Gastritis (Stomach Pain), What Is It and How to Find Relief

Most of us have suffered from gastritis at least one point in our lives. You ate something that disagreed with your stomach, and it burned. You took too many aspirin for a week when you were recovering from breaking your ankle, and your stomach started to ache. You drank too much alcohol during a weekend wedding celebration, and now your stomach hurts. What are the causes of gastritis, and what can be done to recover from it?

All About Gastritis

Gastritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach. Gastritis can occur acutely or become chronic. Most causes of acute gastritis include excessive alcohol consumption, use of NSAIDS (ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, or aspirin as examples), food poisoning, traumatic injury to the stomach, and major intestinal surgery. Chronic causes of gastritis include H. pylori infection, bile reflux, stress, uppergut overgrowth, liver or kidney disease, stomach cancer, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and long-term use of certain medication like NSAIDS. Finally, the food additive carrageenan has been implicated in causing chronic gastritis and excessive intestinal inflammation. 1 2 3 4

The most common symptoms of gastritis are a burning feeling in your stomach, stomach gnawing sounds, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, a feeling of fullness in the stomach, ulcers, indigestion, and bloating. Pernicious anemia, which is known as anemia that is caused by a B12 deficiency, is a symptom of chronic gastritis. 5 6 7 8

Diagnostic tests useful in the diagnosis of gastritis are X-rays, ECG, an endoscopy, blood cell count to determine pernicious anemia, H. pylori tests, liver, kidney, gallbladder, or pancreatic function tests (to determine possible bile reflux cause), and possible stomach biopsy. I recommend that you get a transnasal esophagoscopy instead of an endoscopy if possible. 9 10 11 12

What to Do to Relieve Your Gastritis

The two biggest causes of gastritis are H. pylori infection and NSAID overuse. If you are suffering from gastritis, you should test for H. pylori and even if it comes back negative I still would consider suffering from it, or having another uppergut overgrowth. If your gastritis occurred from NSAID use, ask your doctor about discontinuing the medication and using the follow supplements to attempt to heal the stomach lining.

Mild to Moderate Gastritis Protocol

  • Pure Encapsulations zinc carnosine – take one capsule with a meal, twice daily
  • DGL licorice chewable – Follow supplement recommendations on the bottle (take thirty minutes before a meal; chew very well and mix with saliva for effectiveness).
  • L – glutamine – take 4,000 – 10,000 mg daily with food (use with caution if you have a sensitivity to glutamic acid, deficiency in GABA, or severe leaky gut and brain, or are suffering from uppergut overgrowth)
  • Nordic Naturals Pro Omega – take one softgel, twice daily with food.
  • D-limonene – one softgel daily with food.
  • George’s aloe vera – Only use when the stomach is inflamed. Follow the general supplement bottle recommendations.
  • Sodium Bicarbonate – Follow box recommendations for consumption, only use when stomach inflammation is at its worst.
  • I would reduce consumption of gluten and casein to help improve digestion and reduce inflammation.

Zinc carnosine, DGL, D-limonene, and L-glutamine will repair the stomach lining. 13 14 15 16
Fish oil will help reduce inflammation.17

Aloe vera will help soothe the stomach.18

Severe Gastritis Protocol

Follow protocol above and add either:

TAKE PPI / H2 ANTAGONIST NO LONGER THAN TWO WEEKS

Consider using bismuth if needed, discontinue if it causes very dark stools or increases bleeding.

I chose Zegerid because it contains Prilosec, the PPI that has been in use the longest. Therefore its mechanism of action and side effects are well known. Zegerid is Prilosec mixed with sodium bicarbonate. Pepcid is the H2 antagonist with the least side effects.

Herbal Gastritis Protocol

  • George’s aloe vera – only use the aloe vera when your stomach is inflamed. Follow the general supplement bottle recommendations.
  • DGL licorice chewable – Follow supplement bottle recommendations (take thirty minutes before a meal; chew very well and mix with saliva for effectiveness).
  • Solaray marshmallow extract – follow the general supplement bottle recommendations
  • Now slippery elm extract – follow the general supplement bottle recommendations
  • Organic chamomile tea – drink one cup, twice daily

Aloe vera will help soothe the stomach.

DGL, marshmallow, chamomile, and slippery elm will help soothe and repair the stomach’s mucous lining. 19

  1. Patton, Kevin, Thibodeau, Gary, Douglas, Matthew. Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology, Mosby, March 16, 2011.
  2. Dr. Brownstein, David. Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies that Do!, Medical Alternative Press, 2007.
  3. Beers, Mark. The Merck Manual, Merck Research Laboratories, 2006.
  4. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hpylori/
  5. Patton, Kevin, Thibodeau, Gary, Douglas, Matthew. Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology, Mosby, March 16, 2011.
  6. Dr. Brownstein, David. Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies that Do!, Medical Alternative Press, 2007.
  7. Beers, Mark. The Merck Manual, Merck Research Laboratories, 2006.
  8. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hpylori/
  9. Patton, Kevin, Thibodeau, Gary, Douglas, Matthew. Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology, Mosby, March 16, 2011.
  10. Dr. Brownstein, David. Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies that Do!, Medical Alternative Press, 2007.
  11. Beers, Mark. The Merck Manual, Merck Research Laboratories, 2006.
  12. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hpylori/
  13. Halpern, Georges. Zinc Carnosine Nature’s Safe and Effective Remedy For Ulcers, Square One Publishers, May 1, 2005.
  14. http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2006/9/cover_heartburn/page-01
  15. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/05/glutamine-supplements-show-promise-in-treating-stomach-ulcers/
  16. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/gastritis
  17. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/gastritis
  18. Balch, Phyllis. Prescription for Herbal Healing, Avery Publishing, 2012.
  19. Balch, Phyllis. Prescription for Herbal Healing, Avery Publishing, 2012.