Gastritis is a condition that affects the lining of the stomach, causing it to become inflamed, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the US National Institutes of Health.
Additionally, according to Medline Plus, the US National Library of Medicine, the disease can last only for a short time (acute gastritis) or last for months or years (chronic gastritis).
In addition, Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit entity dedicated to clinical practice, education and research, explains that factors that increase the risk of having gastritis include:
- Bacterial infection. Although Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common human infections worldwide, only some people with the infection develop gastritis or other gastrointestinal disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Doctors believe that vulnerability to the bacteria might be inherited or be caused by lifestyle choices, such as smoking and diet.
- Frequent use of painkillers. Pain relievers commonly called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, can cause both acute and chronic gastritis. Regular or excessive use of these pain relievers may deplete a key substance that helps preserve the stomach’s protective lining.
- Advanced age. Older adults are at higher risk for gastritis because the stomach lining tends to thin with age and because they are more likely to have Helicobacter pylori infection or autoimmune disorders than younger people.
- Excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol can irritate and erode the lining of the stomach, making it more vulnerable to digestive juices. Excessive alcohol consumption is more likely to cause acute gastritis.
- Stress. Intense stress due to major surgery, injury, burns, or serious infections can lead to acute gastritis.
- Oncology treatment. Chemotherapy drugs or radiation therapy can increase the risk of gastritis.
- The body itself attacks the cells of the stomach. Autoimmune gastritis occurs when the body attacks the cells that make up the lining of the stomach. This reaction can wear down the protective barrier of the stomach. Autoimmune gastritis is more common in people with other autoimmune disorders, such as Hashimoto’s disease and type 1 diabetes. Autoimmune gastritis can also be associated with a deficiency of vitamin B-12.
- Other diseases and medical conditions. Gastritis may be associated with other medical conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, sarcoidosis, and parasitic infections.
Thus, some symptoms of this disease are pain or burning (indigestion) in the upper abdomen (which can improve or worsen when eating), nausea, vomiting and feeling full following eating. However, gastritis does not always cause signs and symptoms.
For this reason, if you suffer from the condition, the Salud 180 portal pointed out that the cuachalalate plant can relieve gastritis naturally, since it has bacteriostatic properties. “Its effectiveness is obtained by boiling the bark of the tree in water and drinking it. throughout the day”, according to what the researcher of the Department of Biochemistry of the Faculty of Medicine of the UNAM, Irma Romero Álvarez, told the portal.
In any case, before consuming the medicinal plant, the first thing to do is consult a health expert. so that it is this who guides the process and indicates what is most appropriate for each person, since the information given above in no way replaces medical advice.
