Having gastritis that is persistent over a long period of time is classified as having chronic gastritis. Gastritis is described as a digestive disorder or disease that is demonstrated by the inflammation of the stomach lining. When you eat food, it is chewed in the mouth, swallowed at the throat and transferred to the stomach through the esophagus. Once the food passes the lower esophageal sphincter or the gateway to the stomach, it reaches the gastric acid of the stomach. Gastric acid is what is used to break down foods. Food doesn’t just go into the stomach and become useful to your body. To get the nutrients, proteins and minerals from the food, it first needs to be broken down.

This is why the stomach lining is so important. The stomach lining houses the cells that produce the enzymes and gastric acid that is needed to digest food. When you have gastritis, the stomach acid becomes inflamed causing a decrease in the production of the essential acids and enzymes. Because stomach acid is so corrosive, the lining needs to protect itself from the acid. The acid is only meant to access the food you eat. The lining also produces mucus to prevent the acid form damaging the lining and stomach wall layers. When there is inflammation of the lining, mucus production also decreases. This makes the stomach lining more prone to being damaged.

There are a couple types of gastritis. Neither form is really milder than the other.

The first type is acute. Acute gastritis occurs in a sudden and severe fashion. You may not have had any digestive problems in the past for this to take place. Erosive gastritis doesn?t cause as much inflammation of the lining but it causes more destruction to the lining.

Chronic gastritis is very severe. It is not called chronic because of the severity but because of the time frame. Chronic gastritis occurs on a regular basis, over an extended period of time. Chronic gastritis can last for months and even years. Failure to treat gastritis in the beginning stages could lead to chronic gastritis.

The Symptoms

You may have chronic gastritis without experiencing any or all of the symptoms. You may have chronic gastritis for a long time before recognizing any of the symptoms. Chronic gastritis symptoms include:

• Nausea: A sensation that you need to vomit.
• Vomiting: When food leaves the stomach and esophagus and is expelled through the mouth.
• Blood in Vomit: Vomit that is abnormally red may happen because of the presence of blood.
• Abdominal Pain: This normally is felt in the upper abdomen. Pain increases with each meal.
• Dark Stool: If you notice that your stool has gotten increasingly dark, this could be a sign of gastritis.
• Loss of Appetite: You may not feel like eating as much as you used to or you may only desire certain foods.
• Indigestion: You may have an upset stomach or feel gassy.

The Reflux Remedy Report contains more information on the symptoms of chronic gastritis and can assist you in determining your risk level.