What is Helicobacter pylori ?

Helicobacter pylori

Nowadays, helicobacter pylori (HP) belongs to one of the most widely spread infections. Helicobacter is a bacterium which infects both humans and animals. It colonizes mainly the stomach and duodenum, where it may cause inflammations and other health problems.

Helicobacter – transmission

There is more than one way of how helicobacter pylori can be transmitted. The primary ones include bacterial transmission, when one comes into  contact with an infected individual or animal. The helicobacter transmission route is usually referred to as the fecal-oral transmission, i.e. via stool – hands – mouth, for which reason this infection can be included in the group of “dirty hands diseases”.

Helicobacter – symptoms

The most evident symptoms of HP bacteria presence in the organism are abdominal pain, “heartburn”, stomach smell, or bitter bad taste in the mouth. If not treated, these disorders can progressively develop into more serious health conditions, such as duodenal ulcers, gastritis, or gastric cancer.

Helicobacter pylori – test

There exist several methods of testing for HP presence in the organism. The most usual one involves insertion of a probe into the stomach to take a sample, which is then examined in a laboratory. Another, if less accurate, option, used for helicobacter detection, is the breath test. However, in either case, one should go and see the doctor, who will carry out the respective test for helicobacter pylori. The simplest and most speedy HP test makes use of a stool sample. This does not take much time, can be done in the comfort of one´s own home and its accuracy is comparable to a gastroscopic examination at a doctor´s clinic.

Helicobacter pylori – treatment

The HP treatment can be practiced resorting to classical medicine, which includes administration of various antibiotics and subsequent tests evaluating the success rate of therapy. Yet antibiotic treatment is accompanied by many unpleasant side effects,  and bacterial resistance to such a therapy occurs at an increasing rate.

More and more people, therefore, seek natural therapies for this condition. The available alternative products worth mentioning include broccoli, aloe vera, oregano oil and sea-buckthorn oil, and the healing resin from the Chios island – the masticha (mastic gum). The masticha produces strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, as confirmed by many scientific studies.