Could you have a Helicobacter Pylori Infection?
2nd July 2019
Helicobacter Pylori (H. pylori) Infection
Improve Your Understanding
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection – we all know what it is, right?
It occurs when a type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori infects your stomach. This most commonly happens during your childhood. It’s a common cause of peptic ulcers. Did you know that H. pylori infection may be present in more than half the world’s population?
The majority of people don’t realize they have H. pylori infection, because they’ve never been sick from it. The exact way that H.pylori infects someone is still unknown at this time but the symptoms of H. pylori infection may 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
Should you get checked?
There are a number of complications that are associated with this infection.
These include ulcers, inflamed stomach lining and stomach cancer.
- Ulcers: Damage can be caused to the protective lining of your stomach and small intestine causing an ulcer, around 10% of people with H. pylori will develop an ulcer.
- Inflammation of the stomach lining: The infection can irritate your stomach, causing inflammation (gastritis).
- Stomach cancer: H. pylori infection is a strong risk factor for certain types of stomach cancer.
If you present with any of the symptoms of H. pylori you should get tested straight away. However, even if you have not shown any symptoms at all you can still have the infection. It can be very beneficial to get tested for H. pylori, symptoms or not, as it could cause future complications for your health.
Specialised Testing
Our division Randox Health offers specialised tests, one of our specialised tests is a H. pylori breath test. This test can help you have peace of mind or identify if you have the Helicobacter Pylori Infection. All Randox Health packages give you a comprehensive look into your health, not only now but how it could look in the future. You can read more about our packages here or contact a member of our team for more information!