Patient's question:
I have had a stomach problem for two years. Recently, I always feel uncomfortable in my stomach and went to the hospital for a thorough examination. The doctor said I have a stomach ulcer. I had always thought I had gastritis and was still taking medication for gastritis. What is the difference between gastritis and a stomach ulcer?Doctor's answer:
The differences between gastric ulcer and gastritis can be summarized in the following points. First, a gastric ulcer refers to an ulcer formed by damage to the gastric mucosa. The recurrence of gastric ulcers is primarily caused by the destruction of the mucosal protection and repair functions. Gastritis refers to an inflammatory response of the gastric mucosa to various stimulating factors in the stomach. Physiological inflammation is one of the components of the gastric mucosal barrier. Second, the most typical symptom of a gastric ulcer is epigastric pain. In addition to epigastric pain, some patients may still have digestive disorders such as acid reflux and heartburn. On the other hand, gastritis may lead to symptoms such as loss of appetite and upper respiratory tract damage.