Gastritis and reactive gastropathy
Short patient information to print or keep.
Understand the finding
Gastritis means inflammation. Reactive gastropathy describes lining injury and repair, often with little inflammation. Mild redness or mild gastritis is common and is usually not concerning on its own. Camera redness alone does not prove the cause or explain every symptom. Selected biopsies can give us additional information; not every red stomach needs sampling.
Check the cause
H. pylori, anti-inflammatory pain medicines and other exposures can contribute. Bring your medicine and supplement list. Mention pharmacy purchases as well as prescriptions, including ibuprofen or naproxen. Do not stop prescribed aspirin or blood thinners yourself. Agree any changes with the prescriber.
Treat the right problem
Acid suppression may relieve symptoms and help healing, but does not clear H. pylori alone. Infection needs combination treatment and a correctly timed clearance test, even if you feel better. Follow the agreed medicine instructions.
Read specific biopsy terms
Sometimes biopsies show gastritis and/or findings such as atrophy or intestinal metaplasia. Atrophy means gland loss. Intestinal metaplasia means an intestinal-type lining change. This is not cancer, but it can be relevant to long-term management. Sometimes monitoring is recommended, depending on the extent of the changes and your other risks. Autoimmune gastritis may need iron, vitamin B12 and other checks. Assessment and follow-up depend on the complete findings.
Keep food and follow-up practical
Avoid unnecessary food restriction. Mild redness or reactive changes do not usually imply any major pathology; discuss persistent symptoms in clinic. Recommended endoscopic follow-up will be documented in your endoscopy and/or histology report after tissue results are available.
Recognise warning symptoms
Vomiting blood, black sticky poo, severe pain or faintness needs urgent assessment. Difficulty swallowing, repeated vomiting, weight loss or new iron-deficiency anaemia needs prompt medical review. Call 111 for collapse, significant bleeding with faintness or unsafe travel.
When to get help
Vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, black sticky tar-like poo, severe or worsening abdominal pain, or faintness needs urgent medical assessment. Do not assume this is ordinary gastritis or wait for a routine appointment.
Arrange prompt medical review for difficulty swallowing, repeated vomiting, unexplained weight loss or new iron-deficiency anaemia. Tell your GP or our team if symptoms persist or change despite treatment.
Call 111 if you collapse, have significant bleeding with faintness, or are too unwell to travel safely.
General information. Follow your own care instructions.