Riddle:  What is so small you can’t see it, but is enough to give you ulcers?  

ANSWER: H. Pylori eating away at your stomach!

What is H. pylori infection? 

— H. pylori infection occurs when a bacteria called "Helicobacter pylori" infects a person's stomach.
Many people have H. pylori infection. 80% of the time, H. pylori does not lead to any problems or cause any symptoms. But in some people, H. pylori infection leads to symptoms that indicate more serious problems. These problems can include:
●Open sores in the stomach or duodenum, which are called "ulcers," on the lining of a person's stomach or duodenum –he duodenum is the first part of the small intestine (figure 1).
Organs inside the abdomen (belly)
 ●Stomach cancer These conditions can sometimes cause pain or discomfort in the upper belly, nausea, or vomiting.  Sometimes the vomiting can contain blood. Doctors do not know why H. pylori infection leads to these problems in some people and not others.

What are the symptoms of H. pylori infection? 

— When the H. pylori infection causes ulcers, they can be very uncomfortable. Common symptoms of ulcers can include:
●Pain or discomfort in the upper belly
●Feeling full after eating a small amount of food
●Not feeling hungry
●Nausea or vomiting, including blood in the vomit sometimes.
●Dark or black-colored bowel movements
●Feeling more tired than usual

Not all ulcers are caused by H. pylori infection. For example, people can get ulcers from taking certain pain-relieving medicines. But if you have the symptoms listed above, let your doctor or nurse know.

Is there a test for H. pylori infection?

— Yes. Doctors can do different tests to diagnose H. pylori infection. These can include:
●Blood tests
●Breath tests – These tests measure substances in a person's breath after he or she has been given a special liquid to drink.
●Lab tests that check a sample of a bowel movement for H. pylori infection
●Biopsy – For this test, a doctor passes an endoscope into the stomach through the mouth and takes a small piece of tissue from the lining of the stomach. Then the pathologist looks at the tissue under a microscope. The endoscopy procedure lets a doctor look at the inside lining of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. It is done with sedation or anesthesia, so it is not painful.

Should I be tested for H. pylori infection?

— You should be tested for H. pylori infection if you have the above symptoms, especially if you have been on nonsteroidal anti-infammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen. 

How is H. pylori infection treated? 

— H. pylori infection is treated with medication. Most people need to take 3 or more medicines for 2 weeks. These can include:
●Medicines to reduce the amount of acid that the stomach makes – This can help cure the infection and help ulcers heal.
●Different types of antibiotics
People who are diagnosed with H. pylori infection should get treated, because treatment can:
●Help ulcers heal
●Keep ulcers from coming back
●Reduce the chance that an ulcer will get worse or lead to cancer

It is important to follow all your doctor’s instructions about taking your medicines. Let your doctor or nurse know if you have any side effects or problems with your medicines.

What happens after treatment? 

— After treatment, most people have follow-up tests to check that the H. pylori infection has gone away. Follow-up tests can include:
●Breath tests
●Lab tests that check a sample of a bowel movement
●Upper endoscopy with biopsy

Most of the time, H. pylori infection is cured with the above treatment. But occasionally, H. pylori infection is not cured with treatment. People who still have H. pylori infection after being treated, might need to undergo further studies, require surgery, or take more medications.


Source: UpToDate