- What it is
- A stomach bacterium linked to ulcers and, over many years, to a higher risk of stomach cancer.
- How it is found
- A breath test, a stool test, or a biopsy taken during endoscopy.
- Needs a camera sooner
- Vomiting blood, black stools, trouble swallowing, weight loss, or a low blood count.
- Where
- Testing and endoscopy with Dr Ajay Shesherao Shinde in Secunderabad.
Upper abdominal burning is often called acidity in India and treated with a strip of antacids. Sometimes that burning is an ulcer, and sometimes the ulcer is kept open by H. pylori. Clearing the infection lets many ulcers heal and lowers the chance they return. This is different from heartburn from acid reflux, which is felt behind the breastbone.
What does an ulcer feel like?
A duodenal or stomach ulcer often causes a gnawing pain in the upper abdomen that may come and go with meals. Nausea and bloating are common. Plenty of people with H. pylori feel nothing at all, so a family member’s positive test is not a reason to start antibiotics without your own test.
How is H. pylori tested?
| Test | What to know |
|---|---|
| Urea breath test | You breathe into a bag after a drink. Acid-suppressing tablets can make it falsely negative, so they are paused only if your doctor says so. |
| Stool antigen | A stool sample looks for the bacterium. The same pause in acid tablets may be needed. |
| Endoscopy with biopsy | A camera looks for an ulcer and takes a tiny sample. This is the test when alarm symptoms are present. |
A blood antibody test shows past exposure. It does not prove a current infection, so it is a weak way to decide on antibiotics.
Who needs an endoscopy, not only a breath test?
- Vomiting blood, or black tarry stools
- Trouble swallowing, or food that sticks
- Weight loss you cannot explain, or anaemia
- New upper abdominal pain in midlife, or a family history of stomach cancer
- Pain that continues after a proper treatment course
Details of the camera test are on the endoscopy page. Painkillers such as frequent ibuprofen, diclofenac, and aspirin can cause ulcers even without H. pylori. Tell the doctor about every pain tablet, including those bought at a pharmacy.
If a course of antibiotics is prescribed, take every dose. Stopping early is a common reason the infection remains and becomes harder to clear later.
What happens after treatment?
The prescription is usually antibiotics plus an acid-suppressing medicine for a set number of days. Your doctor chooses the combination. A repeat breath or stool test is often used afterwards to confirm the bacterium has gone, especially if symptoms remain or an ulcer was seen. Do not repeat antibiotics because a relative was given them.
How to get this checked in Secunderabad
Dr Ajay Shesherao Shinde, gastroenterologist at Medicover Hospital, Secunderabad, can decide between a non-invasive test and an endoscopy. Call +91 98901 05648 or book online. Bring old endoscopy reports and a list of pain medicines.
Common questions
Can H. pylori cause acidity?
It can cause upper abdominal burning and ulcers. Heartburn behind the breastbone is more often reflux. The two overlap, which is why a history matters more than the word acidity.
Should everyone be tested?
No. Testing is for people with ulcer symptoms, a proven ulcer, or other reasons your doctor names. A positive test in someone with no symptoms is a separate discussion, not an automatic antibiotic course.
Do I need an endoscopy if my breath test is positive?
Not always. Alarm symptoms, midlife onset, anaemia, or a poor response to treatment are reasons to look with a camera. A straightforward positive test can often be treated without one.
Can I drink milk or take antacids instead of antibiotics?
Antacids may dull pain. They do not clear H. pylori. An ulcer related to the infection tends to return until the bacterium is treated.
Who treats H. pylori in Secunderabad?
Dr Ajay Shesherao Shinde, a gastroenterologist at Medicover Hospital, Secunderabad, arranges testing and endoscopy when it is needed. Call +91 98901 05648.
Related reading from the clinic
This article is general education from the clinic of Dr Ajay Shesherao Shinde in Secunderabad, Hyderabad. It does not diagnose a condition or replace a personal consultation. Seek urgent care for severe pain, vomiting blood, black stools, chest pain, fever with jaundice, or confusion.