The symptoms of H. pylori appear as the bacteria develops, causing a feeling of bloated belly, loss of appetite, burning sensation in the stomach, nausea, belching and excess gas.
A Helicobacter pylorialso known as H. pylori, is a bacteria that can survive in the stomach, without causing any signs or symptoms. However, when a person has unhealthy eating habits, it is possible to favor the development of bacteria, which can lead to the appearance of ulcers in the stomach or intestine or the development of gastritis.
In the presence of signs and symptoms indicative of infection by H. pylori, it is important that the gastroenterologist is consulted so that the diagnosis can be confirmed and the most appropriate treatment can be initiated. Learn more about infection by H. pylori.
Symptoms of H. pylori
The main symptoms of H. pylori they are:
- Feeling of a swollen belly;
- Loss of appetite;
- Pain and burning sensation in the stomach;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Burping or excessive intestinal gas;
- Very dark or bloody stools.
The infection by H. pylori causes constant inflammation of the stomach lining, which, over time, ends up resulting in small gastric ulcers, which are wounds in the stomach that can cause intense pain and bleeding.
Furthermore, if not handled properly, the H. pylori It can result in chronic inflammation of the stomach that increases the risk of developing some type of gastric cancer up to 8 times. Thus, although infection by H. pylori is not a diagnosis of cancer, it may indicate that the person is at greater risk of developing stomach cancer if they do not receive adequate treatment.
Symptom test H. pylori
If you think you might have H. pyloriindicate the symptoms you are experiencing, to find out what your risk is:
How to confirm the diagnosis
The best doctor to confirm the diagnosis of H. pylori is the gastroenterologist. In cases of simple symptoms, such as nausea and indigestion, the doctor may order blood tests, stool tests or a breath test with marked urea, which can detect the presence of the H. pylori without causing pain or requiring special preparation from the patient.
However, if there are serious symptoms such as vomiting or the presence of blood in the stool, tests such as endoscopy with biopsy are recommended, which also assesses the presence of ulcers, inflammation or cancer in the stomach, or the urease test, which minutes later is capable of to diagnose the presence or absence of H. pylori. See how the urease test is done.
Furthermore, these tests can be repeated at the end of treatment to check whether the bacteria have been eliminated from the stomach.
How do you get the bacteria
The infection by H. pylori It is relatively common, as the bacteria is transmitted mainly through saliva or oral contact with water and food that has come into contact with contaminated feces. Thus, some factors that increase the chances of getting an infection from H. pylori include:
- Drinking contaminated or unfiltered water;
- Living with a person infected with H. pylori;
- Living in a house with lots of other people.
Therefore, to prevent this infection, it is very important to take good hygiene care, such as washing your hands before eating and after going to the bathroom, as well as avoiding sharing cutlery and glasses with other people. Furthermore, having unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or having an unbalanced diet also increases the risk of contracting this type of bacteria.
How is treatment carried out for H. pylori
Treatment must be guided by a gastroenterologist and is normally carried out with a combination of medicines such as Omeprazole, Clarithromycin and Amoxicillin. Furthermore, it is important to have an adequate diet, avoiding consuming foods that stimulate the secretion of gastric juice, such as coffee, black tea and soft drinks, and increasing the consumption of probiotic foods, fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates that are easy to digest. See what the diet should be like for H. pylori.
Bibliography
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO HEALTH. Helicobacter pylori infection. Available at: <https://www.ucsfhealth.org/medical-tests/helicobacter-pylori-infection>. Accessed on January 9, 2023
- UP-TO-DATE. Patient education: Helicobacter pylori infection and treatment (Beyond the Basics). Disponível em: <https://www.uptodate.com/contents/helicobacter-pylori-infection-and-treatment-beyond-the-basics/print>. Acesso em 09 jan 2023
- GUTS UK. Helicobacter pylori. Disponível em: <https://gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/conditions/helicobacter-pylori/>. Acesso em 09 jan 2023
