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Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Nervous System Diseases / By

Helicobacter Pylori Infection

  • Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of bacteria.
  • These germs can enter your body and live in your digestive tract.
  • After many years, they can cause sores, called ulcers, in the lining of your stomach or the upper part of your small intestine.
  • For some people, an infection can lead to stomach cancer.
  • A common cause of peptic ulcers, H. pylori infection may be present in more than half the people in the world.

Complications

  • Complications associated with H. pylori infection include

    Ulcers
  • H. pylori can damage the protective lining of your stomach and small intestine.
  • This can allow stomach acid to create an open sore (ulcer).
  • About 10% of people with H. pylori will develop an ulcer.
    Inflammation of the stomach lining
  • H. pylori infection can irritate your stomach, causing inflammation (gastritis).
    Stomach cancer
  • H. pylori infection is a strong risk factor for certain types of stomach cancer.

Symptoms

Most people with H. pylori infection will never have any signs or symptoms.It’s not clear why this is, but some people may be born with more resistance to the harmful effects of H. pylori.Some symptoms include:

  • An ache or burning pain in your abdomen
  • Abdominal pain that’s worse when your stomach is empty
  • Nausea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Frequent burping
  • Bloating
  • Unintentional weight loss
  • If you have an ulcer, you may feel a dull or burning pain in your belly.
  • It may come and go, but you’ll probably feel it most when your stomach is empty, such as between meals or in the middle of the night.
  • It can last for a few minutes or for hours.
  • You may feel better after you eat, drink milk, or take an antacid.
One should reach out for medical help on symptoms like
  • Stool that is bloody, dark red, or black
  • Trouble breathing
  • Dizziness or fainting
  • Feeling very tired for no reason
  • Pale skin color
  • Vomit that has blood or looks like coffee grounds
  • Severe, sharp stomach pain

Causes

  • The exact way H. pylori infect someone is still unknown.
  • H. pylori bacteria may be passed from person to person through direct contact with saliva, vomit or fecal matter.
  • It may also be spread through contaminated food or water.

Risk Factors

  • Risk factors for H. pylori infection are related to living conditions in your childhood, such as:
  • Living with someone who has H. Pylori Infection
  • Living without any proper supply of clean water
  • Living in crowded conditions
  • Living in developing countries

Treatment

  • If you have ulcers caused by H. pylori, you’ll need treatment to kill the germs, heal your stomach lining, and keep the sores from coming back.
  • It usually takes 1 to 2 weeks of treatment to get better.

    Your doctor will probably tell you to take a few different types of drugs. The options include:

  • Antibiotics to kill the bacteria in your body, such as amoxicillin, clarithromycin (Biaxin), metronidazole (Flagyl), tetracycline (Sumycin), or tinidazole (Tindamax).

    You’ll most likely take at least two from this group.

  • Drugs that reduce the amount of acid in your stomach by blocking the tiny pumps that produce it.
  • They include dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole (Protonix), or rabeprazole (Aciphex).
  • Bismuth subsalicylate, which may also help kill H. pylori along with your antibiotics
  • Medicines that block the chemical histamine, which prompts your stomach to make more acid. These are cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Fluxid, Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), or ranitidine (Zantac).