Is Helicobacter Bad?

If you've been told you have a Helicobacter infection, your first thought might be, how do I treat it?
Don't worry, we're here to break down the important details about the bacteria called Helicobacter.
After reading this article, you'll have a better understanding of the bacteria Helicobacter.

 

What is Helicobacter?

Helicobacter bacteria are simply bacteria that live in the stomach.

It has been found to be the cause of atrophic gastritis, stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and some forms of gastric lymphoma (MALT lymphoma).

It is usually contracted in childhood and if untreated, the infection is lifelong, with most infected people developing chronic gastritis.

And the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization (WHO), lists H. pylori infection as a group 1 carcinogenic factor for gastric cancer.

 

 

Symptoms of H. pylori infection

Most people who are carriers of H. pylori remain asymptomatic throughout their lives, but some people develop symptoms such as acute and chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, indigestion, and heartburn.

What diseases are associated with Helicobacter?

Most people know that H. pylori is associated with gastritis, stomach ulcers, and duodenal ulcers, but studies have linked it to more than just gastrointestinal diseases, including cancer and anemia.

In particular, MALT lymph node cancer, a type of lymph node cancer, and stomach cancer are related. MALT lymph node cancer, a type of non-Hodgkin's lymph node cancer, accounts for 7 to 8 percent of all lymph node cancers, and 60 to 80 percent of them can be cured by early treatment with H. pylori.

Anemia is caused by iron deficiency, and when iron treatment does not improve, H. pylori has been implicated as a cause of iron deficiency in patients with chronic gastritis.

Helicobacter is a good guy?

In young people and pediatric asthmatics, those infected with H. pylori are 18% less likely to develop asthma.

Other studies have shown that H. pylori may help with obesity.

There are also studies that show that people with inflammatory diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are less likely to be infected with H. pylori than those without.

So don't be afraid to test positive for H. pylori.

 

 

How do I treat a H. pylori infection?

Generally, you don't need to treat H. pylori, but if you have peptic ulcer disease, lymphoma of the stomach, or early stage stomach cancer, you should treat H. pylori with antibiotics to prevent stomach cancer and stop it from progressing.

How to Prevent Gastrointestinal Illnesses Caused by H. pylori

There are no particularly easy ways to prevent it.
However, you should try to eat regular meals three times a day, cut down on late-night snacking, and reduce your intake of processed, salty, or sugary foods.

Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, and throw out burnt or poorly preserved foods.

And, of course, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol.

That's all there is to know about Helicobacter.

References : More Medical Common Sense (Author: Changbeom Park)