Signs of gastritis can be acute or asymptomatic. There are 3 types of inflammation of the gastric mucosa: superficial, atrophic, erosive. A separate form is phlegmonous gastritis.
Signs of gastritis and stomach ulcers on initial stage are similar:
- Epigastric pain;
- The severity "in the spoon";
- Nausea.
Pain in the epigastric region occurs due to irritation of the pain receptors of the damaged part of the wall. The stomach is located to the left midline abdomen, but painful sensations with inflammation are localized under the ribs, where the small curvature is projected (a frequent location peptic ulcer).
The severity "under the spoon" is formed due to the overflow of the volume of the stomach with stagnant masses. The situation is observed with a narrowing of the exit section - the gatekeeper.
Nausea and vomiting are the main signs of gastric digestion problems. If proteins are not fully digested by pepsinogen (enzyme), the process of reverse evacuation of gastric contents is reflexively activated.
Nausea occurs when a stomach ulcer is at rest. The symptom is provoked by irritation of the receptors with increased acidity.
The main signs of gastritis
Superficial gastritis is characterized by the following manifestations:
- Increase in temperature;
- Feeling of heaviness;
- Recurrent bloating
- Bad taste in the mouth;
- Pain on an empty stomach.
The above signs inflammatory process observed at acute current diseases. In a chronic course, the first sign of the disease is white bloom in the language.
This manifestation with superficial gastritis is the only one. Only with a long course do additional signs appear.
In the acute form, the manifestations of the disease are observed several hours after the penetration of the stimulus. Food becomes a provoking agent. Repeated vomiting, the appearance of mucus with bile is a manifestation of an advanced stage of gastric inflammation.
The erosive form of the disease occurs in the presence of vascular defects. Violation of blood supply leads to difficulty in the release of pepsinogen, hydrochloric acid, mucus. A chronic course from damaged vessels leads to chronic anemia.
Signs of atrophic gastritis are observed in the elderly:
- The severity of the epigastrium;
- Bloating;
- Periodic nausea.
In most patients with this nosology clinical symptoms not observed for a long time. Atrophy of the epithelium poses a danger to cancerous cell transformation.
Phlegmonous inflammation of the stomach is characterized by purulent tissue fusion. With pathology, a primary focus of putrefactive infection is formed. Bacteria can gradually spread throughout the body, which causes sepsis of the blood (infection with microorganisms). This condition is formed with a decrease in immunity in the elderly against the background of secondary pathology (HIV, immunodeficiency).
Any disease can be pre-diagnosed by the first symptoms that appear. That is why this article will consider the signs of a stomach ulcer, as well as an ailment such as gastritis.
Terminology
Initially, you need to understand what these diseases are.
- Gastritis is an inflammatory process that affects the lining of the stomach. This leads to a violation of the functionality of this organ, food begins to be poorly digested, which affects the condition and well-being of the patient.
- A stomach ulcer is an even more serious condition. So, the integrity of this organ is destroyed from the inside. Gastric juice begins to slowly eat away at its walls, forming a painful wound, i.e. the ulcer itself.
A few words about the symptoms
Why is it sometimes customary to consider the signs of stomach ulcers and gastritis in combination? And all because the symptoms at the beginning of the onset of the disease are similar. It is thanks to this that confusion often occurs when self-diagnosis is made, and the patient is treated for the disease that he does not even have. Therefore, at the first symptoms, you need to seek help from specialists and doctors. After all, only they can make a competent diagnosis and prescribe the correct, adequate treatment.
Gastritis: the main symptomatology
Initially, you need to tell what symptoms can occur if a person has a disease such as gastritis. So, it is important to clarify that the cause of the problem is different external factors: infections, stress, unhealthy diet or illiterate adherence to various diets. Signs of illness:
- Nausea.
- Heartburn.
- Vomit.
- Pain in the epigastric region, which has a cramping character.
- Change in appetite.
- Stool changes.
- Frequent thirst.
- Belching.
However, it should be clarified that there is also gastritis with increased and low acidity... In the first case, the patient will experience sour belching, persistent vomiting, there will also be a feeling of fullness in the stomach, constipation and heartburn are possible. In this case, the pain will be localized in the epigastric region, and by its nature it will be pulling.
If, with gastritis, the patient's stomach acidity decreases, there may be following symptoms: Morning belching, nausea, loss of appetite, rumbling in the stomach and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
It is also important to clarify that all symptoms will appear approximately one and a half to two hours after eating.
The first signs of a stomach ulcer
What are the first signs of a stomach ulcer? It is very important to know about this, because thanks to this, you can diagnose the disease in its early stages. So what conditions indicate an incipient problem?
- Frequent nausea. It can occur regardless of food intake, sometimes occurs in the morning.
- The body can react to food with a gag reflex. In this case, vomiting will be very profuse.
- The patient will gradually lose appetite. After all, pain will be associated with the process of eating.
- Weight loss will also occur. And all because the patient will try to eat as little as possible so that pain does not appear.
However, it should be said that these symptoms are often signs of a malfunction of the thyroid gland. That is why, at the first doubts and suspicions of this problem it is necessary to seek doctor's help and undergo a specialized examination, which will help to accurately determine the diagnosis.
The main symptom of a stomach ulcer: pain
What are the signs of a stomach ulcer? So, first of all, the patient should pay attention precisely to the character pain.
- The pain is localized in the epigastric region. Atypical localization of pain sensations: lower back, thoracic region, the area under the left shoulder blade.
- Hungry pains. They occur at night or three to sometimes four hours after eating. They disappear within half an hour after the stomach is saturated with food.
- Late pain. They occur approximately 2 hours after eating. Begins when processed food leaves the stomach. Occur if a patient has a pyloric stomach ulcer.
- If the body of the stomach is affected, the patient is likely to experience early pain. So, they will appear in about half an hour - an hour after eating. For a couple of hours, the pain sensations will intensify, and then they will begin to subside.
Considering various signs stomach ulcers, it is worth noting that pains can combine. Those. if several parts of the stomach are affected by ulcers, then both early and late painful sensations can occur.
Other signs
What other signs of stomach ulcers are there? So, the following symptoms can tell about this disease:
- Sudden belching. It can occur as after eating, i.e. food intake, and regardless of it.
- Nausea.
- Heartburn.
- Feeling of heaviness in the abdomen.
It is also important to say that vomiting often brings relief of the patient's condition. That is why this process can be caused by patients themselves. As a result, there is also a loss of body weight - another important symptom for this problem.
Exacerbation of stomach ulcers
Be sure to also consider the signs of exacerbation of stomach ulcers. So, it is worth saying that no new symptoms will arise here. Those. all those signs of the disease, which are described above, will remain. But they will be more pronounced. The pain will be stronger, nausea - more active, vomiting - more often and profusely. In this case, hungry night pains or late painful sensations are often observed.
The consequences of stomach ulcers
Having considered the various signs of stomach ulcers and gastritis, it is worth saying that the disease should be diagnosed as early as possible. Indeed, only in this case will the treatment bring the desired results. If you do not start the process of getting rid of the problem in time, various complications may arise.
What are the signs perforated ulcer stomach? So, initially it must be said that the perforation itself, or perforation, is the destruction of all layers of the stomach at the site of the wound. As a result, everything that is in this organ, i.e. food that gets there begins to fall out into the abdominal cavity. As a result, there is very severe pain in the upper abdomen. It is also important to say that even turns of the body and deep breathing... So, this symptomatology does not go away even after taking medications. After a while, the pain already affects the entire surface of the abdomen, while the peritoneum becomes inflamed. The so-called peritonitis occurs. And this is already a very dangerous problem that can even threaten the patient's life. Immediate hospitalization and surgery will be required.
Other signs of stomach and intestinal ulcers, which indicate complications of this disease:
- Bleeding in the stomach.
- Penetration, i.e. the spread of the problem outside this body.
- Stenosis, i.e. narrowing of the lumen, which is located between the stomach and the duodenum. He is called the gatekeeper.
Cancer as a consequence of gastritis and stomach ulcers
Everyone should definitely know what signs of a stomach ulcer are dangerous and when to seek help. medical help... After all, these are the diseases that can eventually lead to stomach cancer. The early symptoms of this disease are absent, and the patient feels only a sign of an ulcer or gastritis. That is why it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible, to diagnose the disease. After all, this is the only way to avoid such a sad and undesirable development of events.
Asymptomatic gastric ulcer
Sometimes there are no signs of stomach and intestinal ulcers in the patient, but still there is a disease. The fact that the so-called blind or asymptomatic course of this disease is increasingly being diagnosed is evidenced by multiple reviews of doctors. However, it must be said here that this is more typical of older people, as well as patients who have diabetes or a cure for another disease occurs with the help of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Often people do not know about this disease either, in a large number drinking alcohol.
Getting rid of the problem
After looking at the various signs of a stomach ulcer, treating the problem is very important to talk about. So, therapy will go along three most important paths:
- Localization and elimination of existing symptoms.
- Healing of focal wounds, ulcers.
- Avoiding exacerbations.
Medicines that can be prescribed by a doctor:
- Destruction in the stomach of a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori carried out with the help of a drug such as "De-nol". The course of treatment is approximately 2-4 weeks.
- Neutralizing action gastric juice... In this case, you will need a drug such as Antacid.
- It is possible to suppress the production of hydrochloric acid with the drugs Histodil, Omitox, Pleom-20.
- It is possible to destroy bacteria that cause inflammation in the stomach with the help of the medicines "Azitral", "Azicid", "Azitrox", "Azitrus".
- Settle motor function Total gastrointestinal tract possibly with the help of the drug "Trimedat".
It is also very important to remember that you need to follow a specific diet. So, it is necessary to completely abandon fried, fatty and smoked foods, pickles and marinades, pastries, coffee, and carbonated drinks. Help and various means traditional medicine, however, before using them, it is imperative to consult with your doctor so as not to cause even more harm to the body.
The cause of inflammation of the gastric mucosa is the effect of external factors:
- stress,
- infection,
- improper nutrition and diet,
- alcohol and spicy food abuse,
- long-term use of some medicines.
These factors lead to a decrease in the secretion of gastric juice and an increase in its acidity. As a result empty stomach begins to "digest" itself, which creates a fertile ground for the development of serious diseases.
High acidity can cause stomach problems
The main complaints of the patient are:
- heartburn,
- nausea,
- cramping pain in the epigastrium,
- vomit,
- violation of the chair,
- change in appetite
- thirst,
- belching.
The most common form of gastritis is erosive and ulcerative, which leads to dysfunction, namely, deterioration of the secretory function of the stomach. Inflammation of the mucous membrane is noted in all cases and has varying degrees of severity. Often gastritis flows against the background of intestinal spasms and is accompanied by spastic constipation.
Mild gastritis is manifested by minor pain and changes in appetite. Launched form the disease is characterized by impaired absorption of nutrients, vitamins and trace elements.
Gastritis with high acidity is manifested by the following symptoms:
- persistent vomiting
- pulling pains in the epigastric region,
- belching with a sour taste,
- frequent constipation
- heartburn
- a feeling of distention in the stomach.
Gastritis with low acidity is manifested by:
- decreased appetite
- unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth,
- nausea and belching in the morning
- rumbling in the stomach,
- stool disorder - diarrhea or constipation.
The symptoms of gastritis usually appear several hours after a meal. Specific Clinical signs v severe cases accompanied by common manifestations diseases: tachycardia or bradycardia, hypotension, salivation, irritability, sleep disorders.
Quite often, acute gastritis turns into chronic, which is treated persistently and for a long time. The cause of chronic gastritis is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which enters the human body in early childhood... Symptoms of the disease are less pronounced, pain and dyspepsia are not significant. People with chronic gastritis are more worried about increased fatigue, weakness, depression, up to depression. Exacerbation of the pathology occurs due to the influence of provoking factors: smoking, stress, taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol abuse.
The prolonged course of gastritis leads to disruption normal functioning glands of the stomach, atrophy of the mucous membrane, prolonged and debilitating pain in the epigastrium. Absence timely diagnosis and effective treatment the disease often ends in the development of stomach cancer.
Stomach ulcer symptoms
Stomach ulcers are often the result of gastritis, especially if not properly treated. Great importance in the development of pathology has a hereditary predisposition. The etiology of stomach ulcers is similar to the causes of gastritis: alcohol and smoking, unbalanced diet, stress, as well as systematic overwork and lack of sleep.
Gastritis can cause ulcers
An ulcer is an injury to the gastric mucosa that occurs with a significant increase in the amount of acid and bile. Usually, a stomach ulcer is single and small, in rare cases there may be several.
The main symptom of the pathology is pain in the right hypochondrium. Stomach ulcer pain occurs when the patient is hungry and goes away immediately after eating. Night and hunger pains are a pathognomonic sign of peptic ulcer disease. In advanced cases, the pain can stretch for long time and be very intense. Often, patients try to control pain by eating frequent small meals, but this does not solve the problem, and healing does not occur without the intervention of a specialist.
The localization of pain is different: more often in the center of the upper abdomen, sometimes under the left or right hypochondrium, in the umbilical region with irradiation to the back. Taking antacids and milk relieves ulcer pain. Vomiting helps to relieve the condition.
An ulcer of the body of the stomach is characterized by early pain that occurs an hour after eating and lasts for two hours, gradually decreasing, and then disappears completely. The pyloric ulcer of the stomach is accompanied by late pains that begin two hours after eating, at night and cause patients to wake up and drink milk or eat.
Another characteristic feature the ulcer is belching. It has a pungent acidic taste and vigorous development. In addition, peptic ulcer disease is often accompanied by bleeding and vomiting, which occurs suddenly, sometimes with food. In the vomit of the patient, blood impurities are found that have a scarlet color. The ulcer patient is intensively losing weight, his appetite is significantly reduced or completely disappears, his complexion changes.
The disease proceeds with autumn or spring exacerbations and in the absence adequate treatment often accompanied by complications.
For a long time, gastric ulcers were treated by surgery: the affected part of the stomach was resected or only the ulcer formation. It has now become possible conservative treatment diseases without cardinal interventions.
Nowadays, the asymptomatic or asymptomatic course of the disease is quite common. This is a "silent" stomach ulcer.
Atypical clinical picture typical for:
- old people;
- persons with diabetes mellitus;
- persons taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for a long time;
- alcohol abusers.
Such patients long time do not know about the existing pathology, and only the development of complications makes patients seek medical help.
Complications of stomach ulcers: perforation, bleeding, penetration and stenosis are life-threatening and require a consultation with a surgeon. Treatment is carried out in a surgical hospital.
Treatment of folk remedies for stomach diseases
Treatment any gastrointestinal pathology you should start with a diet. Proper nutrition not only prevents the development of diseases, but also helps to fight them.
Basic principles of proper nutrition:
- Each meal should last at least an hour.
- At least once a day, you need to eat hot food: natural soups or broths.
- Complete elimination of alcoholic beverages from the diet.
- You should give up coffee, and if this is not possible, then in no case drink it on an empty stomach. This creates favorable conditions for the development of gastritis, and later stomach ulcers.
- Do not eat salty, spicy foods: salt and pepper are excellent stimulants of the disease.
- Foods that are too cold or too hot can cause muscle spasms.
For the normal functioning of the stomach, you should adhere to proper nutrition.
A sparing diet for stomach pathology involves the complete exclusion of the following dishes from the diet:
- of bread,
- fried foods,
- dough products,
- any sauces,
- hot seasonings.
Food should be eaten in small portions approximately every two hours.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are quite successfully treated with folk remedies, which should be used only after consulting a doctor.
Treatment of gastritis with folk remedies
- Infusion of watercress leaves relieves pain even in advanced cases of chronic gastritis. One hundred grams of lettuce leaves are thoroughly crushed and poured with a liter of boiling water. Leave the infusion in a tightly covered container for a day. Then it is filtered and taken one hundred milliliters twice a day twenty to thirty minutes before meals. It should be treated for a whole month.
- A decoction of yarrow and buckthorn has an enveloping effect, normalizes bowel function and eliminates spastic constipation that is characteristic of chronic gastritis. Add one tablespoon of dry buckthorn and yarrow herb to a liter of boiled water, cover and leave for two hours. Then the broth is filtered and taken in a glass once a day in the morning, the remains are stored in a cool cool place. The treatment continues for two weeks.
- Thyme tincture is able to completely heal chronic gastritis... It is prepared as follows: two tablespoons of dry thyme herb are placed in a glass container and poured with white wine. The container is kept in the refrigerator for a week, then the mixture, stirring, is brought to a boil. After straining, take the infusion before each meal, two teaspoons. Store the tincture in the refrigerator.
- Propolis ordinary is very effective for gastritis. It is necessary to eat ten grams of propolis daily, chewing thoroughly. The duration of treatment is a month.
- Sea buckthorn with honey is good for inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Three tablespoons fresh berries sea buckthorn is poured with a glass of water and boiled for ten minutes. After straining the broth, add three tablespoons of honey to it and mix everything well. Take the remedy on an empty stomach in a teaspoon.
- Potato juice is a good helper in the fight against stomach gastritis. Juice is squeezed out of two potato tubers and drunk on an empty stomach. After that, you should lie down for a while. After about an hour, you can eat. The course of treatment is a month.
- Infusion of licorice root is indicated for the treatment of gastritis with high acidity. Ten grams of chopped licorice root is poured into a thermos with a liter of boiling water. During the day, the broth is insisted, filtered and taken one hundred milliliters before each meal. Treat gastritis with licorice infusion in two courses of fifteen days with a five-day break.
- Honey solution is very effective for treating erosive gastritis... In glass warm water dissolve two tablespoons of honey and take one glass of honey solution daily for two weeks.
- Dry grass of chamomile, yarrow and celandine is poured with a liter of hot milk in an enamel bowl, infused for two hours and drunk in small sips during the day. The course of treatment is two weeks.
- Flax seed decoction. Seeds are mixed with inflorescences pharmacy chamomile, pour the raw materials into a thermos, pour in a liter of boiling water and leave for ten hours. The resulting composition is filtered and boiled again. Drink half a liter of broth per day.
- Elecampane broth. Crushed elecampane rhizomes are brewed with boiling water for two hours. Take a decoction of elecampane in two tablespoons before breakfast, lunch and dinner.
White cabbage juice is an excellent remedy for stomach diseases
Diseases of the stomach and the entire gastrointestinal tract are quite successfully treated with the help of traditional medicine recipes and herbal medicine, bringing the patient significant relief. But, despite this, in no case should you refuse to consult a doctor and the treatment prescribed by him.
V modern world people are increasingly showing symptoms of gastritis and ulcers. There are many reasons for this. This is irregular eating, eating fast food, reducing the quality of food, bad habits, stressful situations... But the main cause of these diseases is infection with Helicobacter pylori, which can occur in childhood.
Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract are found in people of all ages. And they are successfully treated with well-developed techniques. But for this, it is necessary to identify the signs of gastritis and stomach ulcers in time and begin treatment.
What causes each of these diseases? These diseases have almost the same causes of occurrence:
Signs of a stomach ulcer may not be visible during remission. The manifestation of gastritis can also be hidden.
When clarifying the diagnosis, these two independent diseases are considered in parallel, since the signs of gastritis and ulcers are very similar at first.
The first signs of stomach inflammation:
- nausea and vomiting;
- decreased appetite;
- constant thirst;
- changes in stool quality;
- unpleasant belching;
- pain in upper section belly.
First signs ulcerative lesions stomach:
- nausea and vomiting;
- decreased appetite;
- loose stools;
- belching;
As you can see, the first symptoms of gastritis and the signs of a stomach ulcer are almost the same. Therefore, self-medicating, the patient runs the risk of getting severe complications. 
Let's consider these two diseases, which are so similar in terms of symptoms, separately.
Gastritis
The prevalence of this pathology is very high. Approximately 50–80% of the entire adult population suffers from this disease. Most cases of the disease are associated with infection with Helicobacter pylori. Gastritis can be of two types:
- With reduced gastric acidity... This option manifests itself as a lack of appetite, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, symptoms of dyspepsia, unstable stools, rumbling in the stomach and intestines.
- Option with high acidity. Its signs are frequent vomiting, abdominal pain, belching with a sour taste, heartburn, constipation, a feeling of fullness in the stomach. Gastritis and ulcers give very similar symptoms.
What is the difference between acute and chronic course of the disease?
Acute gastritis has the following symptoms: loss of appetite, dry mouth, gray coating on the tongue, nausea, belching. Vomit may include impurities of bile and blood, have very bad smell... Pain with gastritis in the stomach is moderate. An increase in body temperature is possible, headache and dizziness. In the absence of treatment acute inflammation goes into chronic form.
Patients with a chronic form complain of weakness, depression, rapid fatigability... The rest of the symptoms, in contrast to acute condition, are poorly expressed. If you do not turn to specialists in time, then the disease is aggravated by a violation of the normal activity of the stomach glands, severe pain... Lack of treatment often leads to the development of stomach cancer.
How does a stomach ulcer manifest different people? As in the case of gastritis, the occurrence of peptic ulcer disease in most cases is associated with infection with Helicobacter pylori. Also stomach ulcers and duodenum may be due to improper nutrition, bad habits, uncontrolled use of drugs. If untreated, gastritis can also cause peptic ulcer disease.
An ulcerative defect is an injury to the gastric mucosa. Therefore, its manifestations are much more pronounced. Symptoms of a stomach ulcer during an exacerbation are severe pain in the epigastric part of the stomach. 
They are often associated with food intake. Often there is vomiting of acidic gastric contents, belching, constipation.
Seasonal exacerbation is a typical symptom of the disease and is different from gastritis.
Under the influence of unfavorable factors, complications may develop, such as bleeding, perforation and penetration of the ulcer, stenosis. These complications are life-threatening and require surgery.
Differences between these diseases
These two diseases - gastritis, ulcer - are similar in symptoms, course and complications. How to distinguish gastritis from ulcers? With greater accuracy, this can only be done by a gastroenterologist based on the results of studies and analyzes. But the patients themselves may notice some of the features of these ailments.
Gastritis and stomach ulcers have a number of significant differences:
How to distinguish with laboratory methods, gastritis or ulcer in humans? These differences between gastritis and ulcers can only be determined by a doctor. Gastric lesion is observed only in upper layers the gastric mucosa, while the ulcer affects the submucosa. For this, a fibrogastroscopic examination is done. So you can find not only a stomach ulcer, but also a duodenal ulcer.
If general analysis blood shows a decrease in hemoglobin, then with a high probability we can talk about peptic ulcer disease. With gastritis, a blood test will indicate inflammatory processes.
Treat these gastric diseases there will be a gastroenterologist. First, he recognizes the signs of stomach ulcers and gastritis, and then prescribes the necessary drugs or will decide the issue of surgical treatment.
Than of medications treat these diseases? For stomach ulcers, there is a certain combination of drugs, it is called the eradication scheme:
- Two antibacterial agents.
- Means for reducing the acidity of gastric juice.
The ulcer can be removed by surgery, usually when complications arise.
Ulcer and gastritis - serious illness... You should not self-medicate, the consequences can be very sad. At the first sign of stomach problems, you should consult a specialist. The doctor will conduct all the necessary research and prescribe competent treatment.
Gastritis and stomach ulcers are among the most common diseases of the digestive system. These ailments require compulsory treatment, and the earlier it is started, the higher the chance that it will be possible to avoid serious consequences and restore normal work stomach. Therefore, it is very important to timely notice the first signs of gastritis and stomach ulcers.
Gastritis and stomach ulcer: what is it and how are they dangerous?
Very often, people far from medicine confuse the concepts of gastritis and stomach ulcers, combining them into one disease. In fact, despite the common area of damage, these ailments have significant differences, and each of them is separate pathology Gastrointestinal tract.
Gastritis is a disease in which the stomach lining becomes inflamed. Irritation of the walls of the organ can be caused by bacteria, chemical substances(including alcohol and drugs), junk food. As a rule, the inflammatory process affects the entire mucous membrane of the stomach, but rarely penetrates into the deep layers of the tissues of the organ.
By the nature of the course of inflammation, acute and chronic gastritis are distinguished. Acute form ailment is gastritis that occurs for the first time. It can be successfully cured if you consult a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease and follow all the recommendations of a specialist. But if the inflammatory process is ignored, then in a short time acute gastritis can develop into a chronic one, and it will be impossible to cure it completely.
Chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa is not only unpleasant constant pain, abdominal discomfort and indigestion, but also the complications to which it leads if the patient does not pass necessary treatment and does not follow the diet. One of the complications of chronic gastritis can be a stomach ulcer. Unlike gastritis, an ulcer is a localized inflammation on the wall. digestive organ... If we talk in simple words, it is a serious wound of the stomach, which occurs on the mucous membrane, but often captures the deeper layers. Despite the fact that the ulcer does not affect all of the mucous membrane internal organ, it is much more dangerous for the patient than gastritis. With a stomach ulcer, there is serious danger perforation of the gastric wall, and this is deadly danger for the patient.
The symptoms of gastritis and stomach ulcers are indeed in many ways similar, but there are significant differences between them that make it possible to differentiate the diseases. To understand how these ailments differ, you need to consider specific signs each of them.
How does gastritis manifest?
The symptoms of gastritis depend on the exact form in which the disease proceeds. If inflammation occurs for the first time, then we are talking about acute gastritis, which in turn is divided into:
- catarrhal (simple);
- erosive;
- corrosive;
- fibrinous;
- purulent.
Simple gastritis is easiest. The first signs of the disease include moderate pain in the upper abdomen - approximately at the level where the ribs join, under the xiphoid process of the sternum. Discomfort and discomfort occur 6-12 hours after the onset of exposure to an irritating factor and can be accompanied by nausea, sour belching and an unpleasant taste in the mouth, bloating, diarrhea, and a strong deterioration in appetite. If the patient opens his mouth in front of a mirror, he will notice that the surface of his tongue has acquired a grayish coating.
Rarely, acute catarrhal gastritis may be accompanied by slight increase temperature. Severe hyperthermia (up to 39-40 ° C) is characteristic of other types of stomach inflammation, in particular, corrosive and purulent. In addition, gastritis of these forms are accompanied by severe pain in the stomach, vomiting (often mixed with blood or pus) and symptoms of general intoxication (headache, weakness, dehydration).
Chronic gastritis is exacerbated from time to time due to irritating factors - alcohol consumption, smoking, junk food intake. And always accompanied by characteristic painful sensations in the epigastric region. Pain in the chronic form of the disease usually occurs after eating. She usually wears moderate aching character, but if the inflammation is severe, then the soreness in the upper abdomen can be quite intense. This symptom may be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness and fullness of the stomach, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. In chronic gastritis, the work of the entire gastrointestinal tract is significantly disrupted, therefore, the disease is often accompanied by constipation and diarrhea.
You need to know that chronic gastritis is divided into hyperacid, normacid and hypoacid, depending on how the secretion of gastric juice changes. With low and normal acidity, the patient experiences the symptoms already described earlier, and with increased acidity, the course of the disease is somewhat different. For example, hyperacid gastritis is more characterized by pain that occurs before meals, that is, on an empty stomach. This is due to the aggressive effect of hydrochloric acid on the mucous membrane of the organ. As a rule, after eating, the unpleasant sensations disappear or, at least, decrease significantly. Such a manifestation of the disease has gastritis, but the ulcer also has symptoms of "hungry" pains among the characteristic ones. The appearance of a similar feeling with gastritis indicates that the gastric mucosa is highly irritated. It should be borne in mind that it is gastritis with high acidity that most often leads to the formation of ulcers on the walls of the organ.
Peptic ulcer: how to distinguish it from gastritis?
As mentioned, the signs of stomach ulcers and gastritis are similar in many ways. However, there are several important nuances by which you can recognize a peptic ulcer:
- Time of onset of pain. When collecting an anamnesis, gastroenterologists always pay attention to this aspect, since painful sensations vary markedly in time of occurrence. Discomfort in the upper abdomen does not appear immediately, but usually a few hours after eating or irritating mucous drinks is gastritis, and a stomach ulcer symptoms, that is, pain, manifests itself within an hour after eating, and lasts about 2 hours. In addition, peptic ulcer disease is very characteristic of painful attacks at night, which subside if you eat at least a small portion of food. In this case, "hungry" pains are often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. An exacerbation of stomach ulcers is often observed in spring and autumn, while gastritis can occur at any time of the year.
- The nature of the painful sensations. With inflammation of the gastric mucosa, especially catarrhal, the pain is moderate and dull, but with an ulcer, this unpleasant feeling is usually much stronger and often has an acute or cutting character.
- Localization of pain. Gastritis is accompanied by painful sensations in a certain place - the epigastric region. This is the part of the abdomen that is located under the breastbone. With an ulcer, pain can "spread" over upper lobe abdominal cavity depending on which wall of the stomach the wound is located on. Very often, discomfort appears not only in the epigastrium, but also in the right hypochondrium.
The eternal companions of peptic ulcer disease are sour belching, constipation, weight loss due to impaired appetite and indigestion. If a patient vomits, he needs to pay attention to the composition of the vomit: with an ulcer, an admixture of blood is often found in them.
Despite the fact that with gastritis and ulcers there are characteristics, put accurate diagnosis can only be the attending physician on the basis of the research carried out. To date, the most accurate determination of the degree of damage to the gastric mucosa is possible with the help of fibrogastroscopy. Remember: doctors categorically do not recommend diagnosing oneself and starting treatment at home without consulting a specialist - this can lead to grave consequences... The best solution for a patient with gastritis or ulcers should be a mandatory visit to a gastroenterologist.
How to cure gastritis and stomach ulcers
You cannot ignore the symptoms of gastritis and stomach ulcers - the signs of these diseases are not only unpleasant, they carry a great danger to health. The sooner the restoration of the mucous membrane of the digestive organ begins, the higher the likelihood that the disease will be completely eliminated.
It is necessary to treat inflammation at the very beginning, when gastritis has not yet passed into a chronic form. To do this, at the first signs of an illness, the patient is prescribed the strictest diet: in the first 2 days it is recommended to refuse food altogether, and then adhere to the most sparing diet. The patient will have to completely exclude from the diet rough products that can injure the mucous membrane, fried, spicy, fatty foods, smoked meats, pickles, sweets, alcohol, coffee and other foods that can irritate the walls of the stomach. A prerequisite is fractional nutrition - in small portions 4-5 times a day, while the food must certainly be warm and chopped. Gradually, the patient's diet expands, but the main prohibitions remain the same, since any irritation of the mucous membrane is fraught with relapse.
Additionally, the patient is assigned medications that will help eliminate inflammation, reduce pain and restore the mucous membrane. At correct treatment acute phase the inflammatory process passes in 4-5 days, and if in the future the patient will constantly observe preventive measures, then gastritis will not return.
Chronic inflammation of the stomach cannot be completely cured. The patient should prepare for the fact that from time to time the ailment will worsen, but it is quite possible to ensure that the period of remission lasts as long as possible. Most effective method prevent exacerbation - still the same special diet, giving up bad habits and regular examinations.
Despite the fact that stomach ulcers are considered more serious diseases, they can still be cured. Without drug therapy in this case, there is no way to do it, so you should not neglect taking medications that the doctor will prescribe. Usually healthy eating in combination with the use medical supplies allows you to successfully eliminate the ulcer. True, you need to understand that it will not pass without a trace: after the wound heals, a scar will remain on the stomach wall. Moreover, even after complete recovery from time to time it is necessary to undergo diagnostics to make sure that no new ulcers have appeared on the mucous membrane of the digestive organ.
The successful treatment of gastritis and stomach ulcers largely depends on the patient himself. Typical stomach pains and other symptoms of ailments - serious reason for visiting a qualified specialist and further examination.
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