There is not much improvement even after treatment for Chronic Gastritis/Reflux Esophagitis Gastritis is a condition that causes inflammation of the stomach lining. If acute gastritis is not properly treated or managed and repeats, it can progress to Chronic Gastritis, and in severe cases, gastroptosis or gastric atony may accompany it, so caution is needed.
Most patients with gastritis/Reflux Esophagitis live with a reduced quality of life due to symptoms such as indigestion, stomach heaviness, bloating and abdominal pain, heartburn, acid regurgitation, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, headache, and low energy.
Reflux Esophagitis, an inflammation of the esophagus caused by the backflow of stomach contents or stomach acid, Chronic Atrophic Gastritis caused by chronic inflammation of the stomach lining, and Intestinal Metaplasia are all conditions in which inflammation develops in the stomach or esophageal lining due to poor eating habits, stress, and related factors.
Learn about gastritis, Intestinal Metaplasia, and peptic ulcers in an easy-to-understand way with Kyunghee Ryu Korean Medicine Clinic. *Acute gastritis: Cases in which the stomach lining is damaged due to a serious illness or stress
*Chronic Gastritis: It is divided into type A and type B gastritis according to the disease mechanism, and clinically classified as below based on endoscopic findings and tissue findings.
(1) Superficial Gastritis: Erosion, swelling, and redness of the stomach lining are observed.
(2) Atrophic Gastritis: This is a more advanced stage of gastritis in which the stomach lining becomes atrophic, stomach acid secretion decreases, and bacteria proliferate more. After eating greasy or irritating foods, indigestion may worsen and appetite may decrease. In Atrophic Gastritis, reduced stomach acid secretion and bacterial overgrowth increase the formation of carcinogenic substances.
(3) Hypertrophic gastritis (Ménétrier disease): Characterized by marked thickening of the folds in the body of the stomach, it causes chronic protein loss. Chronic chemical gastritis: Gastritis caused by various medications (such as NSAID pain relievers) or alcohol
*Intestinal Metaplasia: Intestinal Metaplasia, which occurs when low acidity persists and the stomach lining regenerates into intestinal mucosal cells, is a risk factor for stomach cancer.
*Peptic ulcer: A peptic ulcer occurs when the stomach and duodenum are digested by stomach acid and pepsin, forming an ulcer. It develops when the balance is disrupted because aggressive factors (stomach acid, pepsin, smoking, alcohol, anti-inflammatory pain relievers, stress, etc.) become more active or protective factors (bicarbonate, mucus, submucosal blood flow, epithelial cell growth factors and regenerative ability, etc.) become reduced.
Learn about esophageal conditions, including Reflux Esophagitis. *Reflux Esophagitis: This is a condition in which stomach acid and stomach or intestinal contents flow back into the esophagus, causing ulcers or erosions in the esophagus or symptoms such as heartburn, chest pain, cough, a foreign-body sensation in the throat, and difficulty swallowing.
*Barrett's Esophagus: Due to ongoing acid reflux, columnar epithelium is present in the lower esophagus instead of squamous epithelium during the healing process of erosive esophagitis, increasing the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
*Esophageal motility disorders: Due to the loss of normal peristalsis in the esophagus, conditions such as achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm, and scleroderma can cause symptoms such as a foreign-body sensation in the throat, difficulty swallowing, burning under the breastbone, and food regurgitation.
I was told the visible inflammation has improved, so why are my symptoms still this severe?
The hidden causes of gastritis/Reflux Esophagitis Various symptoms can appear due to inflammation in the stomach, but endoscopic findings and actual symptoms often do not necessarily match. In addition, even when inflammation is suppressed by using acid-suppressing medications or stomach lining protectants, symptoms often remain. Meanwhile, because treatment for Helicobacter pylori does not greatly help relieve symptoms, it is not actively performed in practice.
In the end, even after inflammation is treated, accompanying symptoms often do not all disappear easily. This is because Chronic Atrophic Gastritis, Intestinal Metaplasia, and Reflux Esophagitis, like gastroptosis and gastric atony, can occur or worsen due to “gastric motility disorder.” When stomach function decreases or stomach movement slows, it takes longer to digest the food you eat and the food stays in the stomach longer, further irritating a sensitized stomach and esophagus and causing symptoms such as indigestion, fullness, abdominal bloating and abdominal pain, heartburn, acid regurgitation, nausea, and vomiting.
Why gastritis/Reflux Esophagitis should be treated promptly Symptoms caused by inflammation of the upper gastrointestinal tract, such as Chronic Gastritis/Reflux Esophagitis, often recur repeatedly if they are not properly treated or managed. In many cases of Chronic Gastritis, peptic ulcers, and Reflux Esophagitis, patients are born with relatively weak Digestive System function. On top of this, stress, overwork, lack of exercise, irregular eating habits, excessive fatty foods, instant foods, tough and hard foods, spicy and irritating foods, alcohol, smoking, medications, caffeine, stress, family history, and other factors can worsen stomach inflammation.
It can also affect the autonomic nervous system, causing headaches and dizziness, and inadequate nutrient absorption in the stomach may lead to low energy or fatigue. The longer symptoms last, the longer it takes for the stomach to recover to its original state.