Background
Burning pain at epigastric area can be of different causes. The most common reason would be increasing the acid content in stomach, called as gastric or acid peptic condition. Pain is specific at upper region of abdomen and it sometime mimics in chest and back region this sort of pain is relieved only after taking meal. There are several reasons causing this condition and one of the common causes is the stress which is called as stress induced gastritis. If it is to be defined, it can be said as chronic condition of releasing acid by the acid screting cells in the stomach due to stimuli to the stress. Generally it is seen in intensive care units or post-surgical environments. Less common causes are radiation, vascular injury, and trauma. When severe, stress gastritis can result in chest pain, hematemesis, or melena.The main symptoms of the people will have complaint of epigastric pain during and after stress. It is most common on old aged people and ratio of male to female for stress induced gastritis is same.
Physiology
after taking meal, parietal cells in gastric layer of stomach secretes hydrochloric acid (HCL) that helps in food digestion, killing bacteria & maintaining the acidic environment. Another cell, chief cell, produces pepsin converted pepsinogen by HCL and act as helper in digestion. In the same way gastrin somatostatin hormones are also produced by G- cell of antrum (lower portion of stomach) and somatostatin by D cell of stomach respectively. Gastrin stimulates the acid (HCL) secretion while the somatostatin will suppress working as antagonism. Bicarbonate ions and mucus together protect the stomach wall. Mucus also produces Prostaglandin E, which help in decrease acid secretion and protects wall of stomach. And it is believed that the stress will reduce the protective layer (mucus) and cause gastritis.
How it is Diagnosis?
Generally mild to severe symptoms can appear according to the different grading but in simple, the symptoms: 1) Repeated episodes of epigastric pain, Coffee or brown colored Vomiting, Black colored stool. (Melena).are the common presentations. The coffee color of vomit & black color of stool might be due to upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding. Beside these, other investigations are also done but the endoscopy is done for confirming the diagnosis
How to treat gastritis?
Simply, this condition can be overcome by simple measures like life style modification, risk factor stoppage or reduction and taking the medications
The major cause of the stress can be decreased by life style modification. The regular walk or exercise decreases the stress by increasing the level of serotonin in the body and this increasing level gives the strength to fight against stressful life.
The aggravating factors like cessation of smoking alcohol, less use of NSAID pain killers( aspirin or ibuprofen), avoiding Oily, spicy and smoky food, Late night heaving meal intake, regular intake of food (no empty stomach) will also help to reduce this condition
Medications:
Antacid (aluminum hydroxide, magnesium oxide) Gastrointestinal agents sucralfate, histamine H2 antagonists (ranitidine, famotidine, cimetidine), Proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, lansoprazole, Pantoprazole, Rabiprazole) are the main medications for this treatment. Besides the combination with anti-anxiety medication also provide good relief from this condition
Common Stomach Acid Problem:Stress induce gastrits
