Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori is the bacteria that causes most cases of gastrointestinal ulcers. People with low stomach acidity (hypochlorhydria) are particularly at risk. Paradoxically, part of the standard treatment for stomach ulcers is the use of drugs that reduce stomach acid (antacids). While antacid treatment can relieve the burning symptoms caused by acid irritating the ulcerated stomach lining, unless an effective antibacterial treatment regimen is mounted simultaneously, the underlying Helicobacter pylori infection will be made worse.

Patients with ulcers due to Helicobacter pylori should recover with proper treatment and should not need to take antacid drugs for long periods of time. Failure of treatment of Helicobacter pylori raises concern that the initial diagnosis was incorrect, and additional diagnostic procedures are warranted to rule out more serious diseases.

Please see conventional, complementary, and alternative medical treatments for important background information regarding the different types of medical treatments discussed on this page. Naturopathic, Complementary, and Alternative treatments that may be considered include:

The gastric mucosa also shields the Helicobacter pylori from the body's immune system. However, the immune system recognizes the infection and mounts an inflammatory response. This inflammatory response is largely responsible for the formation of the painful ulcers.