Gastritis

In Western medicine, gastritis is characterized as the inflammation of the stomach lining, with erosive and non-erosive types denoting the presence or absence of lining erosion, respectively (Tarnawski et al., 2018, Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology). H. pylori gastritis is notably one of the most prevalent forms, sometimes indicating more serious gastrointestinal conditions (Malfertheiner et al., 2017, Gut). In contrast, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) attributes gastritis to two major patterns of disharmony: 1) Phlegm fluids above the diaphragm caused by stagnant Qi, which also affects the chest and lungs, and 2) Liver Qi Stagnation, marked by impaired liver Qi flow, resulting in excess heat and symptoms like distention, poor appetite, chills, and vomiting (Yuan et al., 2017, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine). Both Western and Eastern perspectives are substantiated by interdisciplinary research, as cataloged in the National Institutes of Health database, providing a multi-faceted understanding of gastritis pathology.