Learn a Few Terms Associated with Gastritis
Let’s say a recent physical exam at your doctor’s office has left you in a cloud of confusion because she has pronounced that you have gastritis. What is gastritis? you ask yourself, and what are all these other medical terms that are being tossed around?
Take a look at this quick glossary of gastritis-related terms, and see if they help lift that cloud.
Mucosa -- The lining of your stomach is called the mucosa, and it harbors acids and enzymes that are crucial to breaking down food for digestion. Also present is mucus, which protects the stomach lining from acids. If the mucosa becomes inflamed, though, it interferes with the production of acids, enzymes and mucus.
Acute gastritis -- An abnormal inflammation of the stomach lining, or mucosa, is called gastritis. When it produces sudden and severe pain in the upper abdomen, that’s acute gastritis.
Chronic gastritis -- Inflammation of the mucosa that sticks around is called chronic gastritis, and if it is not treated, it can lead to much more serious conditions.
Erosive gastritis -- Say that the inflammation of your stomach lining is not causing much pain, but it is wearing away the mucosa, leading to erosions or ulcers. The ulcers can bleed, giving you blood in the stool or vomit. Erosive gastritis might be acute or chronic, and the culprits range from prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) to radiation to drug and alcohol abuse.
Antral gastritis -- Sometimes the whole stomach is affected by mucosa inflammation and sometimes it’s just a section, such as the antrum, where stomach contents are released into the intestine. When gastritis is confined to this section, it’s classified as antral gastritis.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) -- This is the name for the insidious bacteria that are often behind cases of chronic non-erosive gastritis. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse said that in industrialized countries like the United States, as much as 50 percent of the population could be infected with H. pylori, which is primarily spread through person-to-person contact.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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