Oil of Oregano for Gastritis

by Ann Najjar
(Middleburg Heights, Ohio)

Honestly, I just hate to see the doctor. Test after test just kills me. I have been having severe gastric/esophageal pain for the last month. I lost weight because of not being able to eat, sleep, get comfortable. It has been really bad.

On a whim, one night after excruciating pain and being unable to sleep, I took 5 drops of oil of oregano and laid back down. To my great surprise, the symptoms I had heretofore been unable to get rid of had completely subsided.

The excruciating pain has not yet returned, and I am on my third day of taking 5 drops of oil of oregano just once a day. It is amazing and thank God, no doctor for me!

Reply: According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, gastritis usually occurs when the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed or irritated.

The most common causes of gastritis are taking certain medications for long periods of time, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Other causes may be bacterial or viral infections, bile reflux, alcohol abuse or extreme stress.

Treating gastritis may depend on the cause; you may have to discontinue taking aspirin or ibuprofen, treat any underlying bacterial or viral infections or make lifestyle changes.

While testing for gastritis may involve blood tests or stool tests, it's possible your gastritis may be caused by a bacterial or viral infection.

Research shows that oil of oregano contains carvacrol and thymol; ingredients that are effective against bacteria E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella and specific strains of fungi.

It's possible that your reduction in gastritis symptoms may be caused by these active ingredients found in oil of oregano.

The U.S. Library of Medicine recommends people with gastritis consult with a doctor should pain in the upper part of the belly or abdomen doesn't go away, they have black or tarry stools, or there is vomiting of blood or coffee-ground-like material.

While the outlook for patients with gastritis is usually good, blood loss and increased risk of gastric cancer are possible complications.