1. Recognizing Common Symptoms of Gastritis
Gastritis is the medical term used to refer to inflammation of the stomach lining. It is a condition with a variety of causes, but regardless of its origin, the symptoms tend to be similar. You may feel nauseous or less hungry than usual. Some people find that they have unexplained weight loss. After eating a meal you might experience an uncomfortable sensation of fullness, particularly in your upper abdomen. Or you may notice that you are frequently bloated and belching excessively. People with gastritis often complain of indigestion, a burning or gnawing pain in the upper abdomen. Eating can either make this pain disappear or make it worse.
Gastritis can cause your stools to become darker. Occasionally, they may even contain blood. Bleeding caused by gastritis is rarely severe but should be checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
Gastritis can be either acute or chronic, and you will experience slightly different symptoms depending on which type you have. Acute gastritis comes on suddenly and tends to result in a burning pain and nausea. Chronic gastritis develops over time. People with chronic gastritis are more likely to report feeling full easily, and the pain is generally a dull ache. It is possible to have chronic gastritis and not have any symptoms at all. If you are asymptomatic, it is much more difficult to get a diagnosis of gastritis.
2. Distinguishing Between Indigestion and Gastritis
Because so many GI conditions can cause similar symptoms, it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of your discomfort. Symptoms such as nausea and indigestion do not in themselves lead to a diagnosis of gastritis. Gastrointestinal symptoms that disappear on their own after a few days are rarely anything to worry about. If, however, you continue to experience symptoms for a prolonged period, it is probably time for a visit to your doctor.
Your doctor may ask about the type of pain you are experiencing and its location. Gastritis tends to be felt in the upper central part of the abdomen. You'll probably describe the pain as gnawing, aching or burning. Some people find that gastritis pain travels from the stomach to the back and is accompanied by a constant state of fullness or bloating.
You can generally rule out indigestion if you experience more severe symptoms such as vomiting blood, tarry stools, chest pain, a rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath. These kinds of symptoms need to be checked out by a doctor and are likely to be caused by gastritis.
3. Diagnostic Tests to Confirm Your Symptoms
Beyond asking about your symptoms, your doctor may want to run some tests to get a better idea of what your body is experiencing. A stool test can be very helpful in making a diagnosis. Blood tests, stool tests and breath tests are all used to test for H. pylori, a bacterium that commonly is the cause of gastritis. Stool tests are also used to check for blood in your stool, a sign that your stomach is bleeding. A blood test may be ordered to check for anemia, another indication of stomach bleeding.
An X-ray of the upper GI tract is used to look for less obvious signs of gastritis. Even if you are not experiencing symptoms, it is possible that your body is reacting and changing in ways in which you are unaware. Endoscopy is another tool that may be used to check for abnormalities of the GI tract.
