Helicobacter pylori - causes, symptoms and treatment

Helicobacter pylori( Helicobacter pilori) is a spiral microorganism inhabiting the stomach and duodenum of the person and provoking the development of many dangerous diseases( gastritis, ulcers, erosions, polyps, hepatitis, stomach and intestinal cancer and many others).

What is Helicobacter pylori ^

According to medical statistics, Helicobacter, which affects about 60% of all mankind, is the most common infectious disease of people after herpes.

Infection with the bacterium Helicobacter takes place through contaminated water or food, and also after contact with an infected person through saliva or sputum secreted by coughing or sneezing.

Helicobacter pylori infection occurs so easily that it is considered a family disease - when one family member is infected, in 95% of cases all others become infected, and for a long time an infected person can not guess the disease and do not experience any painful symptoms.

As in cases of yeast infections, herpes, hair loss, human papilloma virus, fungal nail diseases and many other viral and fungal infections, activation of Helicobacter occurs only when the body's defenses are weakened and stop coping with pathogenic microorganisms.

As soon as immunity decreases( under the influence of strong stresses, cold infections, injuries, intoxications, hormonal failures), the organism that is dormant for a long time and does not make itself felt the bacterium "wakes up" and begins its destructive effect. Moreover, very often a person does not understand what is happening to him and is treated with no effect on other illnesses.

The bacterium Helicobacter, unlike other microorganisms, as it turned out, is able to survive in the acidic environment of the stomach, which was previously considered impossible, as, as is known, most bacteria and viruses immediately die due to high acidity. This discovery produced a real revolution in medicine, and its authors received in 2005 a prestigious Nobel Prize.

Helicobacter symptoms and diagnosis ^

• Helicobacter is attached to the walls of the stomach and duodenum and can remain there for many years, parasitizing and waiting for a favorable moment to activate.
• With a weakening of protective forces, the bacterium begins to multiply intensively, thus releasing a huge amount of toxins and enzymes that lead to damage to the mucous membranes.
• As a result of damage to the integrity of the walls of the stomach and duodenum, they appear chronic inflammation and ulcers.

It has now been scientifically proven that the bacterium Helicobacter is the main culprit in the development of gastritis and ulceration( in 80% of cases), and also increases the risk of cancer of the stomach and duodenum, although it was previously thought that these diseases arise from malnutrition,alcohol abuse and stress.

Symptoms of Helicobacter pylori are quite diverse:

• frequent constipation and diarrhea,
• heartburn,
• nausea,
• severity and abdominal pain,
• vomiting,
• burp,
• allergy,
• poor digestibility of meat products,
• hair loss,
• unpleasant aftertaste and smellfrom the mouth( in the absence of problems with the teeth),
• fungal diseases of the nails and their excessive fragility,
• rapid saturation after eating,
• intermittent stomach pain, stopping shortly after eating.

Modern methods for the diagnosis of Helicobacteriosis allow to determine the presence of a harmful microorganism in the body quite accurately and operatively.

Respiratory test

• The most common method of early diagnosis is the Helicobacter breath test.
• It has a sensitivity of almost 90%, however, before the study it is important to clean not only the teeth, but also the tongue and throat, so as to exclude false test results.

Analysis of blood and biological materials

In addition to the breath test, the laboratory conducts a blood test for helikobacter, the so-called serum enzyme immunoassay( ELISA method), which allows to determine the presence of antibodies to bacteria in the blood plasma.

In modern laboratories, the PCR( polymerase chain reaction) method is used as the most accurate and allows determining the causative agent of helicobacteriosis not only in the blood, but also in other biological materials, for example, in feces or saliva.

Fibrogastroduodenoscopy( FGDS)

Fibrogastroduodenoscopy( FGDS) can be prescribed for a 100% confirmation of the diagnosis and assessment of the severity of lesions of the gastric mucosa. In this study, the patient swallows the probe, and the doctor - a gastroenterologist - studies the state of the stomach from the inside and takes for a histological examination a small number of cells of the mucous membrane.

Given that patients infected with Helicobacter suffer 3 to 5 times more often from stomach cancer, fibrogastroduodenoscopy is very important, since it helps to reliably exclude or confirm the diagnosis of stomach cancer.

Helicobacter treatment and prevention ^

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori causes a lot of controversy among doctors, as eradication, that is, total destruction of the microorganism, is shown only in individual cases. The fact is that complete extermination.pylori is quite problematic - eradication treatment is the use of a whole group of antibiotics, and this bacterium is resistant to many of them, that is, resistant.

In case the patient has ever taken an antibiotic prescribed by a doctor, treatment will be ineffective. In addition, the use of antibiotics often leads to the death of beneficial intestinal microflora( dysbacteriosis) and the development of multiple allergic reactions.

Therefore, for.pylori-positive patients eradication therapy is recommended only in the following cases:

• peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
• MALT-lymphoma;
• atrophic gastritis;
• after resection of the stomach for cancer;
• to the next of kin of a patient with stomach cancer.

Sometimes eradication is also prescribed for patients with prolonged digestive disorders, for example, with functional dyspepsia, however, very careful examination of the patient is necessary to exclude other causes of these disorders.

In other cases, the treatment regimen Helicobacter is to prescribe drugs that regulate the level of acidity in the stomach and a special diet. Nutrition of the patient should be fractional, not allowing excessive stretching of the stomach and regular - you need to eat at strictly certain times, avoiding long intervals between meals and not eating too hot or too cold food.

Dietary nutrition in Helicobacteriosis depends on the level of acidity in the stomach and requires agreement with the attending physician, but the general recommendations are the same for all patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is necessary to refuse fatty, sharp, salty, smoked and fried dishes, marinades, spices, carbonated drinks and alcohol. Chew food should be a long and thorough, during the day to drink enough water - at least two liters per day, depending on the body weight.

Popular treatment of Helicobacteriosis ^

In addition, a good effect is provided by Helicobacter treatment with folk remedies using decoctions and collections of medicinal plants. Properly selected folk treatment Helicobacter pylori normalizes the acidity of gastric juice and removes pain in the abdomen.

• With high acidity, the decoction of the flax seed is excellent, which gently envelops, softens and restores the injured gastric mucosa and promotes the healing of ulcers.1.5 tbsp.l.seeds pour 1 cup of boiling water, insist 15 minutes, then strain and take 3 times a day for 1 tablespoon.for half an hour before meals.

• Well lowered the acidity of herbal collections of chamomile, St. John's wort, yarrow and celandine, mixed in equal proportions.1 tbsp. Spoon a herbal mixture with a glass of boiling water and leave for 2 hours for infusion. Take 1 tbsp.spoon 3 - 4 times a day.

• With reduced acidity it is useful to drink before each meal of 1/2 cup of freshly prepared cabbage juice or a decoction from the roots of aira.(4 tablespoons pour 1.5 liters of boiling water, add half an hour in a water bath and take 1/2 cup before eating).

There are cases of rapid and complete expulsion( eradication) of bacteria.pylori after treatment Helicobacter folk remedy, consisting of alcohol infusion leaves wormwood and pumpkin seeds( in equal proportions):

• Herbal mixture is poured into a half-liter jar to 1/3 of the volume and poured to the top with 40% ethanol.
• Insist for 7 days in a warm and dark place, filter and take 25 ml before meals in the morning and evening for 2 weeks.
• However, this method can not be used by everyone, since the irritating effect of alcohol on the gastric mucosa is possible, especially with peptic ulcer exacerbations.

As an alternative but longer treatment option, folk medicine offers the following effective herbal remedy, which is not only antimicrobial, but also antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, enveloping and analgesic. This is achieved through the proper combination and dosage of medicinal plants.

Mix medicinal herbs in the specified proportions:

• wormwood bitter( 3 parts),
• three-leaved watch( 8),
• dandelion roots( 6),
• centaury umbrella( 5),
• St. John's wort( 7),
• licorice root( 7),
• rhizome root( 3),
• flax seed( 10),
• yarrow herb( 4),
• violet tri-color( 13),
• root of the bug( 5),
• corn stigma( 7),
• black elder flowers( 6),
• eucalyptus leaves( 2),
• flowers of the immortelle( 3),
• wild rosemary( 3),
• leaves of cranberries( 6),
• flowers tansy( 1),
• thyme creeping grass( 5).
• The resulting mixture is pulverized and stored in a tightly closed glass jar.
• Brew 2/3 tsp.herbs for 1.5 cups of boiling water and insist 15 - 20 minutes.

Take for one and a half months three times a day for 100 ml - with reduced acidity before meals, and at normal or high - after eating.

Prevention of Helicobacteriosis

For the prevention of Helicobacteriosis, adhere to the rules of personal hygiene aimed at preventing primary and repeated infection of the mucous membranes with a bacterium.pylori and protect the gastrointestinal tract through proper nutrition and avoiding bad habits.

And most importantly, in every possible way strengthen your immunity - this will help to protect yourself from most viruses and infections and preserve excellent health for a long time.