Gastritis
Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It is a
troublesome condition which may lead to many complications
including ulcers if not treated in time. Constipation aggravates the
condition more than any other disorder. The inflammatory
lesions may be either acute erosive gastritis or chronic atrophic
gastritis. The latter type has been found to be present in half the
patients suffering from severe iron deficiency anaemia.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of gastritis are loss of appetite, nausea,
vomiting, headache and dizziness. There is also pain and a
feeling of discomfort in the region of the stomach. In more chronic
cases, there is a feeling of fullness in the abdomen, especially
after meals. The patient complains of heartburn. Prolonged illness
often results in the loss of weight, anaemia and occassional
haemorrhage from the stomach. There may be an outpouring of
mucus and a reduction in the secretion of hydrochloric acid during
acute attacks and also in most cases of chronic gastritis.
Causes
The most frequent cause of gastritis is a dietetic indiscretion such
as habitual overeating, eating of badly combined or improperly
cooked foods, excessive intake of strong tea, coffee or alcoholic
drinks, habitual use of large quantities of condiments, sauces, etc.
It may sometimes follow certain diseases such as measles,
diptheria, influenza, virus pneumonia, etc. Most often it also
results from worry, anxiety, grief and prolonged tension. Use of
certain drugs, strong acids and caustic substances may also give
rise to gastritis.
Arthritis
The word ‘arthritis’ means ‘inflammation of joints’. It comes from
two Greek words, athron meaning joints and its meaning
inflammation. It is a chronic disease process. In the early stages,
the whole body is usually involved and one or two joints may
become completely deformed, leaving the patient handicapped
and somewhat weakened. Arthritis assumes various forms, the
most frequent being osteroarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Inflammation is the main feature of arthritis, which is a reaction of
the joint tissues to some form of damage or injury.
Oesteroarthritis
Osteroarthritis is a degenerative joint disease which usually
occurs in the older age-group. It results from structural changes in
the articular cartilage in the joints, usually those which are weightbearing such as the spine and knees. The chief symptoms of
oesteroarthritis are pain and stiffness in the joints. The pain
usually increases after exercise. Other symptoms include watery
eyes, dry neck, leg cramps, allergies, arterisclerosis, impairment
in the functioning of the gall-bladder and liver disturbances. The
possible causes include malnutrition, continuous physical stress,
obesity, glandular insufficiency, calcium deficiency and shortage
of hydrochloric acid.