Chronic gastritis

For a lay person:

Chronic gastritis is long-lasting inflammation of the stomach lining. It is most often caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, long-term use of painkillers or autoimmune disease, and may cause indigestion, bloating and discomfort or no symptoms at all.

For a trained medical person:

Commonly due to H. pylori infection, with autoimmune atrophic gastritis (associated with B12 deficiency), NSAID use and bile reflux as other causes; chronic atrophy and intestinal metaplasia raise gastric cancer risk. Diagnosis is by H. pylori testing and endoscopy with biopsy where indicated. Management is H. pylori eradication, stopping NSAIDs, acid suppression, B12 replacement and endoscopic surveillance of high-risk changes.

In Chinese medicine:

Liu and Tseng's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Liver and Stomach Qi Stagnation; Spleen Deficiency Stomach Heat; Spleen and Stomach Deficiency; Stomach Yin Deficiency; Blood Stasis Obstructing Collaterals; Bile Reflux Type Gastritis. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: See a doctor promptly for difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, persistent vomiting, anaemia, black stools or vomiting blood, especially if you are over 55.