Gastritis means inflammation of mucus lining of the stomach. It means that white blood cells move into the wall of the stomach as a response to some type of injury. Gastritis is a very troublesome disease and can give rise to many life threatening problems, if it is not treated in time.

It should be kept in mind that If one has gastritis then it doesnot necessarily mean he/she has cancer or ulcer. If a person does excessive smoking then he may get Chronic gastritis.

Gastritis is not just one disease but it is a group of conditions, in which there is a inflammation of the lining of your stomach. Mostly, this inflammation is a result of infection from the same bacteria which causes all other stomach ulcers. Yet there are other factors causing gastritis - including traumatic injury and regular use of certain drugs or anti-inflammatory medicines.

The symptoms of gastritis depend on how acute it is and how long it has been there. In acute phase there may be pain or gnawing (constant chewing) in the upper abdomen while in chronic phase, there may be slight pain.

Main Symptoms of Gastritis:

• Abdominal pain.
• Nausea.
• Burning feeling in stomach.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Feeling of fullness.
• Fever.
• Loss of appetite.
• Belching.
• Weakness.

• Gastrointestinal bleeding.
• Sometimes blood may come in vomit.
• Sometimes blood is also encountered in stool.
• Black stool.

• The main cause of gastritis is from the presence of a bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori , which is the same bug that causes peptic ulcers.
• Another main cause for gastritis is irregular or excessive eating - as it is a very common habit of people that they do overeating, eating wrong food combinations or improperly cooked foods, eating lot of spicy food.
• Bacterial or viral infection (infection by a virus is contagious).
• Use of drugs such as Aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, cortisone.
• Worry, anxiety, grief, and prolonged tension.
• Excessive intake of alcohol may lead to gastritis.
• Strong acids, and caustic substances are also a cause for gastritis.

Sometimes gastritis develops after major surgery, traumatic injury, burns. Gatritis can also be caused as a result of certain diseases and infections, like:

• Anemia.
• Pernicious anemia.
• Autoimmune digestive disorders.
• Gout.
• Chronic bile reflux can cause gastritis as well.
• Scherichia coli infection.
• Burns.
• Influenza.
• Toxins of uraemia.
• Food poisoning.
• Peptic ulcer disease.
• Crohn's disease.