Does Helicobacter pylori positivity cause stomach pain

helicobacter pylori positivity may cause stomach pain. Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the main causes of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers, with stomach pain being a common symptom. However, some infected individuals may not experience significant discomfort. After Helicobacter pylori infection, the bacteria can damage the gastric mucosal barrier, causing gastric acid to directly stimulate the nerve endings in the submucosal layer, leading to upper abdominal dull pain, burning pain, or hunger like pain. Pain is often related to eating, and worsening on an empty stomach is a typical manifestation of duodenal ulcers, while worsening after a meal is more common in gastric ulcers. Long term infection may also be accompanied by symptoms such as bloating, belching, and acid reflux. Gastroscopy examination shows congestion, edema or ulceration of the gastric mucosa, and carbon-13/14 breath test can confirm the diagnosis of infection.

A small number of Helicobacter pylori positive individuals may be in an asymptomatic carrier state, especially children and those with strong immunity. In such cases, the damage to the gastric mucosa is relatively mild, but there is still a probability of symptoms occurring when the immune system is weakened. It is worth noting that stomach pain may also be caused by non infectious factors, such as stress gastritis, drug damage, or functional dyspepsia, which need to be differentiated through gastroscopy and pathological examination. After being diagnosed with Helicobacter pylori infection, standard quadruple therapy (proton pump inhibitors+two antibiotics+bismuth) is the main treatment method. Avoid spicy and stimulating food in daily life, and have three regular meals and serving of individual dishes to prevent cross infection. After treatment, re examination should be conducted to confirm eradication, and patients with recurrent infections should be tested for antibiotic resistance. Long term untreated infections may increase the risk of gastric cancer, and it is recommended that individuals with a family history of gastric cancer undergo regular gastroscopy screening.