How to manage and treat the symptoms of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection?
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are bacteria that enter our body and live in the digestive tract. They are usually harmless and infect the stomachs of roughly 60 percent of the world’s population. The spiral-shaped bacteria usually don’t cause any symptoms but have a tendency to attack the stomach lining, leading to diseases, including peptic ulcers and an inflammatory stomach condition known as gastritis.

H. pylori thrive in the harsh, acidic environment of the stomach, as they change the environment by reducing the acidity around them. Their spiral shape enables them to penetrate the stomach lining and be safe from mucus and the body’s immune cells. This is how they survive, weaken the body’s immune response, and cause stomach problems. Continue reading to find more about this condition, its causes, H pylori infection symptoms, management, and more.

What causes the H. pylori infection?

• The exact causal factors of the H. pylori infection are still not known
• However, the infection is thought to spread from a person’s mouth to another
• It spreads through direct contact with saliva, fecal matter, or vomit
• It spreads when a person doesn’t properly wash their hands after using the washroom
• Contaminated food or water also spreads the H. pylori infection

What are the risk factors of the H. pylori infection?

As H. pylori is often contracted in childhood, its risk factors are majorly related to one’s childhood living conditions, such as those listed:

• Living with someone who has an H. pylori infection : If you have lived with someone with this infection, you are more likely to develop it
• Living in crowded conditions : Living in crowded conditions or with many other people enhances the risk of developing this infection
• Using unclean water : The bacteria also spreads through contaminated water
• Unsanitary conditions : Living in unhygienic conditions certainly increases the risk of developing the H. pylori infection

What are the symptoms of the H. pylori infection?
The following are the H. pylori infection – symptoms you should watch out for:

• Abdominal pain, especially a few hours after meals or when the stomach is empty at night, is a symptom when the infection leads to an ulcer
• The gnawing pain comes and goes, and antacid drugs seem to relieve the pain
• If the pain doesn’t go away, it’s advisable to seek a doctor’s help at the earliest
• Some other H. pylori infection – symptoms include excessive burping, nausea, heartburn, feeling bloated, unexplained weight loss, a lack of appetite, and anorexia
• If you notice blood in the stool, become anemic, or experience trouble swallowing, immediately visit the doctor

How are H. pylori infection symptoms treated or managed?
H. pylori infection – symptoms are treated in the following ways:

• Medications : Medications in triple therapy help reduce stomach acid, which allows antibiotics to work more effectively. Some of the drugs that are used in a triple therapy treatment include clarithromycin, proton-pump inhibitors (PPI), such as lansoprazole (Prevacid), esomeprazole (Nexium), and pantoprazole (Protonix), metronidazole, and amoxicillin.
• Lifestyle and diet changes : If not treated, the H. pylori infection – symptoms can certainly be managed with some positive lifestyle and diet changes. For example, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding spicy food can prevent peptic ulcers from worsening.

What are the natural remedies for the H. pylori infection?

• Milk : Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein found in both human and cow’s milk. It has shown inhibitory activity against the H. pylori bacteria and infection.
• Honey : Due to its antibacterial properties, honey serves as a reliable home remedy for the H. pylori infection. Not alone but in use with standard treatments, honey can shorten the treatment time and prevent the symptoms from getting worse.
• Green tea : Consumption of green tea reduces inflammation in the stomach due to this infection. It slows the growth of the Helicobacter bacteria and reduces the severity of gastritis.
• Probiotics : They help maintain the balance between the good and bad bacteria in our body. If taken before and after the standard H. pylori treatment, it improves the eradication rates.
• Licorice root : It doesn’t directly kill the bacteria but prevents it from sticking to the cell walls.
• Aloe vera : It is a herbal remedy that helps with a variety of illnesses, such as constipation, wound healing, detoxification, and digestive health. It also inhibits the growth of the H. pylori bacteria.