Gastritis: Possible causes numerous
If you have read the brief Anatomy and Physiology Section of Gastritis within this web-site, then you should easily understand how any one of the myriad of complex functions which occur can go astray, contributing to gastritis. A few of the disorders contributing to gastritis are identified below:
Bacterial infection.
The main cause of true gastritis is Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. H. pylori is indicated in an average of 90% of patients with chronic gastritis H. pylori is a type of bacteria.
H. pylori infection is common in the United States: About 20 percent of people under 40 years old and half of those over 60 years have it. Most infected people, however, do not develop ulcers. Why H. pylori does not cause ulcers in every infected person is not known. Most likely, infection depends on characteristics of the infected person, the type of H. pylori, and other factors yet to be discovered.
Researchers are not certain how people contract H. pylori, but they think it may be through food or water.
Researchers have found H. pylori in the saliva of some infected people, so the bacteria may also spread through mouth-to-mouth contact such as kissing.
Of interest, is that some scientists believe that this bacteria slowly wears away the cells that secrete the acid needed in the stomach to digest food. This elimination may be the trigger to a cancerous tumor developing, as the acids may eliminate potential cancer cells prior to their seeding or development.
Regular use of pain relievers.
After H. pylori, the second most common cause of chronic gastritis is use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These commonly used pain killers, including aspirin, fenoprofen, ibuprofen and naproxen, among others, can lead to gastritis and peptic ulcers. Usually, for gastritis or ulcers to develop these drugs must be used on a regular and recurrent basis. Additionally, people need to be on high doses, such as taken for chronic arthritis. It is estimated that 20-30% of people on high dose NSAIDs, taken on a regular basis, will develop gastritis and ulcers. The inflammatory/erosive effect is caused by the decrease in the protective prostaglandins which exist in the stomach lining. People on any type of steroid, i.e. cortisone, also have a higher risk for gastritis or ulcers; this effect is exponentially increased, if the steroids are used in combination with NSAID’s.
Excessive use of irritants to the stomach such as alcohol, cigarette smoke, cocaine, and/or allergen substances.
The chronic erosion of the stomach lining caused by these irritants, makes the stomach more vulnerable to the caustic effects of normal secretions.
Other forms of gastritis
Clinicians differ on the classification of the less common and specific forms of gastritis, particularly since there is so much overlap with H. pylori in development of chronic gastritis and complications of gastritis. Other types of gastritis that may be diagnosed include:
• Acute stress gastritis--the most serious form of gastritis which usually occurs in critically ill patients, such as those in intensive care. Stress erosions may develop suddenly as a result of severe trauma or stress to the stomach lining.
• Atrophic gastritis is the result of chronic gastritis which is leading to atrophy, or decrease in size and wasting away, of the gastric lining. Gastric atrophy is the final stage of chronic gastritis and may be a precursor to gastric cancer. Any of the autoimmune diseases can cause this shrinkage, leading to a loss of the cells which produce acid, intrinsic factor for vitamin B12, and many other required enzymes required in the digestive processes. Signs of malnutrition, particularly protein malnutrition, and pernicious anemia as a result of the low B12 are signs of this type of gastritis, and is common among older Adults.
• Superficial gastritis is a term often used to describe the initial stages of chronic gastritis.
• Uncommon specific forms of gastritis include granulomatous, eosiniphilic and lymphocytic gastritis.
• Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can inflame your stomach lining, leading to both gastritis and stomach ulcers. When you're exposed to small amounts of radiation, the damage is often temporary, but large doses usually cause irreversible erosion of the stomach lining and destruction of acid-producing glands.
• Bile — a fluid that helps you digest fats — is produced in your liver and stored in your gallbladder. Sometimes, the strong valve at the distal end of the stomach does not close properly, allowing the bile to back flow to the stomach. This causes inflammation (i.e. gastritis) and erosion
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, Published December, 2002 by the Gale Group, Updated 2006 https://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/gastritis.jsp
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