Superficial Gastritis and Chronic Gastritis: Understanding the Differences

Superficial gastritis is a type of chronic gastritis, which can be further categorized into three main types: superficial gastritis, atrophic gastritis, and special types of gastritis. In everyday language, when people refer to "gastritis," they are often talking about either superficial or atrophic gastritis. From a clinical perspective, both conditions may present with similar symptoms — some patients may not experience any noticeable symptoms at all, while others might feel abdominal pain, acid reflux, bloating, or belching.

The most accurate way to distinguish between these two conditions is through endoscopic examination and pathological analysis. During an endoscopy, superficial gastritis typically shows patchy redness or mild mucosal erosion, whereas atrophic gastritis presents with more distinct features such as thinning of the stomach lining or abnormal tissue growth. The key difference lies in the biopsy results — atrophic gastritis involves the shrinkage or loss of gastric glands, which is not present in superficial gastritis.

In terms of treatment, both conditions are managed using similar approaches. The primary medications include acid-suppressing drugs and agents that protect and promote the healing of the stomach lining. Proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole and rabeprazole are commonly prescribed to reduce stomach acid. Additionally, various mucosal protective agents help support the regeneration of the stomach lining. While both types of chronic gastritis generally have a good prognosis, they may persist or recur over time, requiring ongoing management with medication and lifestyle adjustments.