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A test result · Stomach · see where this sits
H. pylori infection
Your test showed H. pylori. You want to know what it is and how it’s treated.
- It’s common and very treatable
- A course of medicine usually clears it
- It may explain symptoms you’ve had
- There’s a clear plan
What H. pylori is
H. pylori is a common bacterium that lives in the stomach lining. Many people carry it without symptoms; in others it causes irritation, ulcers, or upper-belly discomfort. The good news is straightforward — it’s an infection, and infections can be treated and cured.
- A common stomach bacterium — a large share of people carry it
- Often silent, but it can drive inflammation, ulcers, or upper-belly pain
- Behind most stomach and duodenal ulcers — clearing it lets them heal
- Curable with a short, defined course of medicine
What happens next
Your provider will prescribe a treatment plan — usually two antibiotics plus an acid-reducing medicine, taken together for about two weeks. Take every dose exactly as directed and finish the full course; stopping early is the main reason treatment fails. We often re-check with a breath or stool test at least four weeks after you finish to confirm it’s gone.
Common questions
How did I get it?
Usually in childhood, often through close household contact. By the time it’s found, the how rarely changes the plan.
Do I need to be retested after treatment?
Often yes — a breath or stool test about a month after finishing confirms the infection cleared. Your provider will advise.
Can it come back?
Re-infection is uncommon after successful treatment. If symptoms return, tell your provider.
Take the tools you need to move your care forward.
Continue the story
This one closes with a prescription and a follow-up test. The most important part is yours: finish every dose.
Questions about your treatment?
Call the office about your prescription, side effects, or the confirmatory test after treatment.
Appointments are with Rochester Gastroenterology Associates — for patients in the greater Western New York area.
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