The differentiation of chronic gastritis is mainly to identify different syndromes in light of TCM theory. Is the case caused by qi stagnation or by blood stagnation? Does the case pertain to cold syndrome or to heat syndrome, to deficiency syndrome or to excess syndrome? Generally, the case with a long course and manifested as cold pain, preference for hot food, vomiting of watery fluid belongs to cold syndrome. The case with a short course and manifested as burning pain, preference for cold food, vomiting of acid fluid belongs to heat syndrome.

Deficiency syndrome has a long course with preference for pressure at the painful area, pain aggravated by hunger and alleviated by intake of food. Excess syndrome has a short course with pain aggravated by pressure and intake of food, alleviated by hunger. The case with a short course and manifested as paroxysmal painand distention is caused by qi stagnation. The case with a long course and manifested as continuous, fixed and pricking pain is caused by blood stagnation.