Gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach lining, may be to blame for stomach pain
Stomach pain is no joke — those who have suffered the gnawing, burning sensation know it can send you to the sidelines for hours at a time. What’s not always clear is the cause of abdominal discomfort. However, the pain is often linked to inflammation of the stomach lining, or gastritis.
“The main symptoms of gastritis are a gnawing ache in your upper abdomen accompanied by nausea and sometimes vomiting. These symptoms may occur suddenly or build up in severity over time,” said Meg Ward, MD, primary care section chief and a family medicine physician at Renown Health. “I would recommend seeing your primary care provider if your symptoms are severe or do not seem to be improving in a few days.
“There are some symptoms we call red flags, meaning that they are a signal to schedule an appointment right away,” Ward added. “These include fever, severe abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss and bloody or dark colored stools.”
If gastritis is suspected, doctors and their patients typically attempt to pinpoint what might be causing the inflammation in the first place. Common culprits are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), drinking too much alcohol and infection with a bacterium called H. pylori.
“The most common things we look for in patients who we think may have gastritis include using aspirin, Aleve, Motrin or other anti-inflammatory medications, as these can irritate the lining of the stomach, or excessive alcohol use,” said Amanda Magrini, MD, a family medicine physician with Northern Nevada Medical Group. “An infection called H. pylori can also be the cause of gastritis in some cases.”
When a patient complains of recurring stomach pain, the path toward diagnosis and treatment often starts with a close look at his or her intake of alcohol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In addition, a lab test may be ordered to check for the presence of H. pylori.
“Gastritis is almost always diagnosed with a thorough history and physical exam at the office. In some cases, your provider may look for an H. pylori infection with a stool test or breath test,” Ward said. “If the cause of the problem is still unclear, your provider may recommend you see a gastroenterologist for an upper endoscopy, which will examine your upper gastrointestinal tract.”
In many cases, medications designed to block, reduce and neutralize stomach acid can be used to treat gastritis. When an H. pylori infection is to blame, antibiotics are prescribed to kill the bacterium. If there’s been excessive use of alcohol or NSAIDs, that will need to be curbed as well.
“We usually treat gastritis with stomach acid blocking medication and stomach coating medication, as well as removing the offending agent if applicable — alcohol or NSAIDs,” Magrini said. “If an infection is suspected, that can be treated with antibiotics.”
If stomach pain has you hitting pause on life, be sure to make an appointment with your physician. It’s important to treat gastritis not only to relieve the pain, but also to avoid the potential long-term consequences associated with an inflamed stomach lining.
“If left untreated, gastritis may lead to ulcers and bleeding in the stomach and intestines,” Ward said. “Rarely, it may increase the chance of stomach cancer.”