Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGastritis TreatmentsLifestyle ChangesTaking MedicationWhen to Call a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Gastritis Treatments
Lifestyle Changes
Taking Medication
When to Call a Provider
Gastritisis the irritation or inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It can result for a number of reasons. Treatment for gastritis will coincide with the cause and address the underlying condition. The type of therapy may also depend on whether gastritis symptoms start suddenly (are acute) or are severe or long-lasting (are chronic). Gastritis symptoms can include indigestion, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloating.
This article will discuss treatment for gastritis due to various causes, including medications and lifestyle changes, as well as when to see a healthcare provider.
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The treatment ofgastritiswill depend on the cause. Treatment generally includes medications to reduce stomach acid along with avoiding medications or lifestyle factors that can irritate the stomach. More than one type of gastritis can occur at the same time, which may make finding an effective treatment more challenging.
One common cause of gastritis is aninfection with a bacterium calledHelicobacter pylori(H. pylori).Overgrowth ofH. pylorican lead to inflammation of the stomach. People may haveH. pyloriin their bodies starting from childhood, but the reasons for this are not clear.
Because it is a bacterial infection,H. pyloriis treated with an antibiotic and other medications to control stomach acid. A combination of two or three antibiotics may be prescribed.
The type of antibiotic used may depend on factors such as a person’s other conditions, allergies (such as an allergy to penicillin), and whether they live in an area where antibacterial-resistantH. pyloriare a problem.
Aproton pump inhibitor (PPI)medication such as Nexium (esomeprazole) or Prevacid (lansoprazole) is also usually prescribed to slow down the production ofstomach acid. Bismuth quadruple therapy (consisting of a PPI, bismuth, tetracycline, and a nitroimidazole) for 10–14 days may be prescribed to help prevent the growth of bacteria in the stomach.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), Indocin (indomethacin), and Aleve (naproxen), can irritate the digestive tract, which could lead to irritation of the stomach lining. NSAIDs are available over the counter and also in prescription form. They are often prescribed for pain and inflammation.
Preventing gastritis from NSAIDs can mean using the lowest dose possible or avoiding their use. For some people, however, it may be difficult or impossible to stop or reduce the dose. Some healthcare providers may prescribe a proton pump inhibitor or another type of drug to reduce stomach acid in order to try to prevent irritation.
However, chronic levels of psychological stress, such as those seen inpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)or anxiety or mood disorders, can have an effect on the stomach. These high levels of stress may change the cells in the lining of the stomach and even how pain is perceived.
Over time, the result could be inflammation. This condition may be called stress-related erosive syndrome, stress ulcer syndrome, or stress-related mucosal disease.
Treatment may start with therapies to affect the perception of stress, such asrelaxation techniques,yoga, exercise, meditation, andmind-body therapies. Additional therapies may be needed for people already being treated for mental health conditions. PPIs or other medications are not usually recommended.
Gastritis can also occur with someautoimmune conditions. In an autoimmune disorder, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. Several types of autoimmune conditions are thought to have a connection to stomach inflammation, including the following:
There is no specific treatment for autoimmune gastritis. Treatments are under study, but there are no guidelines on their use. This condition could become chronic and lead to a risk of cancer, so there may be a need for screening at regular intervals.
Drinking alcohol in excess may lead to a risk of gastritis. Over time, the stomach lining becomes inflamed and can cause pain and vomiting. Treatment includes cutting back on drinking. PPIs, H2blockers, and antacids may also be recommended.
If there is an overlap of this type of gastritis with other types, such as those caused NSAIDs orH. pylori, additional treatments may be needed.
Bileis a digestive fluid that normally flows from the gallbladder into the small intestine. Inbile acid reflux, bile backs up (refluxes) from the small intestine into the stomach or esophagus, which can lead to inflammation. Bile acid reflux could result from bariatric (weight loss), gallbladder, or stomach surgeries.
There’s a lack of consensus and guidelines on how to treat bile acid reflux, other than stopping medications that slow the gastrointestinal tract.
Medications that might be used to treat bile acid reflux include Actigall (ursodiol), PPIs, and prokinetic agents such asReglan(metoclopramide). Lifestyle measures to avoid irritating the stomach lining might also be recommended, such as alcohol, smoking, and spicy foods, though evidence of that is lacking.
Lifestyle Changes and Home Remedies for Gastritis
Treating gastritis will depend on the cause. Because the cause can be serious and/or progressive, it’s important to seek medical care. There is little evidence that home remedies or supplements can help treat gastritis. However, there may be some measures people can take at home to help with symptoms.
Eat Smaller, Frequent Meals
Avoid Irritants
Unlike known irritants like alcohol and smoking, food isn’t thought to play a major role in the development of gastritis.
However, people with gastritis may want to pay attention to how they feel after a meal or even keep a diary of food and symptoms. Doing so may help identify any foods or supplements that lead to worsening symptoms.
Foods found to be irritating include:
What to Eat and What to Avoid If You Have Gastritis
Manage Stress
Stress is thought to contribute to symptoms in some gastrointestinal disorders. It could lead to higher levels of the hormone cortisol in the body, which could, in turn, affect the digestive system and increase inflammation.
Although there is little evidence that treating stress can help manage gastritis, reducing stress is beneficial for overall health. Managing stress involves measures such as:
How to Manage Stress: Top Strategies for Stress Relief
Taking Prescription Medications for Gastritis
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Gastritis may not cause any symptoms, but abdominal pain, upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting are sometimes experienced. Bleeding in the stomach can also lead to blood in the stool, which may appeardark and tarry. These symptoms are a reason to talk to a healthcare provider to determine if the cause is gastritis.
Signs of a more serious problem that needs immediate medical attention include:
If you experience these symptoms, see a healthcare provider in the emergency department or call 911 for an ambulance, if needed.
Rectal Bleeding
Summary
There is little evidence about how supplements and lifestyle changes might be helpful. However, stopping alcohol and quitting smoking are often recommended. A healthcare provider can provide guidance on treating and preventing gastritis.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chey WD, Leontiadis GI, Howden CW, Moss SF.ACG clinical guideline: treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection[published correction appears inAm J Gastroenterol. 2018;113:1102].Am J Gastroenterol. 2017;112:212-239. doi:10.1038/ajg.2016.563Hunt R, B Lazebnik L, C Marakhouski Y, et al.International consensus on guiding recommendations for management of patients with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs induced gastropathy-ICON-G.Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2018;8:148-160. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1281Livzan MA, Gaus OV, Mozgovoi SI, Bordin DS.Chronic autoimmune gastritis: modern diagnostic principles.Diagnostics (Basel).2021;11:2113. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11112113Labanski A, Langhorst J, Engler H, Elsenbruch S.Stress and the brain-gut axis in functional and chronic-inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases: a transdisciplinary challenge.Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020;111:104501. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104501Savarino V, Marabotto E, Zentilin P, et al.Proton pump inhibitors: use and misuse in the clinical setting.Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol.2018;11:1123-1134. doi:10.1080/17512433.2018.1531703Orgler E, Dabsch S, P Malfertheiner, Schulz C.Autoimmune gastritis: update and new perspectives in therapeutic management.Curr Treat Options Gastro. 2023;21:64–77. doi:10.1007/s11938-023-00406-4National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of gastritis & gastropathy.McCabe ME 4th, Dilly CK.New causes for the old problem of bile reflux gastritis.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:1389-1392. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2018.02.034.Shi X, Chen Z, Yang Y, Yan S.Bile reflux gastritis: insights into pathogenesis, relevant factors, carcinomatous risk, diagnosis, and management.Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2022;2022:2642551. doi:10.1155/2022/2642551Lim SL, Canavarro C, Zaw MH, et al.Irregular meal timing is associated withHelicobacter pyloriinfection and gastritis.ISRN Nutr.2013;2013:714970. doi:10.5402/2013/714970National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for gastritis & gastropathy.Duque-Buitrago LF, Tornero-Martinez A, Loero-Castaneda V, Mora-Escobedo R.Use of food and food-derived products in the treatment of gastritis: a systematic review.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.2022:6;1-12. doi:10.1080/10408398.2021.2024131Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Stress and health.Additional ReadingEngevik AC, Kaji I, Goldenring JR.The Physiology of the Gastric Parietal Cell.Physiol Rev.2020;100(2):573-602. doi:10.1152/physrev.00016.2019.Szabo S, Yoshida M, Filakovszky J, Juhasz G.“Stress” is 80 Years Old: From Hans Selye Original Paper in 1936 to Recent Advances in GI Ulceration.Curr Pharm Des.2017;23(27):4029-4041. doi:10.2174/1381612823666170622110046.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chey WD, Leontiadis GI, Howden CW, Moss SF.ACG clinical guideline: treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection[published correction appears inAm J Gastroenterol. 2018;113:1102].Am J Gastroenterol. 2017;112:212-239. doi:10.1038/ajg.2016.563Hunt R, B Lazebnik L, C Marakhouski Y, et al.International consensus on guiding recommendations for management of patients with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs induced gastropathy-ICON-G.Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2018;8:148-160. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1281Livzan MA, Gaus OV, Mozgovoi SI, Bordin DS.Chronic autoimmune gastritis: modern diagnostic principles.Diagnostics (Basel).2021;11:2113. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11112113Labanski A, Langhorst J, Engler H, Elsenbruch S.Stress and the brain-gut axis in functional and chronic-inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases: a transdisciplinary challenge.Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020;111:104501. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104501Savarino V, Marabotto E, Zentilin P, et al.Proton pump inhibitors: use and misuse in the clinical setting.Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol.2018;11:1123-1134. doi:10.1080/17512433.2018.1531703Orgler E, Dabsch S, P Malfertheiner, Schulz C.Autoimmune gastritis: update and new perspectives in therapeutic management.Curr Treat Options Gastro. 2023;21:64–77. doi:10.1007/s11938-023-00406-4National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of gastritis & gastropathy.McCabe ME 4th, Dilly CK.New causes for the old problem of bile reflux gastritis.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:1389-1392. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2018.02.034.Shi X, Chen Z, Yang Y, Yan S.Bile reflux gastritis: insights into pathogenesis, relevant factors, carcinomatous risk, diagnosis, and management.Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2022;2022:2642551. doi:10.1155/2022/2642551Lim SL, Canavarro C, Zaw MH, et al.Irregular meal timing is associated withHelicobacter pyloriinfection and gastritis.ISRN Nutr.2013;2013:714970. doi:10.5402/2013/714970National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for gastritis & gastropathy.Duque-Buitrago LF, Tornero-Martinez A, Loero-Castaneda V, Mora-Escobedo R.Use of food and food-derived products in the treatment of gastritis: a systematic review.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.2022:6;1-12. doi:10.1080/10408398.2021.2024131Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Stress and health.Additional ReadingEngevik AC, Kaji I, Goldenring JR.The Physiology of the Gastric Parietal Cell.Physiol Rev.2020;100(2):573-602. doi:10.1152/physrev.00016.2019.Szabo S, Yoshida M, Filakovszky J, Juhasz G.“Stress” is 80 Years Old: From Hans Selye Original Paper in 1936 to Recent Advances in GI Ulceration.Curr Pharm Des.2017;23(27):4029-4041. doi:10.2174/1381612823666170622110046.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Chey WD, Leontiadis GI, Howden CW, Moss SF.ACG clinical guideline: treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection[published correction appears inAm J Gastroenterol. 2018;113:1102].Am J Gastroenterol. 2017;112:212-239. doi:10.1038/ajg.2016.563Hunt R, B Lazebnik L, C Marakhouski Y, et al.International consensus on guiding recommendations for management of patients with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs induced gastropathy-ICON-G.Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2018;8:148-160. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1281Livzan MA, Gaus OV, Mozgovoi SI, Bordin DS.Chronic autoimmune gastritis: modern diagnostic principles.Diagnostics (Basel).2021;11:2113. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11112113Labanski A, Langhorst J, Engler H, Elsenbruch S.Stress and the brain-gut axis in functional and chronic-inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases: a transdisciplinary challenge.Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020;111:104501. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104501Savarino V, Marabotto E, Zentilin P, et al.Proton pump inhibitors: use and misuse in the clinical setting.Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol.2018;11:1123-1134. doi:10.1080/17512433.2018.1531703Orgler E, Dabsch S, P Malfertheiner, Schulz C.Autoimmune gastritis: update and new perspectives in therapeutic management.Curr Treat Options Gastro. 2023;21:64–77. doi:10.1007/s11938-023-00406-4National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of gastritis & gastropathy.McCabe ME 4th, Dilly CK.New causes for the old problem of bile reflux gastritis.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:1389-1392. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2018.02.034.Shi X, Chen Z, Yang Y, Yan S.Bile reflux gastritis: insights into pathogenesis, relevant factors, carcinomatous risk, diagnosis, and management.Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2022;2022:2642551. doi:10.1155/2022/2642551Lim SL, Canavarro C, Zaw MH, et al.Irregular meal timing is associated withHelicobacter pyloriinfection and gastritis.ISRN Nutr.2013;2013:714970. doi:10.5402/2013/714970National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for gastritis & gastropathy.Duque-Buitrago LF, Tornero-Martinez A, Loero-Castaneda V, Mora-Escobedo R.Use of food and food-derived products in the treatment of gastritis: a systematic review.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.2022:6;1-12. doi:10.1080/10408398.2021.2024131Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Stress and health.
Chey WD, Leontiadis GI, Howden CW, Moss SF.ACG clinical guideline: treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection[published correction appears inAm J Gastroenterol. 2018;113:1102].Am J Gastroenterol. 2017;112:212-239. doi:10.1038/ajg.2016.563
Hunt R, B Lazebnik L, C Marakhouski Y, et al.International consensus on guiding recommendations for management of patients with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs induced gastropathy-ICON-G.Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2018;8:148-160. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1281
Livzan MA, Gaus OV, Mozgovoi SI, Bordin DS.Chronic autoimmune gastritis: modern diagnostic principles.Diagnostics (Basel).2021;11:2113. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11112113
Labanski A, Langhorst J, Engler H, Elsenbruch S.Stress and the brain-gut axis in functional and chronic-inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases: a transdisciplinary challenge.Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020;111:104501. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104501
Savarino V, Marabotto E, Zentilin P, et al.Proton pump inhibitors: use and misuse in the clinical setting.Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol.2018;11:1123-1134. doi:10.1080/17512433.2018.1531703
Orgler E, Dabsch S, P Malfertheiner, Schulz C.Autoimmune gastritis: update and new perspectives in therapeutic management.Curr Treat Options Gastro. 2023;21:64–77. doi:10.1007/s11938-023-00406-4
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of gastritis & gastropathy.
McCabe ME 4th, Dilly CK.New causes for the old problem of bile reflux gastritis.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:1389-1392. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2018.02.034.
Shi X, Chen Z, Yang Y, Yan S.Bile reflux gastritis: insights into pathogenesis, relevant factors, carcinomatous risk, diagnosis, and management.Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2022;2022:2642551. doi:10.1155/2022/2642551
Lim SL, Canavarro C, Zaw MH, et al.Irregular meal timing is associated withHelicobacter pyloriinfection and gastritis.ISRN Nutr.2013;2013:714970. doi:10.5402/2013/714970
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for gastritis & gastropathy.
Duque-Buitrago LF, Tornero-Martinez A, Loero-Castaneda V, Mora-Escobedo R.Use of food and food-derived products in the treatment of gastritis: a systematic review.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.2022:6;1-12. doi:10.1080/10408398.2021.2024131
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Stress and health.
Engevik AC, Kaji I, Goldenring JR.The Physiology of the Gastric Parietal Cell.Physiol Rev.2020;100(2):573-602. doi:10.1152/physrev.00016.2019.Szabo S, Yoshida M, Filakovszky J, Juhasz G.“Stress” is 80 Years Old: From Hans Selye Original Paper in 1936 to Recent Advances in GI Ulceration.Curr Pharm Des.2017;23(27):4029-4041. doi:10.2174/1381612823666170622110046.
Engevik AC, Kaji I, Goldenring JR.The Physiology of the Gastric Parietal Cell.Physiol Rev.2020;100(2):573-602. doi:10.1152/physrev.00016.2019.
Szabo S, Yoshida M, Filakovszky J, Juhasz G.“Stress” is 80 Years Old: From Hans Selye Original Paper in 1936 to Recent Advances in GI Ulceration.Curr Pharm Des.2017;23(27):4029-4041. doi:10.2174/1381612823666170622110046.
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