Helicobacter pylori symptoms

Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 28, 2024
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Helicobacter pylori itself is just a bacterium, often parasitizing the stomach or oral cavity of the human body. It cannot be said that Helicobacter pylori has symptoms, but rather that symptoms may occur after being infected by Helicobacter pylori. Many normal people infected with Helicobacter pylori may not exhibit any discomfort. However, if Helicobacter pylori causes gastritis or peptic ulcers, etc., related symptoms may appear. For instance, abdominal pain, bloating, belching, acid reflux, and so on; in cases of peptic ulcers, corresponding symptoms, such as periodic, recurrent episodes of upper abdominal pain associated with eating and so forth, may also occur and will need to be determined based on the specific situation.

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
Gastroenterology
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Can a gastroscopy detect Helicobacter pylori?

The examination with a gastroscope mainly focuses on checking for any damage to the mucous membranes of the stomach and esophagus. It can detect gastritis, gastric ulcers, or stomach cancer. For some patients who might have a tendency toward cancerous changes, a pathological examination can be conducted. However, testing for Helicobacter pylori with a gastroscope requires a separate lab test. Therefore, routine gastroscopic examinations generally do not include testing for Helicobacter pylori. If testing for Helicobacter pylori is needed, it is a separate examination item. Nowadays, since undergoing a gastroscopy can be quite uncomfortable and cause symptoms like nausea for some people, testing for Helicobacter pylori is accurately conducted using a breath test.

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Can a gastroscopy check for Helicobacter pylori?

Normally, when conducting a gastroscopy, it is possible to test for Helicobacter pylori, but this method of detection is less commonly used in clinical practice nowadays, as it requires undergoing a gastroscopy, which can be quite distressing and may cause nausea and vomiting. Currently, the main method used in clinical practice for detecting Helicobacter pylori is the breath test, typically using carbon-13 or carbon-14. This involves swallowing a capsule and then blowing into a device to test for Helicobacter pylori infection. This method is more convenient, which is why it has increasingly replaced gastroscopy for detecting Helicobacter pylori.

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Can a barium meal detect Helicobacter pylori?

The most commonly used test for detecting Helicobacter pylori at present is the breath test, which generally comes in two types: carbon-13 and carbon-14, though the testing method is basically fixed. A barium meal test can only detect whether there are large gastric ulcers or the presence of gastric cancer, but Helicobacter pylori is quite small and cannot be detected through a barium meal. Therefore, the detection of Helicobacter pylori typically relies on traditional methods, such as breath tests or tests performed during gastroscopy.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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How to treat duodenal ulcer with Helicobacter pylori infection?

The treatment of duodenal ulcer accompanied by Helicobacter pylori infection begins primarily with anti-Helicobacter pylori therapy. The regimen includes a proton pump inhibitor, two types of antibiotics, and a bismuth agent, lasting a total of 14 days. In addition, for duodenal ulcers, it is necessary to use acid-suppressing and stomach-protecting medications to promote gastric mobility and protect the gastric mucosa, with the treatment course lasting six weeks. At the same time, it is important to focus on a light and easily digestible diet, avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, as well as avoiding strong tea, coffee, spicy, irritating, fried, grilled, raw, cold, and sweet foods. It is also crucial to avoid adverse emotional effects such as anxiety, depression, and stress, prevent excessive fatigue or staying up late, and it is advised to moderately increase physical activity.

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How to treat Helicobacter pylori infection

Currently, the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori in our country has exceeded 50%. The carbon-14 breath test can be used to detect the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection. If the infection is positive and is accompanied by some symptoms or diseases of the digestive system, eradication treatment for Helicobacter pylori is required. The treatment regimen consists of a proton pump inhibitor, two antibiotics, and a bismuth agent, lasting for 14 days. After stopping the medication for a month, the carbon-14 breath test is rechecked to confirm whether the Helicobacter pylori has been converted to negative. If the conversion is negative, it indicates that the eradication treatment for Helicobacter pylori was successful. Helicobacter pylori has been confirmed as the main cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer, thus if the Helicobacter pylori infection is positive, eradication treatment is necessary.