What is gastritis?

Gastritis is the term used for inflammation or irritation of the stomach lining. It is a fairly common condition with a range of causes: from eating foods that you don’t quite agree with, to using certain types of medicines such as painkillers.

Generally, people experience symptoms they describe as indigestion, such as bloating, upper abdominal discomfort, heartburn or a feeling of fullness.

We now know that a common cause of gastritis and indigestion is infection by a type of bacteria known as Helicobactor pylori.

Although it is important to eliminate this possibility, we should also consider dietary and lifestyle factors which may be contributing to the condition.