How To Know When To Treat H Pylori
If h. pylori shows up positive on a test and there are also digestive complaints, emotional issues or fatigue, chances are that h. pylori is the direct cause of those symptoms or is causing infections or imbalances that drive those symptoms.
While testing positive for h. pylori is the first step in tackling it. It is also important to see the effect its having on the biome. I highly suggest the GI Map. Not only is it the best test for finding h. pylori, it will also provide a snapshot of the effect it is having on the gut.
Theres a typical pattern of bacterial overgrowth that result from h. pylori. That overgrowth needs to be cleaned up after addressing h. pylori, to feel full symptom relief.
Causal Association Of Helicobacter Species And H Pylori With Ibd
In animal models, EHH such as Helicobacter hepaticus and Helicobacter bilis have been shown to induce a persistent inflammation in the colon and cecum in immuno-deficient rodents. Helicobacter hepaticus triggers colitis in a specific pathogen-free IL-10-deficient mice through an IL-12 and interferon-gamma dependent mechanism. Helicobacter muridarum increases disease activity and inflammation in an acute colitis model and provokes a CD-like inflammation in severe combined immunodeficiency mice upon receipt of T cells. Accumulating evidence from gene knockout rodents also indicate that the presence of EHH worsens the severity or hastens the development of colitis.
What Should I Know About Testing
These tests are one way of understanding the health of your digestive tract. There can be many reasons for the symptoms youre experiencing, and h pylori are only one possibility. Its also possible to have both an h pylori infection and another issue at play at the same time.
At Batash Medical, we specialize in gastroenterology and endoscopic weight loss services, and Dr. Steven Batash MD has years of experience diagnosing and effectively treating gastrointestinal issues like h pylori infections. Were committed to helping you discover the root cause of your pain and discomfort and then treating it effectively.
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Possible Causes Of Gastritis
Gastritis is usually caused by 1 of the following:
- an H. pylori bacterial infection
- excessive use of cocaine or alcohol
- smoking
- regularly taking aspirin, ibuprofen or other painkillers classed as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- a stressful event such as a bad injury or critical illness, or major surgery
- less commonly, an autoimmune reaction when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells and tissues
What Is Blastocystis Hominis
Blastocystis hominis, or Blasto, is a microscopic single-cell organism that commonly lives in the digestive tract. It is most commonly contracted through contaminated food or water sources. While there are many protozoans that normally live in the gastrointestinal tract and are harmless or even helpful, others can cause disease.
Symptoms of Blastocystis hominis can include bloating, diarrhea, nausea, flatulence, variable bowel habits, abdominal pain, hives, and fatigue. Blastocystis can also cause carbohydrate intolerance.
Additionally, this pathogen is notorious for causing multiple food sensitivities. A true food sensitivity, like celiac disease, usually results in a resolution of symptoms once the triggering food is removed, but Blastocystis hominis-infected people will have multiple food sensitivities and will keep getting more. Interestingly, the Blastocystis Research Foundation reports that people with Blastocystis hominis often find that they are sensitive to gluten, dairy, soy, sugars, starches, grains, caffeine, fruit, and carbonated beverages, and removing these foods can keep symptoms at bay. Histamine sensitivity may also be related to this infection. I was personally able to add back almost every food after addressing Blastocystis hominis. I often wonder how many individuals who arent benefiting from the most popular Hashimotos diets actually have Blastocystis hominis.
Furthermore, there are multiple studies implicating Blastos role in IBS and hives .
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Protective Role Of H Pylori Against Ibd
Many studies have reported that the prevalence of H. pylori infection is lower in patients with IBD compared to controls, demonstrating an inverse relationship between IBD and H. pylori infection that suggests a protective role of H. pylori infection against the development of IBD . However this has not been confirmed by other studies . Väre et al found that seropositive CD patients presented at a significantly later age compared to seronegative patients , suggesting that the higher age of disease onset in seropositive IBD patients is the result of a protective modifier effect that H. pylori infection exerts on the development of IBD, although this has not been confirmed by other studies. Furthermore, a meta-analysis of 23 studies suggested a protective role of H. pylori infection in CD pathogenesis, but the heterogeneity among enrolled studies and the possibility of publication bias limited the reliability of these results. The published literature on the prevalence of H. pylori infection in UC and CD is diverse. Various studies have found a lower prevalence of this infection in CD compared to UC, whereas others have found exactly the opposite still others have reported no difference in the occurrence of H. pylori between the two diseases.
Is It Time For H Pylori Testing
If youre suffering any of the symptoms of a helicobacter pylori infection, come see us at Batash Medical in Rego Park, NY. We can get you the testing you need to understand your symptoms and get on the road to living a better and more comfortable life!
Posted on behalf of Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center
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How You Get H Pylori
As I stated earlier, H. pylori is a common bacteria found in many people around the world and most commonly it is passed from person to person.
H. pylori can be passed from person to person by saliva but it can also be passed from contaminated food or water.
Some other examples of how it can be passed:
- eating from the same utensils
- eating foods that were contaminated by a persons unwashed hands
The most common route? Acquiring H. pylori from your mother in infancy .
If you didnt get it from your mother, then catching it from someone else in your adult years is quite possible. The likelihood of infection is equal to a persons age .
Heres the bad news: H. pylori can take root when youre under immense stress.
When youre under stress, this reduces your immune functioning, which makes it hard for your body to fight off H. pylori when it enters your digestive system.
Even more proof that theres a strong connection between your mind and gut!
If your immune functioning is poor, H. pylori will easily take hold and make a home in your stomach.
What does an H. Pylori infection feel like? Lets cover that next.
The Hazards Of An Hpylori Infection:
H.Pylori is a very sophisticated microorganism that has incredible adaptive advantages that give it the ability to survive the stomachs harsh environment. It produces an enzyme called urease which breaks down the urea in the stomach into carbon dioxide and ammonia. This causes belching and halitosis for the individual and it neutralizes the acidifying effects of hydrochloric acid .
Hydrochloric acid is necessary for creating an acidic environment in the stomach to digest protein and ionize minerals. This also helps to stimulate bile release from the gallbladder to effectively metabolize fat in the small intestine. Without these key functions working optimally we become at risk for anemia, thyroid problems, osteoporosis and auto-immunity .
The secretion of mucous protects the stomach lining from irritation by food stuffs and microorganisms. H Pylori reduces the stomachs ability to produce mucous and irritates the stomach lining. This creates a silent level of inflammation until the irritation become so severe that enough pain receptors fire off. This is the pathogenesis of stomach ulcers.
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How To Overcome Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Does your digestive system growl at you for no apparent reason?
- Does your gut feel like its going round and round like a washing machine?
- Do you experience bloating, gas and abdominal pain?
- Are you struggling with loose or runny stools and do they have a nasty smell?
- Are you going to the toilet less then once per day?
- Has your doctor told you that you have irritable bowels?
If so, you have the symptoms cluster thats known as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS by the medical system.
Ill be a little bit cheeky and suggest to you that IBS doesnt actually exist.
Hmmmm how can that be?
Well, Ive been helping people with digestive symptoms for almost a decade and Im very grateful to have had the opportunity to assist some 2,000 or so folk from around the world.
In most of cases Ive seen, so-called IBS is caused by a simple imbalance:
First, there is too much bad stuff in your digestive system:
- Too many bad foods being eaten
- Too many bad bugs like H. pylori, Candida and parasites living in your gut
- Too many bad toxins from the foods and bugs!
Second, there isnt enough good stuff in your digestive system:
- Not enough good, nutritious foods being eaten
- Not enough good bugs in your gut
- Not enough digestive secretions: stomach acid, digestive enzymes or bile
What Are The Complications Of H Pylori
If you are infected with the bacteria you can get a painful sore called a peptic ulcer. These sores form in your upper digestive tract.
A very bad ulcer can wear away your stomach lining. It can also cause problems such as:
-
Bleeding when a blood vessel is worn away
-
A hole or perforation in your stomach wall
-
Blockage when the ulcer is in a spot that blocks food from leaving your stomach
H. pylori can also lead to stomach cancer.
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Treating Infections In The Right Order
If your stool test or GI Map reveals that other infections are present along with h. pylori, the best practice is to address h. pylori first. You always want to deal with the root cause first.
Because the stomach-acid lowering effects of h. pylori can cause other infections, the root cause needs to be addressed first. Then the overgrowths will be easier to clear.
H. pylori could be the reason some people struggle to clear stubborn SIBO or candida overgrowths.
The Influence Of Gastrointestinal Infection On Enteric Nervous System
There are a large number of MCs adjacent to neuron-specific enolase, substance P , and 5-hydroxytryptamine positive nerve fibers in the digestive tract mucosa.37 The contact between cell membrane of MCs and the axons of adjacent nerve fibers lays a structural foundation for the neuroimmune interactions of the intestinal mucosa. Compared with healthy controls, the number of MCs around the nerve fibers of colon and terminal ileum in patients with PI-IBS increased significantly.12 Animal experiments and studies on patients with IBS-D suggested that nerve growth factor released by MCs bound with tyrosine kinase A receptor on sensory nerve endings, which promoted the proliferation of nerve fibers expressing transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 , calcitonin gene related peptide , and SP, and improved the activation of TRPV1 in the meantime. Under these circumstances, sensory nerve fibers released more pain-related neuropeptides when stimulated, leading to increased visceral sensitivity.38,39 Activated MCs also released adenosine triphosphate, prostaglandin, and other inflammatory mediators, which bind to P2X receptor of purinergic neurons, prostaglandin receptor, and TRPV1 to excite cholinergic motor neurons and promote intestinal movement.40
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Fgids Autoimmune Diseases And Atopy
In two large studies of UK primary care patients, an association with autoimmune diseases and atopy was examined. A significantly higher prevalence of autoimmune disorders, particularly rheumatological autoimmune disorders, was more frequent in those with FD, constipation and multiple FGIDs . This association was not explained by differences in age or gender. In this same group, atopic conditions were also found in excess among all FGID groups considered when compared with controls . This association may be explained by a shared genetic susceptibility, or common disruption of the microbiome and similar immunological disorders in these conditions . A study from the USA showed similar findings, in that adults with atopic symptoms report a high prevalence of IBS, suggesting a link between atopy and IBS . In a study of endoscopy all-comers in London, UK, duodenal eosinophilia was significantly commoner in patients with a history of allergy , and patients with PDS were significantly more likely to report a history of allergy than those without upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms , also supporting an important link between allergy and FGIDs . Whether symptoms of FGIDs wax and wane with the severity of these associated conditions is yet to be determined.
Data Extraction And Quality Evaluation
Articles were independently examined by 2 different reviewers. In the case of a discrepancy, second opinions were sought from the other reviewers, and reviewers discussed in order to reach the final decision. The extracted data were as follows: title, authors, published journal name, year of publication, country, study design, study objective, diagnostic methods for IBS, methods for H. pylori detection, the number of IBS patients, the number of controls, study period, mean age or median age and gender.
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Vanessa Jing Min Seah
Medicine, MOH Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore 099253, Singapore
Department of General Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433, Singapore
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, National University Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
Corresponding author: Qin Xiang Ng, MBBS, Doctor, General and Community Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, 539747, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
Telephone: +65-66386979
Damage Of Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Associated With Gastrointestinal Infection
The intestinal mucosal barrier consists of symbiotic bacteria and mucus layer, epithelial cells and cell-cell junctions, as well as the lamina propria containing connective tissue.23 In patients with post-infectious FGIDs, pathogens are usually eliminated and the damage of intestinal mucosal barrier is mainly caused by the post-infectious intestinal flora dysbiosis and chronic inflammation. Toll-like receptor is a type of receptor protein which is mainly involved in recognizing microbial products, mediating infection-related immune response and inflammatory signal transduction. Homologous ligands such as some bacterial components such as flagellin and lipopolysaccharide bind to TLR and mediate the activation of mature MCs and release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine, tryptase and prostaglandin E2, which may be the main mechanism of intestinal flora dysbiosis causing low-grade inflammation.24
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Getting The Most From Testing
When you come to talk to us about your symptoms, our goal is to get you the right treatment and the best relief as quickly as possible. The more we understand about what youre feeling, when it started, and what makes your symptoms better or worse, the better well be able to help. Before your appointment, think about those questions as well as whether any of your family suffer similar symptoms and what medications and supplements youve been taking.
What Causes Hpylori Infections
The infections are thought to spread from one persons mouth to another. They may also be transferred from faeces to the mouth. This can happen when a person does not wash their hands thoroughly after going to the toilet. H.pylori can also spread through contact with contaminated water or food.
Just like other parasites that have used the human body as a host to live in for tens of thousands of years, H.pylori is no different. Over the millennia, it has adapted to be able to live in the harsh acidic environment of the stomach and its unique corkscrew-shaped head enables it to burrow through the thick mucosal lining that protects the stomach from the stomach acid it produces, into the lining of the stomach itself, and there it sets about destroying that protective mucosal barrier, increasing the risk of the stomach acid burning the lining of the stomach and creating an ulcer. H.pylori can also penetrate the small intestine and cause a duodenal ulcer.
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What Causes H Pylori Infection
Health experts dont know for sure how H. pylori infection is spread. They believe the germs can be passed from person to person by mouth, such as by kissing.
It may also be passed by having contact with vomit or stool. This may happen if you:
-
Eat food that was not cleaned or cooked in a safe way
-
Drink water that is infected with the bacteria
H Helicobacter Pylori Infection And Migraine
The exact cause of migraines is not known, but a growing body of research suggests that the gastrointestinal system may play an important role.A number of gastrointestinal disorders have been found to co-occur with migraine, one of the most common being Helicobacter pylori Infect.
A migraine attack is a debilitating neurological disorder that, in addition to causing pain, can affect your function. While your GI tract may seem completely unrelated, possible migraine/Helicobacter pylori Connecting is just one more example of the many ways experts link overall health to gut health.
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Can Helicobacter Pylori Cause Ibs
Posted by Linda on October 24, 2019
Helicobacter pylori is a common bacterium that can inhabit the stomach and has the ability to actually burrow deep into the lining of the stomach where it can begin to affect the production of stomach acid and cause acid reflux, as well as increase the risk of an ulcer.
About 40% of people in the UK have H.pylori and, in the majority of people who have it, it doesnt cause any problems. However, just like any bacteria, there are different strains of H.pylori, some more virulent than others, and it is these more virulent strains that can increase the risk of stomach and duodenal cancers.
About 15% of people with the condition get ulcers either in their stomach or in their duodenum. A typical symptom of an ulcer is abdominal pain affected by eating, either made worse or improved. They are usually experienced by those who are under severe or prolonged stress, who drink alcohol, who smoke and who are known to have H.pylori. However, it needs to be borne in mind that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin are implicated in ulcers.Occasionally, ulcers become much more serious as they can bleed or even burst, which happens if the ulcer penetrates deep enough into the stomach lining to make a hole. People with ulcers should, therefore, be checked for H.pylori, and if positive, be treated with the aim of getting rid of this bacterium.
If you want to read the story on how H. pylori was discovered, you can do so here.