Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach lining or the mucosa. The stomach is a hollow muscular organ located in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen lined with several layers of different tissues i.e. serosa, muscularis externa, sub mucosa and mucosa. Serosa is the outermost layer of the epithelial and connective tissue that is a part of the peritoneum. The next layer, or the muscularis externa, helps in churning, mixing the food, and propelling it towards the intestines by contracting and relaxing. The sub mucosa layer contains the blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves. The inner most layer or the mucosa is a soft, smooth surfaced layer that contains gastric glands and gastric pits. The gastric glands have various cells that produce mucus, an enzyme named pepsinogen, hydrochloric acid and the gastric intrinsic factor which helps in absorbing vitamin B12. The mucus protects the stomach tissue from being eaten away, damaged, or corroded by its digestive secretions. The hydrochloric acid kills microorganisms swallowed along with food and activates pepsinogen into pepsin to help in digesting proteins. Any factor that disrupts the protective mucus barrier of the stomach exposes the stomach tissue to harm by the strongly acidic stomach secretions. This results in the inflammation of the stomach lining or the mucosa and is called gastritis.
Homeopathic treatment gives remarkable results in cases of gastritis. Homeopathic medicines successfully reduce the inflammation of the stomach lining and manage the symptoms that arise subsequently. Symptoms of pain, burning, stomach fullness, nausea, vomiting are effectively relieved with these medicines. If started well in time, homeopathic treatment for gastritis is quite beneficial in preventing the development of sores and ulcers in the stomach lining as well. For gastritis cases mainstream medicine recommends antibiotics, antacids and medicines to reduce or block acid production. They give instant relief but can cause side effects with prolonged use, while homeopathy offers long term results and has zero side effects in gastritis cases.
Homeopathic treatment for gastritis is very helpful for both acute (short term) and chronic (long-standing) cases of gastritis. With well-prescribed homeopathic medicines, both types of cases recover completely. To obtain best results, proper treatment for the suggested time period under a homeopathic physician needs to be followed.
Homeopathic remedies help in decreasing inflammation of the stomach lining by treating the root cause behind it. This helps to fight the underlying cause of gastritis by boosting body’s natural self-healing mechanism. This way, it offers recovery in the most natural, harmless way.
In homeopathy, medicines for gastritis are selected for each case individually. Homeopathy never prescribes the same medicine in every case of gastritis based merely on diagnosis. Rather, it prescribes medicines based on the characteristic unique symptoms present in every individual case. After noting down all the symptoms in a case, a detailed case analysis is done by a homeopathic doctor as per fixed laws of homeopathy. These individualized well-selected medicines do wonders in treating gastritis cases.
To treat gastritis, homeopathy makes use of medicines prepared from naturally occurring substances used in highly diluted form. This ensures natural treatment with no side effects at all. Homeopathy is a great alternative natural treatment mode for gastritis cases that can be considered in persons of any age group.
Top 5 Homeopathic Medicines for Gastritis
The five leading homeopathic medicines for treating gastritis are Arsenic Album, Phosphorus, Lycopodium, Colocynth and Argentum Nitricum.
1. Arsenic Album – For Gastritis With Burning Pain In Stomach
Arsenic Album is one of the top homeopathic medicines for gastritis. It works well when there is a burning pain in the stomach due to gastritis. Ingesting even a little food or drink worsens the pain. Taking something warm may bring relief. Acidic and cold things worsen the pain and burning. Other accompanying symptoms are weakness, exhaustion, weight loss, and intense anxiety.
When to use Arsenic Album?
It is the best choice of medicine to manage burning pain in the stomach in cases of gastritis.
How to use Arsenic Album?
Arsenic Album can be administered once a day in 30C potency.
2. Phosphorus – For Gastritis With Stomach Pain
Phosphorus is wonderful homeopathic medicine for gastritis with marked stomach pain. The pain gets worse if even a little pressure is applied on the stomach. Cutting type of pain is usually present. Along with this, burning sensation is also present in stomach. There is relief in pain from intake of cold food / drinks. Nausea and vomiting can occur and the patient throws up food. There is constant nausea and a soreness in the pit of the stomach. Water brash and heartburn are other features that may arise. Some patients also complain of bitter or sour belching.
When to use Phosphorus?
Phosphorus is a highly suitable medicine to manage stomach pain in cases of gastritis when pain increases from the slightest pressure over the stomach and there is relief from cold food.
How to use Phosphorus?
It is advised to take Phosphorus 30C once a day.
3. Lycopodium – When Fullness Or Distension Of Stomach Is Prominent
Lycopodium is one of leading homeopathic medicine for gastritis in cases where fullness of stomach is the main symptom. The fullness appears soon after eating. Eating tiny quantities of food can also lead to fullness and distension of the stomach. Along with fullness, there is a gnawing, burning or constrictive pain in the stomach. The pain may get better on rubbing. Nausea and sour belching may also be present. In a few cases, there is vomiting of food and bile. Another marked feature is the loss of appetite.
When to use Lycopodium?
This medicine is highly suggested for gastritis when there is fullness, distension of stomach soon after eating.
How to use Lycopodium?
This medicine can be used once a day in 30C power.
4. Colocynth – For Stomach Pain And Vomiting In Gastritis
Colocynth is a prominent medicine to manage stomach pain along with vomiting in cases of gastritis. There is constant urge to vomit where this medicine is required. The stomach pain gets better by applying pressure and bending double means bending forward. Along with these complaints, there is bitter taste in the mouth.
When to use Colocynth?
Use of Colocynth is preferred to manage stomach pain and vomiting occurring from gastritis. Relief in stomach pain from pressure and bending forward is characteristic to use this medicine.
How to use Colocynth?
Though it can be used in different potencies like 30C, 200C, 1M, it is advised to begin with 30C potency two to three times a day. Use of higher potencies should be done only under supervision of a physician.
5. Argentum Nitricum – For Gastritis From Excessive Alcohol Intake
Argentum Nitricum offers excellent homeopathic treatment for gastritis caused by chronic alcohol intake. A primary symptom for using Argentum Nitricum is pain in the stomach which radiates to all parts of the abdomen. The pain may be gnawing, burning or constricting in nature. Another symptom is frequent belching. Distension of the abdomen may also occur. Argentum Nitricum is also an often used homeopathic medicine to treat ulcers in the stomach.
When to use Argentum Nitricum?
This medicine is well indicated to manage gastritis resulting from prolonged alcohol intake. The symptoms indicating its use are stomach pain (gnawing, burning or constricting type) that radiates all over the abdomen and excessive burping.
How to use Argentum Nitricum?
This medicine can be used in both low and high potencies. However, it is suggested to start with low potency like 30C that can be taken one to two times a day.
Types of Gastritis
Gastritis may be acute or short-term and chronic or long-term in nature. It can also be nonerosive or erosive. In nonerosive gastritis, only the stomach lining is inflamed. In erosive gastritis, the mucus lining erodes, which leads to breaks, sores or ulcers in the stomach lining. Another form of gastritis is atrophic gastritis in which the gastric gland cells are destroyed due to long-term inflammation and replaced by intestinal and fibrous tissue. This leads to the impairment of the production of hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and gastric intrinsic factor. Atrophic gastritis is either the result of long-term Helicobacter pylori infection or is autoimmune in origin.
Causes
The primary causes of gastritis are infection with Helicobacter Pylori bacteria, excessive use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and high alcohol intake. Other predisposing factors for gastritis include stress, injuries, burns, smoking, and Crohn’s disease (autoimmune disorder that may cause inflammation in any part of gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus). A person suffering from autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s disease (autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland) and Type 1 diabetes is also prone to gastritis. Chemotherapy and radiation used for cancer treatment also increase the risk of gastritis.
Symptoms of Gastritis
The signs and symptoms of gastritis include pain in the upper mid abdomen that may be burning, aching or gnawing in nature, fullness or distension of the stomach soon after eating, nausea, vomiting, belching, loss of appetite and anemia.
