Gastritis

Gastritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It may occur as a short episode or may be of a long duration. The most common symptom is upper abdominal pain. Other symptoms include nausea and vomiting, bloating, loss of appetite, and heart burn. Others may have no symptoms. Complications may include bleeding, stomach ulcers, and stomach tumors. When due to autoimmune problems, low red blood cells due to not enough vitamin B12 may occur, a condition known as pernicious anemia.

Common causes include infection with Helicobacter pylori and use of NSAIDs. Less common causes include alcohol, smoking, cocaine, severe illness, autoimmune problems, radiation therapy, and Crohn disease among others.Endoscopy, a type of X-ray known as an upper gastrointestinal series, blood tests, and stool tests may help with diagnosis. The symptoms of gastritis may be a presentation of a myocardial infarction. Other conditions with similar symptoms include inflammation of the pancreas, gallbladder problems, and peptic ulcer disease.