How long does it usually take for gastritis to heal?

Summer is here and the weather is hot. Everything seems to be getting better. However, no matter how hot the weather is, it cannot cover up the stomach discomfort felt by people with stomach problems. Gastritis often harasses people and the quality of life becomes lower and lower. Some people with gastritis think that it is a lifelong thing and they suffer from torture and hardship. Irregular diet and lifestyle, overeating, not having enough time for the next meal after one, staying up late and drinking alcohol frequently, all allow external evil to invade and cold air to penetrate the body, which will naturally lead to gastritis. So is gastritis really a lifelong thing? How long does it take for gastritis to heal?

Causes of Gastritis:

1. Causes of acute gastritis

It can be divided into two categories: exogenous and endogenous. Anything that enters the stomach through the mouth, such as bacteria, drugs, toxins, corrosives, etc., is considered an external factor. Any pathogenic factors that spread to the stomach wall through blood circulation or lymph are called internal factors.

(1) Physical and chemical factors: Strong tea, strong coffee, spicy food, strong liquor, overcold or overheated food, rough food, etc. can damage the gastric mucosa, destroy the mucosal barrier and cause gastric mucosal inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, indomethacin, certain antibiotics, corticosteroids and other drugs can not only stimulate the gastric mucosa and cause damage, but also affect the repair of the gastric mucosa and aggravate inflammation. If certain strong corrosive agents such as nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, etc. are swallowed, it may cause acute corrosive gastritis.

(2) Biological factors: mainly various pathogenic bacteria and toxins, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, halophilic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus toxin and botulinum toxin. Gastritis can occur within hours of eating food contaminated by bacteria or toxins. Pyogenic bacteria such as α-hemolytic streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus spread to the stomach wall through the blood or lymph, causing acute purulent gastritis.

(3) Others: such as systemic infection, severe trauma, major surgery, shock, severe mood swings and other stressful conditions. Foreign bodies in the stomach, gastric stones, and radiotherapy to the gastric area can all cause this disease.

2. Causes of chronic gastritis

(1) Biological factors: The main pathogen of chronic gastritis is Helicobacter pylori, and more than 90% of patients with chronic gastritis are infected with Helicobacter pylori.

(2) Immune factors: The onset of some chronic gastritis is related to immune factors, and parietal cell antibodies can be detected in the patient's serum.

(3) Physical factors: Long-term stimulation of the gastric mucosa by excessively cold or overheated food, rough food, strong tea, strong coffee, strong liquor, and spicy food can lead to repeated damage to the gastric mucosa and cause chronic gastritis.

(4) Chemical factors: Smoking is one of the causes of chronic gastritis. Nicotine in tobacco can affect the blood circulation of the gastric mucosa and cause dysfunction of the pyloric sphincter, resulting in bile reflux. Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, indomethacin, etc. can damage the gastric mucosal barrier.

(5) Others: Aging, malnutrition, heart failure, cirrhosis, diabetes, thyroid disease, etc. are all related to the onset of chronic gastritis.

Treatment time and method:

Gastritis is relatively difficult to cure. In addition to medication, you should eat less irritating food and avoid eating too cold food. Eat at regular times and in regular amounts. Eat well in the morning, eat less at noon, and eat less at night. Only by developing good habits can the function of the stomach be gradually enhanced.

Guidance:

It is recommended to treat it like this: ranitidine or omeprazole + colloidal bismuth preparations such as colloidal bismuth or potassium bismuth citrate + antibiotics such as amoxicillin or clarithromycin. The treatment time is generally recommended to be more than one month. It is also recommended to pay attention to regular and clean diet.

2. Eat less pickled foods: These foods contain more salt and certain carcinogens, so it is not advisable to eat too much. 3. Eat less raw, cold and irritating foods: Raw, cold and irritating foods have a strong irritating effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa, and can easily cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal inflammation. 4. Regular diet: Studies have shown that eating regularly, at regular times and in regular amounts, can form a conditioned reflex, help the secretion of digestive glands, and facilitate digestion. 5. Eat at regular times and in regular quantities: Eat a moderate amount at each meal, and have three meals a day at regular times. At the designated time, you should take the initiative to eat regardless of whether you are hungry or not, to avoid being too hungry or too full. 6. Appropriate temperature: The temperature of food should be neither hot nor cold. 7. Chew slowly to reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. The more you chew your food, the more saliva you will secrete, which has a protective effect on the gastric mucosa. 8. Choose the right time to drink water: The best time to drink water is in the morning on an empty stomach and 1 hour before each meal. Drinking water immediately after a meal will dilute the gastric juice, and soaking rice in soup will also affect the digestion of food. 9. Pay attention to prevent cold: When the stomach gets cold, the function of the stomach will be damaged, so pay attention to keep the stomach warm and avoid cold. 10. Avoid stimulation: Do not smoke, because smoking causes the stomach blood vessels to constrict, affecting the blood supply to the stomach wall cells, reducing the resistance of the gastric mucosa and inducing stomach problems. You should drink less alcohol and eat less spicy foods such as chili peppers and pepper. 11. Supplement vitamin C: Vitamin C has a protective effect on the stomach. Maintaining a normal level of vitamin C in gastric juice can effectively exert the function of the stomach, protect the stomach and enhance the stomach's disease resistance. Therefore, eat more vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C.