeable upset stomach or bowel problems, but these symptoms often get better on their own in a few days.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762980e8cad2-794f-4b48-9b17-54d543e6a145 Chronic gastritis is a persistent, long-term inflammatory condition that deteriorates the stomach lining over time. Left untreated, certain types of inflammation may result in gastric adenocarcinoma, a type of stomach cancer .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762954cf1f77-0a86-4940-a356-84699e41243b It can be caused by a number of factors, including frequent and long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) , Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, extreme stress, smoking, and autoimmune diseases .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ef69f9d7-aeb6-47c8-94c9-e70741961fd7 Erosive vs. Nonerosive Gastritis Gastritis can also be erosive or nonerosive:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629eff578f0-b52c-4f87-a04d-ffa61e2e4ecae60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296f310afd-5143-4fb4-a1ef-a88f31189bfc Erosive gastritis: When the illness wears away at your stomach lining, leaving ulcers Nonerosive gastritis: When the illness doesn’t eat away at your stomach lining, but instead causes irritation, such as reddening. It may also lead to atrophy (thinning) of the stomach lining, which can cause digestive problems. Other Ways to Classify Gastritis Sometimes you may hear gastritis categorized based on cause. Infectious gastritis: A type of gastritis induced by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungie60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299f31b9ad-a352-4de3-aa0e-ae1f83260c19 Reactive or chemical gastritis: A form of gastritis triggered by drugs (typically NSAIDs), alcohol, or bile reflux (when bile from the small intestine flows backward into the stomach or esophagus rather than flowing as usual into the small intestine)e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629be0ce870-1d61-4ef1-ad44-4205333331b1 Autoimmune gastritis: A type of gastritis caused by an autoimmune disorder and the resulting dysfunction of gastric acid secretione60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762944f285f1-ba37-4d92-b625-c127c92c2ff1 Eosinophilic gastritis: A rare, chronic disease caused by an overproduction of white blood cells called eosinophils, which can lead to inflammation and damage in the stomach. Eosinophilic gastritis is often associated with allergies.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290e918100-725d-465f-bd96-5f159c26529b
Signs and Symptoms of Gastritis Symptoms Many people don’t experience symptoms of gastritis, or they notice a gradual onset of symptoms. Other people notice more sudden changes to their stomach, as is the case with acute gastritis. The most common symptoms of gastritis are:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cca3e7f4-5188-4c3b-a24c-0612f24d320ae60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629caa94624-8535-4e36-81b6-1370fcd2b3b9e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290dc4dae3-7880-4b49-81b6-5b889438b035e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629785d2f07-0958-4919-8866-1d5d788ee68f A loss of appetite or feeling full quickly when eating Nausea and vomiting Indigestion, which can feel like a burning sensation in the belly that heightens after eating Bloating and abdominal pain Hiccups and belching Dark blood in your vomit or black, tarry stools, which can indicate the stomach lining is bleeding Unexplained weight loss Anemia
Causes and Risk Factors of Gastritis Causes Gastritis can be caused by several factors, including: Bacterial and Viral Infections Infection caused by the bacteria H. pylori is overwhelmingly the most common cause of chronic gastritis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629421f60a1-139e-4d9b-afd5-ea800716c051 Other bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungus can cause gastritis, too.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629519fbc34-b0e4-4e1a-9c25-28dbebb2dd6a Long-Term Use of NSAIDs NSAID pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen sodium can damage the stomach lining and lead to gastritis if taken often for an extended period of time.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295a0b1c3e-0a2f-42eb-98b6-7dec8570169f Extreme Stress Stress due to bodily trauma, severe illness, major surgery, or untreated chronic depression can lead to gastritis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762991624a11-c910-4ac3-a1e1-90e35a38fae3 Alcohol and Cigarettes Drinking too much alcohol and smoking both can irritate the stomach lining.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295e6e4ab3-de0d-4796-870e-98c7cf3da1ee Drug Use Recreational drugs, such as cocaine, can also cause gastritis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b7091505-4d71-48b6-a478-1db1d807fdd3 Chemotherapy and Radiation Gastritis is a potential side effect of cancer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation therapy.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b52d8bdb-8942-4b24-b624-9388cbb2fc19 Acidic Beverages Drinking too much coffee or other acidic beverages can irritate the stomach lining.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d27323f8-8342-49c0-b18e-7fe42135ad2f Autoimmune Disease Certain autoimmune conditions, such as celiac disease and Crohn’s disease , cause inflammation in the digestive tract.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292f1be44c-279a-4278-993f-1707b23a238b Food Allergies An abnormal immune response to certain foods can cause a rare type of gastritis known as eosinophilic gastritis. As mentioned, people with this condition experience a buildup of eosinophils, which can lead to inflammation and damage in the stomach.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d3a260e9-a1d4-41d2-9a34-9ea83c659cdb Older Age Older adults are at an increased risk of gastritis because the stomach lining often gets thinner with age. In addition, common causes of gastritis, such as H. pylori infection and autoimmune disorders, are usually more severe in older adults than in younger adults.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b39ddda7-0657-4c91-85be-83b3f9801108 Bile Reflux This occurs when bile, a bodily fluid that helps break down food in the small intestine, comes back up into the esophagus and stomach, damaging the stomach lining.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cf8c76ea-e128-4f40-971b-ce2fa50e8135 Bile reflux is a common side effect in people who have just had weight loss surgery or other types of surgery that remove part of the stomach.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d62409d7-e459-4587-b192-033b461465cc
How Is Gastritis Diagnosed? Diagnosis A healthcare provider may suspect you have gastritis after talking to you about your symptoms, diet, lifestyle, and health history. But because a diagnosis of gastritis is only confirmed with testing, your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following procedures to confirm the diagnosis and determine the root cause.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629171d4826-1bbd-40f4-909c-8e6e35118c62 Upper endoscopy exam: An endoscopy is a procedure in which a long, thin tube with a tiny camera is passed down the GI tract from the throat and into the esophagus to examine the stomach and small intestine. Using the endoscope, your doctor will look for signs of inflammation and conduct a biopsy (removing a small tissue sample from your stomach) to test it for specific bacteria and viruses.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297c6ab60a-4854-440a-a962-f51a56fd9c92 Breath or stool tests: Breath or stool tests can detect H. pylori . During a breath test, individuals drink a glass of clear, tasteless liquid that contains radioactive carbon, which is broken down by H. pylori bacteria. They then blow into a bag, which is sealed afterward. Those with an H. pylori infection will have radioactive carbon present in the bag.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d9da2c0a-4938-45ac-a0c6-658b5782c45e Your medical team may also collect a stool sample to test for bacteria that can cause gastritis. These tests can also check for blood in your stool, another potential indicator of gastritis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629abb4a2f0-0ece-4671-bd9b-50d23c3c4845 Blood tests: Although blood tests can’t actually diagnose gastritis, they can identify potential indicators of gastritis, such as a vitamin B12 deficiency.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f7e38ac5-b933-4d55-af44-ed0a30abce67
Treatment and Medication Options for Gastritis Treatment The best treatment options will depend on the root cause of your gastritis and may include one or a combination of the options below: Medication for Gastritis Medication options for gastritis include: Antibiotics If you have H. pylori infection in your digestive tract, your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics, usually taken for 7 to 14 days.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290d7cac4a-34e0-4e8c-8101-04ebd52fabf1 Proton Pump Inhibitors These medications reduce stomach acid production. They can be bought over-the-counter or with a prescription.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f6806f98-f197-4ec8-ac51-deedea8699c1 They include esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole (Protonix), and rabeprazole (AcipHex).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a9384c41-632d-4b51-a6b1-16c838b2ff7d H2 Blockers H2 blockers decrease how much stomach acid is secreted by glands in your stomach lining. They include famotidine (Pepcid AC, Zantac 360), cimetidine (Tagamet), or nizatidine (Acid AR).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629675f3a1a-7d9e-43c6-9d83-74b6ce75bcae Antacids These over-the-counter medications neutralize stomach acid, decreasing symptoms like heartburn and indigestion quickly, but they don’t treat ulcers. They include aluminum hydroxide (Amphojel), magnesium hydroxide (Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia), calcium carbonate (Rolaids, Titralac, Tums), sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer), and aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide (Maalox, Mylanta). Antacids can lead to more side effects like constipation or diarrhea compared to PPIs and acid blockers.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629dfe702b0-b3a2-404e-8a53-cd5c185a5b6ee60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299907fc1e-92eb-4030-a054-c346e1a92635
Prevention of Gastritis Prevention You may be able to reduce your risk of gastritis in the following ways.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d10fe3d6-3edb-4993-96e5-4c20683e754ee60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762963cfb14b-0be2-4f0e-ac5a-4648aece055f Practice good hygiene. As mentioned, H. pylori infection is the most common cause of chronic gastritis. It can be prevented with good hygiene habits, including handwashing. Limit or avoid foods and beverages that irritate the stomach lining. Too much alcohol, caffeine, or spicy and acidic foods can cause stomach discomfort, and wear down your stomach lining when consumed in excess. Decrease use of NSAIDs. Be mindful of how often you use pain medications including aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Try not to use them long-term.
Lifestyle Changes for Gastritis Lifestyle Changes Certain lifestyle changes can make a big difference if you have gastritis. They include: Make dietary changes. If you don’t have symptoms, you may not have to change your diet. But if you do, pay attention to what you eat and how you feel afterward, as certain foods can be a trigger for gastritis symptoms. In general, try to avoid alcohol, coffee, carbonated drinks, acidic or spicy foods, ultra-processed or deep-fried foods and foods that are high in fat. If the root cause of your gastritis is celiac disease or food allergies, your doctor may refer you to a dietitian to create a nutrition plan for you.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762984b09062-a55e-4f96-85a7-39bad72b6772e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290cc087ff-72b0-48c9-9395-93c7f9748940 Reduce NSAID use. If long-term use of NSAIDs triggered your gastritis, your doctor may suggest you stop taking NSAIDs, take a lower dose, find a replacement medication for pain, or try taking it alongside a PPI.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294add26c2-31bc-453b-b80a-b920fe0309e7 Quit smoking. Smoking cigarettes can irritate the stomach lining. Quitting can relieve symptoms of gastritis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bf8b59c3-7453-4235-9221-a366a7ad8529 Consider vitamin supplementation. If you have gastritis caused by an autoimmune condition, your doctor may recommend certain vitamin supplements to prevent anemia. Talk to your doctor about what kinds and how much you should take.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bb0405e5-effa-4fb2-bbc7-3b0d57a4394e Consider acupuncture. Some research suggests that acupuncture may lessen inflammation, protect the stomach lining, and improve quality of life among people with chronic gastritis. Research in this area has been limited, though, and more studies are needed to confirm these findings.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cbcbd93b-a544-4a6c-8a03-2496f476ec19
How Long Does Gastritis Last? Prognosis and Outlook Some acute cases of gastritis can be cured within weeks with the help of treatment, such as a course of antibiotics for H. pylori infection.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295330eb10-d1b1-44b4-9fa6-0fb0c0d3274b For some people, such as those diagnosed with autoimmune diseases, recovery may include a longer-term plan to address nutritional deficiencies and prevent cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ea7f3b51-7dae-4d00-a504-43c8735ba100
Complications of Gastritis Complications Untreated gastritis can worsen digestive health and may lead to issues such as: Peptic ulcer disease: Painful sores (ulcers) can form along the stomach lining and small intestine, exacerbating gastritis symptoms. These ulcers can be caused by H. pylori infection or overuse of NSAID medications.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e0a3b6ee-235d-44ed-b669-a84c54b4c099 Gastric polyps: These small masses of cells can form along the stomach lining. Most times they’re harmless, but in rare cases they can develop into cancer. In rare instances, polyps can block the opening between the stomach and small intestine.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c731adf6-ee5a-405d-b170-6aea5bcd4cd3 Stomach bleeding: Ulcers can bleed, causing low red blood cell counts or anemia. When ulcers break through the stomach lining, stomach contents leak into the abdominal cavity, causing an infection called peritonitis, which is a surgical emergency.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297f7a6957-65ab-43c4-bf81-feb57a813ca1 Anemia: Autoimmune gastritis can also cause malabsorption of vitamin B12, which can lead to pernicious anemia.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762923aae86b-cbf9-471f-abda-643a84ee9c0e Stomach cancer: Certain types of gastritis can increase the risk of developing tumors — benign or cancerous — in the stomach lining. Gastritis caused by H. pylori infection, for example, increases the risk of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma , a type of cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294eeccdee-7ff4-48c5-8561-023ac0616cdd Researchers suggest that the bacteria converts substances in some foods into chemicals that cause DNA mutations in the stomach lining.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297c7c0859-19e3-4d45-9fc6-2ec18fe52c3a
Research and Statistics: How Many People Have Gastritis? Research and Statistics Researchers estimate that about 25 percent of people worldwide have chronic atrophic gastritis. While infectious gastritis caused by bacteria such as H. pylori is on the decline in the Western world, instances of autoimmune gastritis are on the rise.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bd38f41d-14be-47db-8fa5-4c5e5d7a31de In the United States, as much as 15 percent of the population is affected by chronic gastritis, with higher rates in nonwhite racial and ethnic groups and communities of first-generation immigrants from countries with increased prevalence of H. pylori infection.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bf073a8b-69c7-47ae-b078-3f9e1361630b H. pylori infection is more prevalent among African Americans, Hispanic and Latinx people, American Indians, and Alaska Natives than non-Hispanic white people. Older people are more commonly infected than younger people.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bd500e21-9920-4cb3-bc5b-1c6ebdb17861 Autoimmune gastritis is more prevalent in women and older adults, with rates ranging from 2 to 5 percent.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762957f23596-5d63-4947-956d-dddceb4c455b In the United States people with other autoimmune disorders, such as type 1 diabetes , Addison’s disease , and thyroid diseases like Hashimoto’s are more likely to develop autoimmune gastritis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293e1b2548-7262-4d82-bc80-c40e16be1a05
The Takeaway Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining that can be temporary (acute) or chronic. H. pylori infection and frequent, long-term NSAID use are the most common causes of gastritis. There are many treatment options for gastritis, including medication and lifestyle changes.
Resources We Trust Mayo Clinic: Gastritis OverviewCleveland Clinic: GastritisJohns Hopkins Medicine: GastritisBMJ Best Practice: GastritisMount Sinai: Gastritis
