Therapy
Depending on the cause, the inflammation of the gastric mucosa can regress on its own without medication and heal within a few days. It is helpful to avoid the following foods: Also helpful are However, in the case of severe nausea and heartburn, medication can be prescribed for this period to relieve the symptoms. In general, for almost every type of chronic gastritis, a medication is prescribed that protects the stomach lining from the very acidic stomach acid consisting of hydrochloric acid.
Excessive stomach acid production is common to all types and manifests itself with heartburn as an external sign of mucous membrane damage. For mild symptoms, so-called antacids (German: “gegen Säure”) can help. They are less effective than the proton pump inhibitors described below and are therefore only the remedy of choice if treatment with proton pump inhibitors is not possible.
Proton pump inhibitors block a special structure in the gastric mucosa cell, the so-called proton pump, which is essential for the production of stomach acid. In this way, the balance of aggressive acid and protective gastric juices, which has been shifted by excessive stomach acid production, is restored and the stomach can recover from the damage and inflammation. If, in addition to heartburn, the affected person is plagued by severe stomach cramps and nausea, there is the possibility of taking an additive medication that promotes the movements of the stomach (prokinetics) and thus transports food faster.
If the inflammation lasts for a very long time, vitamin B12, which is important for blood formation, can no longer be absorbed by the body and must be given by injection (substitution). If the symptoms do not improve, specific drug treatment must be started depending on the type of gastritis. There are different approaches depending on the cause: Type A gastritis: In type A gastritis, drugs are prescribed to reduce the acidity of the stomach.
These drugs are either antacids (Rennie), proton pump inhibitors (-prazol/Pantozol®) or H2 blockers (ranitidine). In addition, vitamin B12 intake is usually required. Due to the constant attack of the body’s own defence system, in severe cases an anti-inflammatory drug can also be used to protect the stomach from serious damage by the body’s own defence cells.
Type A gastritis should be checked regularly to rule out stomach cancer. Type B gastritis: This is where the so-called eradication therapy is used.This means that the bacterium is treated with two antibiotics and the gastric acid with a gastric acid agent (usually proton pump inhibitor). One calls this therapy also the Triple therapy, since it consists of three medicines.
The following drugs are usually used: clarithromicin, amoxicilin and a prazol. Amoxiciline can also be replaced by metronidazole. This therapy takes about seven to ten days.
Since the bacterium can no longer be killed by many of the usual antibiotics, it is often necessary to try several combinations of antibiotics and the therapy can last up to six to eight weeks: It is repeated if necessary if the breath test continues to be positive. The therapy is only considered to be successful if no bacteria can be detected in a new gastroscopy after several weeks. Type C gastritis: In type C gastritis, it is important to find out which substance or drug triggers the inflammation of the gastric mucosa and to avoid it.
If this is not possible because, for example, painkillers have to be taken, type C gastritis can also be treated with acid blockers such as Pantoprazole. If an inflammation of the gastric mucosa occurs suddenly, your doctor may advise you not to eat anything for 24-36 hours and to drink only tea or water. Here too, acid blockers are prescribed as a medication.
After the symptoms have subsided, you should refrain from nicotine, coffee, alcohol and chocolate for the time being.
- Coffee
- Chocolate
- Alcohol
- Stress avoidance
- Nicotine renouncement
- Relaxation exercises
- Type A gastritis: Type A gastritis is a condition in which drugs are prescribed to reduce the acidity of the stomach. These drugs are either antacids (Rennie), proton pump inhibitors (-prazol/Pantozol®) or H2 blockers (ranitidine).
In addition, vitamin B12 intake is usually required. Due to the constant attack of the body’s own defence system, in severe cases an anti-inflammatory drug can also be used to protect the stomach from serious damage by the body’s own defence cells. Type A gastritis should be checked regularly to rule out stomach cancer.
- Type B gastritis: This is where the so-called eradication therapy is used.
This means that the bacterium is treated with two antibiotics and the gastric acid is treated with a gastric acid agent (usually proton pump inhibitor). One calls this therapy also the Triple therapy, since it consists of three medicines. The following drugs are usually used: clarithromicin, amoxicilin and a prazol.
Amoxiciline can also be replaced by metronidazole. This therapy takes about seven to ten days. Since the bacterium can no longer be killed by many of the usual antibiotics, it is often necessary to try several combinations of antibiotics and the therapy can last up to six to eight weeks: It is repeated if necessary if the breath test continues to be positive.
The therapy is only considered to be successful if no bacteria can be detected in a new gastroscopy after several weeks.
- Type C gastritis: In type C gastritis, it is important to find out which substance or drug triggers the gastritis and to avoid it. If this is not possible because, for example, painkillers have to be taken, type C gastritis can also be treated with acid blockers such as Pantoprazole.
If a change in lifestyle and eating habits is not sufficient, the inflammation of the stomach lining must be treated with medication. In the case of advanced inflammation or already existing ulcers, the acid content in the stomach can be reduced by symptomatic therapy.
There are several remedies available for this. So-called antacids are substances with a high pH value. They can bind and neutralize the acid with the help of simple chemical reactions, which relieves pain within a few minutes.
If the acid level is permanently too high, antacids can be used between meals to protect the mucous membrane. Commonly used agents are so-called proton pump inhibitors. They block an enzyme in certain stomach cells, which is significantly involved in acid formation.
Applied over several days, it can reduce the acid load and give the stomach mucosa time to regenerate. They are the first choice for stomach protection. Even in hospitals, they are often administered provisionally when taking pain medication.
Antihistamines can also be used to reduce acidity.They block certain receptors in the stomach through which the stomach receives the signal for acid production. These agents, as well as so-called prokinetics, are used rather secondarily, since they cause stronger side effects in contrast to proton pump inhibitors. If colonization by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is the cause of the gastric mucosa inflammation, antibiotic therapy over several weeks must also be carried out to completely eliminate the pathogen.
