New Delhi: In a world where most people are accustomed to eating packaged, processed, and convenient foods citing lack of time, it is not an uncommon occurrence for one to develop stomach ulcers. Caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacteria of the stomach that causes inflammation and even cancer in extreme cases, it can be daunting for a patient. Pylori or peptic ulcer disease is described as a gastric Infection with the Bacterium H-Pylori accounts for the majority of Peptic ulcer diseases (PUD). In an interaction with News9Live, Dr Tanmay Kumar Sahu, Consultant-Internal Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneswar, listed the best tips to deal with such infections by making appropriate lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle changes in managing H Pylori infection
- Addressing and treating risk factors for PUD-Smoking cessation
- Avoiding alcohol or limiting alcohol intake to 1 beverage/Day
- NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) Patients with peptic ulcers should be advised to avoid
- NSAIDs including Aspirin increases the risk of PUD and are associated with an increased risk of complications from a peptic ulcer.
Lifestyle changes for primary/secondary prevention of H. Pylori infection
- Avoiding Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when not necessary: For patients who must continue Aspirin/NSAID treatment with a protein pump inhibitor(PPI) can be recommended for as long as NSAID/Aspirin is used.
- Improving living conditions & domestic crowding: Domestic crowding & unsanitary living conditions are risk factors for H pylori infection and improvement in the above parameters leads to a decrease in H pylori infection.
- Unclean food/water: Unclean food/water is a risk factor for H pylori infection and improvement in socio-economic status and hygiene practices reduces the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection.
- Reducing person-to-person transmission: Transmission of H Pylori occurs from person to person following an oral-oral or fecal-oral route/exposure to gastric content of an infected individual. Following personal/universal hygiene practices helps reduce person-to-person transmission.
Finally, poor socioeconomic status and poor education predispose to higher colonization of H Pylori. So improvement in socioeconomic status and education leads to decreased colonization, infection,n and ultimately elimination/eradication of H Pylori infection.
Pylori or peptic ulcer disease can cause a great deal of pain, but according to doctors, the same can be dealt with by making lifestyle changes. Health Conditions Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
