Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Recognizing Early Symptoms
• Method 2 of 3: Identifying Late Symptoms
• Method 3 of 3: Learn About Risk Factors
• Tips
• Warnings

Gastritis is a collective term currently used by doctors to describe the symptoms of inflammation of the stomach lining. It takes two forms - acute and chronic. Acute gastritis occurs suddenly, while chronic gastritis can persist for a longer period of time, especially if the symptoms are left untreated. If you think you may have gastritis, start reading at step 1 to learn about its most dangerous symptoms.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Recognizing Early Symptoms

1. 1 Pay attention to any burning sensation you feel. You may feel a burning sensation in your stomach, especially at night or between meals. This is because at this time the stomach is empty, and as a result, stomach acid acts on the gastric mucosa more intensely, causing a burning sensation.
2. 2 See if you have lost your appetite. This can happen because gas builds up in the stomach due to inflammation and irritation of the mucous membrane. You may also feel flatulence as a result of a lack of desire to eat.
3. 3 Watch out for any nausea you may feel. The acid that is produced in the stomach to break down and digest the food you eat is the main cause of nausea. The acid irritates and corrodes the stomach lining, causing nausea.
4. 4 Be aware if you have increased salivation. If you have gastritis, acid from the stomach passes through the esophagus into your mouth. Therefore, more saliva is produced in the mouth to protect teeth from acid.
   • Increased salivation can also lead to bad breath.

Method 2 of 3: Identifying Late Symptoms

1. 1 See your doctor if you experience stomach pains. The pain can be in the form of a burning sensation, cramping, dull or acute, as well as constant or intermittent - it mainly depends on the person and on the stage of gastritis.The pain is usually felt in the upper center of the abdomen, but can appear anywhere.
2. 2 Watch out for any vomiting you may have. Vomiting and indigestion are caused by excess secretion of stomach acid, which irritates and eats away at the lining of the stomach. Vomiting may be discolored, yellow or green, tinged with blood, or completely bloody, depending on the severity of the ulcers.
3. 3 Seek medical attention if you have black, tarry stools. Black tarry stools are caused by internal bleeding from an ulcer. Due to the fact that the blood is old, the stool is almost black. You should also look for fresh or old blood in your stool:
   • Fresh blood means that there is active bleeding on the gastric mucosa, while old blood means that the bleeding is no longer active, and it happened earlier.
4. 4 Go to the emergency room if you have coffee grounds-colored vomit. This means that the stomach lining has begun to break down and bleed. In fact, this is a dangerous sign that requires immediate medical attention.

Method 3 of 3: Learn About Risk Factors

1. 1 Be aware that alcoholism can lead to gastritis. Gastritis usually occurs in people who drink alcohol frequently. This is because alcohol erodes the walls of the stomach. It also increases the production of hydrochloric acid, which in turn damages the stomach lining.
2. 2 Note that chronic vomiting can lead to gastritis. Vomiting clears the stomach and this causes stomach acid to eat away at the mucous membrane. If you have an illness or a tendency to vomit, then take measures to avoid overloading the stomach and to reduce the amount of vomit.
3. 3 Be aware that age is not an unimportant factor in the development of gastritis. For older people, there is a high risk of developing gastritis, because with age, the stomach lining becomes thinner. In addition, older people are prone to bacterial infections.
4. 4 Remember that people with bacterial infections are at particular risk. It is more likely that gastritis will develop if a person has a bacterial infection. It can be an infection caused by H. pylori, a bacteria that can be inherited and that is activated by severe stress or smoking. Bacteria and viruses that weaken the immune system increase your chances of getting gastritis.
5. 5 Watch for gastritis symptoms if you have anemia. Gastritis is sometimes caused by pernicious anemia. This is a type of anemia that develops when the stomach is unable to properly absorb vitamin B12.

Tips

• Avoid mucus-corrosive drinks such as alcohol, soft drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks.

Warnings

• If you notice any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.