Gastritis treatment in Patong
A burning pain in the upper stomach, worse when hungry or after a heavy night, sometimes with nausea and a sour taste. It is easy to mistake for food poisoning, but it behaves differently and it responds to different treatment. Gastritis treatment in Patong is available around the clock at our clinic on Prachanukroh Road.
What gastritis is
Gastritis means inflammation of the stomach lining. The lining normally protects itself from stomach acid, and when that protection is disrupted the acid irritates the tissue underneath, causing pain, nausea and sometimes bleeding.
The symptoms are a burning or gnawing pain in the upper abdomen, feeling full quickly, bloating, nausea, belching and sometimes vomiting. Many people also get reflux, with acid rising into the chest and throat.
Why it flares in Patong
Alcohol is the leading cause we see, and Patong makes that easy. Alcohol directly irritates the stomach lining, and several nights in a row does not give it time to recover.
Spicy food is a factor for people whose stomachs are not used to it. Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen and aspirin are a major and often unrecognised cause, and plenty of visitors are taking them daily for a scooter injury, sunburn or a hangover. Irregular meals, stress and long gaps without eating add to it.
Helicobacter pylori, a bacterial infection of the stomach lining, causes a large share of longer-standing cases and can be tested for and treated.
Gastritis or food poisoning?
They get confused constantly. Food poisoning usually starts abruptly hours after a specific meal, and features vomiting and diarrhoea together, often with fever, then settles over a few days.
Gastritis is more of a burning upper stomach pain, related to acid, worse when hungry or after alcohol, and it tends to persist or recur rather than clear in 48 hours. Diarrhoea is not a typical feature. The doctor separates them by history and examination, since the treatments have little overlap.
Warning signs that need urgent assessment
Come in immediately for vomiting blood, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds; black tarry stools; severe or sudden intense stomach pain; pain going through to the back; difficulty swallowing; unexplained weight loss; or feeling faint and dizzy alongside stomach pain.
These can indicate a bleeding ulcer or another serious problem and are not things to manage with antacids from a pharmacy.
Treatment
We use acid-reducing medicine, usually a proton pump inhibitor, which lets the lining heal rather than simply masking pain. Antacids and protective agents give quicker symptomatic relief alongside it. Anti-nausea medicine helps where vomiting is part of the picture.
Where H. pylori is suspected or confirmed by testing, we treat it with a specific combination of antibiotics and acid suppression. Clearing it properly prevents recurrence and reduces ulcer risk, which is a better outcome than treating flare after flare.
Critically, we review your painkillers. If you have been taking ibuprofen for a scooter injury and now have gastritis, continuing it will keep the stomach inflamed. We switch you to something safer.
What helps while it settles
Avoid alcohol completely for a week or two, which is the single most effective step. Eat smaller meals more often rather than large ones. Avoid spicy, fatty and acidic food, coffee and fizzy drinks for a few days. Do not lie down straight after eating, and raise the head of the bed if reflux is troubling you at night.
Common questions about gastritis in Patong
How long does gastritis take to settle?
Symptoms usually improve within days of starting treatment, though the lining takes a few weeks to heal properly.
Can I drink alcohol?
Not while it is active. Alcohol is the most common cause we see here and it will keep it going.
Can you test for H. pylori?
Yes, and it is worth doing for persistent or recurring symptoms.
How much does treatment cost in Patong?
Consultation plus medication, and testing if needed. Message us for a quote.
Can a doctor come to my hotel?
Yes, including injections for pain and nausea.