When your stomach lining gets inflamed, you’re dealing with gastritis, an inflammation of the stomach lining that can cause pain, nausea, and bloating. It’s not just "bad food"—it’s often linked to Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that infects the stomach and is a leading cause of chronic gastritis, long-term use of NSAIDs, like ibuprofen or aspirin, which damage the stomach’s protective barrier, or even chronic stress. Many people mistake it for heartburn or indigestion, but untreated gastritis can lead to ulcers or even increase cancer risk.
What helps? Proton pump inhibitors, medications that block acid production and let the stomach heal are often the first line of defense. If Helicobacter pylori is the culprit, antibiotics are added to the mix. For spasms and cramping, antispasmodics like dicyclomine (the active ingredient in Bentyl) can ease discomfort—similar to how they work for IBS. But here’s the catch: treating the symptom isn’t always treating the cause. If you’re popping painkillers daily, you might be making it worse. And if you’ve been told it’s "just stress," that’s not an excuse—it’s a clue. Your stomach talks. Listen.
What you’ll find below isn’t a list of random articles. It’s a practical collection of real comparisons and science-backed insights. You’ll see how drugs like clindamycin are being used off-label for H. pylori, how NSAIDs like ibuprofen can help or hurt depending on use, and how antispasmodics like Bentyl relate to stomach issues beyond IBS. No fluff. No hype. Just what works, what doesn’t, and what your doctor might not tell you.
Ulcers and gastritis are often confused, but they're different conditions with the same root causes. Learn how they're linked, how doctors tell them apart, and why treating one early can prevent the other.
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