If you’re dealing with constant tummy aches, gas, acid reflux, heartburn or lingering indigestion, it may be more than just something you ate. These are classic symptoms of gastritis that shouldn’t be ignored – especially when they keep returning despite antacids or dietary tweaks. In many cases, a single underlying bacterial infection could be driving all your stomach troubles, and identifying it through the right test can be the key to finally addressing the root cause rather than just managing symptoms.
Dr Priyanka Sehrawat, a general physician and neurologist trained at AIIMS, New Delhi, and currently associated with The Neuromed Clinic in Gurugram, is breaking down the underlying cause that may be triggering persistent gastritis symptoms – including gas, acid reflux, heartburn and chronic indigestion. In an Instagram video shared on November 13, the neurologist suggests getting tested for a specific stomach-infecting bacterium that can cause ulcers and drive ongoing digestive problems if left untreated.
Why you should get tested
According to Dr Sehrawat, if you have chronic gastritis and your symptoms continue to persist, it’s important to get tested for a bacterium called H. pylori, as it could be the underlying cause driving your symptoms.It is a bacterium that lives in the lining of the stomach, and when left untreated, it can increase the risk of chronic indigestion and even stomach cancer.
The neurologist explains, “I am tired of repeatedly saying that if you have chronic gastritis, if you experience a lot of gas in your stomach, heartburn, or have indigestion issues, you must get tested for a bacteria called H. pylori. Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria that lives on the layers of your stomach, causes ulcers, and increases acid production. It puts you at risk for chronic indigestion and also places you at risk for stomach cancer.”
Treatment
Dr Sehrawat points out that once identified, an H. pylori infection can be effectively treated with medication, often within just a couple of weeks. However, if the root cause isn’t diagnosed, symptoms are likely to persist – even with repeated self-medication.
Along with testing for H. pylori, the neurologist also recommends paying attention to your diet and exercise, alongside prioritising prebiotics and probiotics in your food, in order to fix your gastritis issues.
She emphasises, “If you discover it through H. pylori testing, it is highly treatable and can be resolved within two weeks of treatment using medication. So why not find out about it? Find the cause, treat the cause. Until you work on the root cause, your symptoms will not go away. Your gastritis issue will not be resolved just by continuously taking or switching between different antacids. Diet, exercise, prebiotics, and probiotics in your food, along with testing for H. pylori, matter a lot.”
