Antral Gastritis
Causes And Treatment Of Antral Gastritis
First, a definition of antral gastritis is in order. Gastritis is not a disease so much as it is a condition. Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach, it may be an acute, or chronic, and can occur due to a number of reasons.
Antral gastritis is inflammation of one part of the stomach, inflammation of the entire stomach lining is called pan gastritis. The antrum of the stomach is that part where the stomach connects to the duodenum and the small intestine. Antral gastritis results when the passage through this part of the stomach becomes constricted. When this happens, you may experience one or more symptoms, which can be mild or severe.
The most common symptom is likely to be a burning or gnawing sensation in the upper abdomen. The individual may feel bloated after eating, with belching, and sometimes nausea, accompanying the other symptoms. Over a period of time, weight loss may occur. In more severe cases, where erosion of the stomach lining is actually taking place, severe stomach pain, and even chest pain may become evident. Bleeding in the stomach may occur, and blood may be vomited up and appear in bowel movements. Significant or continual loss of blood can often result in anemia.
Antral gastritis and its symptoms may arise from a number of causes. A malfunctioning immune system may produce antibodies, which attack the stomach and stomach lining. The gastritis can also be caused by a backup of bile from the small intestine into the stomach. A malfunctioning pyloric valve, located in the antral region, can allow this bile backup to occur, resulting in inflammation. Bacterial infection can occur in the stomach lining, leading to gastritis. Other causes include excessive use of certain pain relievers, addiction to alcohol, chemotherapy, and even stress.
Surgery is rarely required, except in very extreme cases where the stomach has been badly damaged, or a malfunctioning body part, such as the aforementioned pyloric valve, may require attention or repair. Usually antral gastritis is treated medicinally, most commonly with antacids, H2 blockers, and depending upon the cause, antibiotics. Although antacids are readily available over the counter, a physician should be consulted, as some antacids may bring about undesirable side effects. Obviously, if the cause is due to alcohol abuse or something in the diet, lifestyle changes would be in order if recovery is to be achieved or a chronic condition is to be avoided.
Lifestyle changes may consist of eating smaller portions at meals, cutting down on spicy foods, and avoiding deep fried foods. If overweight, lose some pounds. Symptoms of gastritis, including antral gastritis, tend to be more severe in obese people. Both alcohol and smoking irritate the stomach lining, and increase the production of stomach acid. Smoking in particular can interfere with the healing process, even if you are doing everything else right in your attempts to recover. It's also a good idea to inform your doctor of all medications you're taking, both prescription and non-prescription. One or more of these medications could be compounding the problem.
If you are suffering from antral gastritis, or even think you may be, don't let it go too far. While seldom life threatening it itself, if left untreated the gastritis could well lead to more serious situations, including stomach cancer.