Is there a link between high blood pressure and gastritis? For the past four years, I’ve been living with a condition that has become both familiar and, at times, debilitating: gastritis. If you’ve dealt with it, you probably know how uncomfortable and unpredictable it can be. For me, the pain starts subtly — a dull ache in the upper abdomen, a sense of bloating, nausea that doesn’t quite go away. But in some flare-ups, the discomfort escalates to something sharper, more intense, and harder to ignore.
And then there’s the part that continues to puzzle me: every time my gastritis gets serious, my blood pressure spikes. Or perhaps it’s the other way round. Maybe it’s my high blood pressure spiking that triggers gastritis?
I’ve spent countless hours trying to understand this — Googling at 2 a.m., asking doctors, joining forums, reading medical articles that often contradict one another. The connection isn’t straightforward. But I know what I feel, and I want to share my experience for anyone else walking a similar road, hoping they find comfort or clues in my story.
The Onset of Gastritis — And Strange Blood Pressure Swings
My gastritis journey started about four years ago. I remember the first time I felt that gnawing pain in my upper stomach. It was shortly after a stressful period at work. At the time, I didn’t connect the dots — I assumed it was just something I ate, or maybe just stress. But as the months went by, the symptoms became more consistent. I’d feel fine for weeks, then suddenly get hit with nausea, bloating, and discomfort after meals.
I went to the doctor’s office, and one of the things that they noticed about me was that my blood pressure was elevated. Not excessively so, but definitely more than normal. What surprised me more was how my blood pressure began acting up during those bad gastritis episodes.
I never had issues with hypertension before. I exercised fairly irregularly, ate decently, and didn’t have a family history that I knew of. But there it was: every time my stomach flared, my blood pressure would go up.
Trying to Untangle the Cause and Effect
I still don’t know what comes first. Does the inflammation and stress of gastritis cause my blood pressure to rise? Or does high blood pressure somehow contribute to the worsening of my gastritis?
At first, doctors told me the two weren’t directly related. They said it was likely a coincidence or maybe that stress from the pain was elevating my blood pressure temporarily. And yes, that makes sense — pain can trigger the sympathetic nervous system, which can cause a spike in heart rate and blood pressure. But over time, the pattern became too consistent to ignore.
Whenever I had a flare-up — and I mean a real one, where I could barely eat or sleep — my blood pressure would go up and stay up. It wasn’t just a temporary spike from pain. It felt like my whole body was out of balance. And I began to wonder if there was more going on beneath the surface.
Living in the Gray Area of Chronic Conditions
One of the hardest parts about living with both gastritis and high blood pressure is the ambiguity. There are no clear answers. Doctors can treat the symptoms — and mine have — but few have been able to explain why this keeps happening.
I now take medication for high blood pressure. It helps keep the numbers in check, and I’m grateful for that. But it didn’t solve the underlying mystery. When my stomach is calm, my blood pressure behaves. When gastritis acts up, my BP still tries to push its way back up, even with the meds. It’s as if the two conditions are in an ongoing conversation, one that I’m trying to interpret.
I’ve had endoscopies, lab tests, dietary changes, supplements, probiotics — you name it. I’ve tried herbal remedies, things like rooibos tea, and I have totally eliminated alcohol. Some changes helped. Others didn’t. But nothing has fully broken the link between my stomach’s distress and my body’s blood pressure response.
Could Stress Be the Missing Link?
If there’s one theory I keep coming back to, it’s stress.
We don’t often talk about how deeply our emotions and nervous system affect our gut and cardiovascular system. The “gut-brain axis” isn’t just a trendy health topic — it’s real. When I’m stressed, my stomach feels it. And when my stomach flares, I get more anxious. It becomes a feedback loop — and I suspect it’s that loop that also drives up my blood pressure.
Stress-induced gastritis is a known phenomenon. Likewise, stress is a well-established factor in hypertension. So maybe it’s not that gastritis causes high blood pressure, or vice versa — maybe both are outcomes of a deeper imbalance in the nervous system. A hyper-reactive body. A body that’s constantly on edge, even when I try to relax.
Much of my stress has been work related. I spent years working with a difficult boss. I won’t blame him directly for causing my illness, but I am glad that chapter is over. Challenges remain but hey, there is light towards the end of the tunnel.
What Helps Me Cope
Living with these conditions means learning to be your own scientist. It’s a slow process of trial and error. But over time, I’ve found a few strategies that help me manage both my gastritis and high blood pressure:
- Routine Eating Habits – I try to eat smaller, more frequent meals. Heavy or greasy meals almost always set off my gastritis — and once that starts, the blood pressure isn’t far behind.
- I keep antiacid tablets at hand – This is something that I have done for years. Gastritis pain mostly comes from acid eating away at the stomach lining. I am on medication to reduce the production of stomach acids. But I also keep antiacid tablets near. Whenever I feel the pain starting, I swallow a couple and that has really helped.
- Limiting Stimulants – I’ve cut out coffee completely. I have also severely limited my intake of fizzy drinks.
- Monitoring Blood Pressure – I keep a digital blood pressure monitor at home. When I’m feeling off, I check it. It gives me peace of mind, or at least context for what my body is doing.
- Talking About It – Writing this blog post is part of that. It’s isolating to live with symptoms that don’t fit neatly into medical boxes. But sharing my experience, and reading others’, makes it more manageable.
A Work in Progress
I wish I had clear answers. I wish I could say definitively: Yes, gastritis causes high blood pressure, and here’s how to fix it. But that’s not where I am — not yet, anyway. What I do know is that our bodies are incredibly interconnected. Nothing happens in isolation. And for me, ignoring one part of my health always ends up affecting another.
If you’re reading this and dealing with something similar, know that you’re not alone. Keep pushing for answers. Keep listening to your body. Keep advocating for yourself.
Some days, it feels like I’m still walking in the dark — but at least now, I have a flashlight.
Have you experienced a link between gastritis and blood pressure? I’d love to hear your story. Share it in the comments or reach out — we’re stronger when we talk about it.