Acid blockers — also called histamine (H-2) blockers — reduce the amount of acid released into your digestive tract, which relieves gastritis pain and encourages healing. Available by prescription or over the counter, acid blockers include famotidine (Pepcid), cimetidine (Tagamet HB) and nizatidine (Axid AR).
If you are diagnosed with chronic gastritis, its symptoms can be eased with lifestyle changes: relaxation techniques, avoiding NSAID painkillers and alcohol, not smoking, eating smaller portions more frequently instead of a big meal, and cutting down on known irritants in your diet such as fried, spicy or acidic foods.
The health care professional may recommend that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) be taken with food or with antacids.
Gastritis can happen suddenly and be short-lived (acute gastritis), or develop gradually and last over a few months or years (chronic gastritis). While gastritis can be mild and heal on its own, sometimes treatment may be needed, depending on the cause and symptoms.
Gastritis Treatment Medications
These contain containing aluminum and magnesium and can help relieve neutralize gastric acid. These are inexpensive and relatively safe. Examples include: Alka-Seltzer, Milk of Magnesia, Gaviscon, Pepto-Bismol and Tums.
So the question of how long will gastritis last really depends on the cause of it and it can vary from patient to patient. It could be a week or two, it could be a month or even longer than that.
Generally, acute gastritis lasts anywhere from 2-10 days and can be greatly improved with symptomatic treatment. People usually recover from acute gastritis without complications or need for further medical intervention.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the first-line therapy to treat gastritis due to H. pylori infection. Considered strong stomach acid reducers, omeprazole, lansoprazole, and esomeprazole decrease stomach acid secretions.
Things you can do to help yourself
If you think the cause of your gastritis is repeated use of NSAID painkillers (see above), try switching to a different painkiller that isn't in the NSAID class, such as paracetamol. You may want to talk to your GP about this. Also consider: eating smaller, more frequent meals.
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium based probiotics also have anti-inflammatory effects that reduce the chance of gastritis, and also demonstrate antioxidant effects that reduce damage to the intestinal lining.
Chronic gastritis risk factors
Habitual use of painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen can change the composition of the stomach lining, leaving it less protected and causing both acute and chronic gastritis. Excessive alcohol consumption is another common risk factor.
Lingering gastritis
If you experience persistent symptoms of gastritis that don't go away despite the absence of NSAIDs, alcohol, stress, and radiation, then you most likely have a serious infection in your stomach or a severely damaged gastric mucosa.
Anyone with gastritis should see a doctor if symptoms are severe, extend past a week, or are unresponsive to adjusting diet or altering lifestyle. However, any sign of internal bleeding is an immediate emergency and anyone with symptoms of internal bleeding should seek medical attention right away.
Acute gastritis comes on suddenly, and can be caused by injury, bacteria, viruses, stress, or ingesting irritants such as alcohol, NSAIDs, steroids, or spicy food. It is often only temporary. Chronic gastritis, on the other hand, comes on more slowly and lasts longer.
infection with a bacteria called helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) taking anti-inflammatory painkillers (such as ibuprofen) and aspirin. drinking too much alcohol. being very stressed and unwell, such as after surgery.
"We usually prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection, and stop any medications that could be causing it." Reducing acid in the stomach can also help relieve gastritis-induced discomfort. Antacids work to neutralize stomach acid, but may also have unwanted side effects, such as constipation or diarrhea.
People with GERD, H. pylori, chronic gastritis, and other similar conditions will often describe how debilitating the symptoms can be, affecting not only their health but their general well-being. PPIs like Nexium can go a long way toward improving these symptoms and may, in some cases, even resolve them.
If you're wondering what gastritis is, it is an inflammation of the stomach lining. It gets confused with acid reflux because acid reflux is similar, but it is instead the inflammation of the esophagus. The two conditions also share some common symptoms. There are two distinct types of gastritis: acute and chronic.
H2-receptor antagonists and antacids have an aggravating effect on Helicobacter pylori gastritis in duodenal ulcer patients.