Question: What can I do for erosive gastritis? I am a 44-year-old female currently taking Protonix, and I am tired of taking medication. Is there a cure? Are there any special herbs that will help this condition? I also have high blood pressure. I would like to get good control and stop taking pills. Please give me the best possible advice.

Dr. Hibberd's Answer:

Erosive gastritis is a medical term for inflammation of the stomach lining associated with erosions or shallow ulcerations. Many causes of erosive gastritis have been published but one stands out among many. A bacteria called Helicobacter pylori has been shown to be an instigator for ulcer disease. Be sure your doctor has checked for this. It can be checked by a "breath test," by brushing/ biopsy specimen at time of endoscopy, or blood test. The blood test is very basic and will only reveal whether there has been past exposure, is not as sensitive, and stays positive for an undetermined period of time.
Some will suggest a treat first and test later approach because of difficulty with accurate results, but I prefer lab confirmation before a protracted course of antibiotics combinations to eliminate the bacteria, especially since it is apt to recur.

Herbal remedies are not recommended to treat erosive gastritis.

Nutritional deficiencies, drugs, and especially alcohol, are common causes of erosive gastritis and require treatment. Protonix is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication, and PPI's are used to treat ulcer disease and erosive gastritis. Recurrence or persistence of symptoms on PPI is an indication for further evaluation by fiber optic upper GI endoscopy along with biopsy, and the introduction of a more potent treatment regimen.