A common case pattern I’ve started to notice in my practice is the following: 30-year-old male recently immigrated from the Caribbean to the US reports experiencing ongoing episodes of abdominal pain and excessive belching. Upon exam, this appears to be stereotypical gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, when given over-the-counter GERD medications, his symptoms do not go away. Why is this?
The answer commonly is an infection called H. pylori. Helicobacter Pylori is a bacterial infection of the stomach that can cause stomach ulcers. In the U.S., it is less common, but we often see it in the immigrant population. Symptoms of H. pylori can be very similar to GERD with upper abdominal pain, but it may also cause nausea, loss of appetite, and frequent burping/bloating.
Because H. pylori is a bacterial infection, over-the-counter meds will be ineffective. If you develop these symptoms, please contact your primary care provider about H. pylori testing and antibiotic treatment!
Image Credit: BruceBlaus, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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