What is Alcoholic Gastritis? Causes and Treatment

Medically Reviewed By Kayla Loibl | Last Edited :November 05,
2020 | 4 Sources

How does chronic alcohol misuse trigger alcoholic gastritis? Excessive alcohol consumption may lead to a severe hemorrhagic gastritis because of the irritation of the gastric mucosa. Furthermore, alcohol ingestion likewise results in decreased pepsin secretion and increased gastrin production, which could lead to gastric irritation.

At any one time 2.7 million Americans suffer from gastritis
In 2002-2003, 83,242 people were admitted to hospital in the U.K. with an episode of gastritis
In the 1980s, 730 Americans died as a result of gastritis
It is estimated that half of the world population has experienced some extent of gastritis at one point or another in their life

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Gastropathy and gastritis are conditions that involve the stomach lining, otherwise known as the mucosa. In gastropathy, the mucosa is damaged, but mild to no inflammation is present. Meanwhile, in gastritis, the mucosa is inflamed.

These statistics illustrate the prevalence and potential seriousness of gastritis.

At the same time, this is a largely preventable and treatable disease. This is particularly true of gastritis caused by excessive and long term alcohol consumption. Stopping drinking or reducing your alcohol consumption is one way to lessen the symptoms.

What is Alcoholic Gastritis?

Gastritis refers to a group of conditions that all have an impact with the lining of the stomach. Gastritis is a progressive and long term condition that often begins in childhood and continues as a person ages. Chronic gastritis is believed to be the most common long term illness known.

There are symptoms for gastritis that can be seen across the different illness that fall into this grouping. Symptoms include:

A burning ache or pain that can be described as indigestion
Nausea
Diarrhea
Vomiting which may vary in color due to the gastritis
Feeling of fullness in the upper abdomen
Regurgitation of food after eating

Risk factors that are known to increase a person’s risk to develop gastritis would be the following:

A parasitic infection
Regular use of pain reliever such as aspirin and ibuprofen
Older age
Excessive and prolonged alcohol use
Excessive and chronic stress
Having an autoimmune disorder
Having other diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Chron’s Disease and a parasitic infection

If you recognize any of the symptoms above, it may be necessary to discuss them with your medical provider. So how do professionals diagnosis Gastritis? There are several options that your medical provider can choose from.

A test for parasitic infection
An Endoscopy which would examine your upper digestive tract. If a concerning area is found while this procedure is being done, a biopsy can be taken for further examination.
An X-ray of your upper digestive system after swallowing a solution that would allow your medical provider to examine your digestive tract.

After diagnosis, Chronic Gastritis can managed with medications as well as behavioral changes. The hope with most of the medications is that with its use, the stomach lining would have time to heal.

Antibiotics if there is a parasitic infection
Medications that block acid production
Medications that reduce the amount of acid produced
Medications that neutralize the acidity in stomach acid
Eat smaller meals and portions
Avoid eating foods that irritate your stomach
Avoid drinking alcohol
Change pain relievers taken

What is Alcoholic Gastritis?

As listed above, gastritis can be caused by many factors including long term and excessive alcohol abuse. Alcoholic gastritis is, as the name suggests, gastritis that is exclusively caused by excessive alcohol consumption. It is possible that a person has had gastritis and that their prolonged alcohol abuse exacerbated the irritation in their stomach.

Because the stomach wall of an alcoholic does not get respite from the irritating effects of alcohol, it is a common condition among those who abuse alcohol, be they alcoholic or not.

There are three stages of alcoholism; Early, Middle and Late. For further information about the Stages of alcoholism you can read the Alcoholism Stages page. Binge drinking can also lead to Alcoholic Gastritis. To understand the difference between heavy drinking and alcoholic drinking read drinking problems.

It is believed by most in the medical field, and supported by research, that the use of pain relievers and excessive alcohol consumption are the most common triggers for gastritis.

What are the Symptoms of Gastritis Caused by Alcohol?

Every individual’s symptoms might vary. The most typical symptoms of gastritis include:

Stomach pain
Hiccups and belching
Abdominal bleeding
Nausea and vomiting
Feeling of burning in your stomach
Appetite loss
Blood in your stool or vomit (an indication that your mucosa may be bleeding)

The symptoms are similar as those for other forms of Gastritis. For some alcoholics, their gastritis symptoms can be a stomach ache or other mild symptoms that occur after a night of heavy drinking. For others, it may be a more constant state of symptoms on a day-to-day basis.

A concern that medical professionals can have for alcoholics who have gastritis is that they could minimize their symptoms. This can lead to them not seeking medical attention and the condition progressing. There are several factors that could contribute to this. Someone may feel as though their symptoms are tolerable or that they are in denial that their alcohol use is a problem. Either way, mild gastritis symptoms can be a precursor for more serious conditions including:

The development of anemia
A tear in the mucus membrane from repeated vomiting
Upper GI bleeding
An Upper GI obstruction
Increase their risk for stomach cancer

It is important that you are honest with your doctor about you alcohol use as well as any adverse symptoms that you have. Excessive and prolonged alcohol use can lead to a variety of several serious health conditions.

Photo by George Becker

How is Alcoholic Gastritis Diagnosed?

Diagnosing for Alcoholic Gastritis can be similar to other forms of Gastritis. The three options listed above may be used, depending on the individual.

It is possible for a physician to diagnose gastritis caused by alcohol by solely listening to the patient's history. As noted earlier, Gastritis often begins occurring in childhood and there are symptoms that could have begun before the person started drinking. When the symptoms already present are impacted by excessive drinking, it will likely progress the illness.

Any physician who learns that a patient has a history of heavy and/or alcoholic drinking, and is presented with symptoms that suggest gastritis will find it hard not to make the connection. Especially since excessive and prolonged alcohol use is one of the leading causes for Gastritis.

If the gastritis symptoms persist even when the individual has stopped drinking, then a physician will usually perform an endoscopy. This is done to see if there are any other reasons for the abdominal pain.

Some people will also need a medical procedure called gastroscopy. During this procedure, the doctor will pass a flexible instrument with a light from your throat and into your stomach. With the help of this instrument, the doctor could inspect your stomach lining and take a small tissue sample to be analyzed in the laboratory.

Alcoholic Gastritis Treatments

When alcohol is the cause of gastritis, it is not much good to treat it with medicines. This is because drinking alcohol will continue to irritate and damage the stomach lining.

The only way to stop the symptoms of alcohol-induced gastritis is to either reduce your alcohol consumption or stop drinking altogether. Preferably, stopping all together. Stopping drinking would give your body the time to heal properly without being continuously damaged.

As a simple overview, here are different levels of care that may be appropriate:

Detoxification: This can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis depending on a person’s level of risk for withdrawal. Being medically monitored can be necessary for individuals who are at a high risk for withdrawal symptoms.
Inpatient Treatment Programs: Inpatient programs often follow detox programs. They can vary in length for several reasons. The hope is that be participating in and completing an inpatient program, a person would have a better understanding of their addiction and how to have a healthy recovery.
Outpatient Treatment Programs: Outpatient programs tend to have a longer duration than Inpatient programs. Outpatient programs usually provide some education regarding the disease model of addiction, as well as how to live a healthier lifestyle without alcohol.

There are over-the-counter and prescription remedies for the temporary alleviation of gastritis symptoms such as nausea. But the important word here is 'temporary', the symptoms will always return if you continue to drink excessively.

Remember, you should never stop drinking alcohol without first consulting your physician/doctor. Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal if not medically supervised.

Prognosis for Alcoholic Gastritis

If you suffer from gastritis and continue to drink excessively then you will continually suffer from gastritis and it will get worse.

There will be continuous pain in your abdomen and a bloated feeling. Your stomach will become so sensitive that many foods/drinks (not just alcohol) will irritate it. It is also possible that more serious health concerns such as Ulcers.

The only way to prevent multiple outbreaks of gastritis occurring is to cut down on your drinking or, even better, to quit drinking.

If you found this page helpful, then the following may be of interest to you:

Lead Writer/Reviewer : Kayla Loibl

Licensed Medical Health Professional

Hello!

I am a Mental Health Counselor who is licensed in both New York (LMHC) and North Carolina (LCMHC). I have been working in the Mental Health field since 2015. I have worked in a residential setting, an outpatient program and an inpatient addictions program. I began working in Long Island, NY and then in Guelph, Ontario after moving to Canada. Read More

Sources:

Pediatrics in Review. Alcoholic Gastritis. August 1997. https://pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/18/8/282

Harvard Health Publishing. Gastritis. December 2014. https://www.health.harvard.edu/digestive-health/gastritis

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases. Gastritis & Gastropathy. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gastritis-gastropathy?dkrd=/health-information/digestive-diseases/gastritis

John Hopkins Medicine. Gastritis. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/gastritis

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