Is chronic gastritis curable?

A complete cure is only possible for chronic gastritis of type B and C. The bacteria that cause type B gastritis can in most cases be destroyed by eradication therapy and the chemical stimuli that cause type C gastritis can be avoided. As a result, the inflammation of the gastric mucosa is usually considered cured. Type A gastritis, however, is based on a defect in the body’s own defense system that cannot be corrected.A lifelong treatment with acid-inhibiting drugs (proton pump inhibitors) is necessary to prevent the acid production in the stomach from becoming excessively high. In addition, vitamin B 12 must be supplied by injections, as the body cannot absorb it itself, but it is needed for blood production. In addition, regular check-ups are necessary because the risk of stomach cancer is increased in type A gastritis.

How can chronic gastritis be cured?

Chronic gastritis persists over a long period of time. There are various causes for its development. Depending on the cause, the therapy varies.

To find the cause, it may be necessary to perform a gastroscopy. If an autoimmune disease is the cause of the inflammation, it is chronic gastritis type A. There is no causal therapy for this disease so far.

In this – rare – form of gastritis, certain cells of the stomach are attacked, the parietal cells. These produce a substance that is essential for the oral absorption of vitamin B12 into the body. If this substance is no longer available in sufficient quantities due to the gastritis, it must be administered by regular injections throughout the patient’s life.

However, this cannot cure chronic gastritis type A. Type B gastritis is caused by colonization with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. To treat this type of inflammation successfully, the bacteria must be removed.

This is called an eradication therapy. For this purpose, several drugs are combined, usually antibiotics and acid inhibitors. If the bacterium has been successfully removed, chronic gastritis type B usually heals.

Type C is caused by harmful substances such as the regular intake of painkillers like ibuprofen. To successfully treat this type of inflammation, the triggering substances must be completely eliminated. Since chronic gastritis usually exists for a long period of time, it also takes a while for the inflammation to heal completely. In general, acid-inhibiting drugs are also used in chronic gastritis, as in the acute form.