Not An H pylori Issue

Here at the Functional Health Clinic, we are often contacted by people with gut health challenges. From acid reflux, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation etc.

 

When there has been a health and medical history of acid reflux, heartburn, gastritis, stomach pain and endoscopy procedures – there’s often a valid consideration that a bacterial infection called Helicobacter pylori is the “culprit”.

 

On the Comprehensive Digestive Health Tests we do indeed often find that it is present.

 

Yet! Sometimes, it simply isn’t present and just isn’t the main driver and cause of the pain and symptoms.

 

We prefer to assess not guess.

 

Clarity is essential. Otherwise a great deal of time, energy and resources go into trying to “fix” something that doesn’t need fixing.

 

In Alphie’s case (see the full case study) he had previously identified an H pylori infection with his Doctors investigations. In fact he’d been diagnosed with the infection twice before. Both times they treated it with the Triple Therapy (Antibiotics and PPI combination). This was a really useful step in the journey. But as yet his actual level of pain and discomfort and myriad of symptoms throughout his body (system of systems) had not changed.

 

You can see that the GI Map test actually identified Normal levels of the H pylori bacteria, suggesting that his prior treatments had been successful and unlikely a current issue.

 

So – can we move past it?

 

With this insight and clarity what we needed to do was build on this and progress. What else do we know about his GI Tract and digestive function that requires optimising?