- How is the Helicobacter breath test going?
- How does the breath test work?
- How much does the test cost and where can it be done?
The respiratory test for Helicobacter pylori is an extremely simple and effective test. Thanks to the breath test, you can quickly find out whether the tested person is infected with the Helicobacter pylori bacterium, which is not without significance when making a correct diagnosis of ailments from the digestive system.
Bloating, diarrhea, stomach pains? These could be symptoms of a bacterial infectionHelicobacter pylori . Her presence has so far been confirmed by gastroscopy. Currently, there is already a non-invasive method of detecting this bacteria -breath test .
How is the Helicobacter breath test going?
The test patient should be on an empty stomach (some clinics also ask you not to brush your teeth before having your teeth tested). Warning! The test can only be performed four weeks after the end of the last course of antibacterial drugs and two weeks after the last dose of antisecretory agents. You should reserve approximately 45 minutes for the test. First, the patient blows through the straw into two test tubes. They will be used to determine the so-called "output values". Then he is asked to drink 200 ml of orange juice or a solution of 1 g of citric acid dissolved in 200 ml of water. Immediately after drinking the juice, you must also drink the test solution containing 75 mg of urea powder dissolved in 30 ml of water. After half an hour, the test tube blow is performed again. The test is completely painless and should not cause any side effects. Test results can usually be collected after approx. 3 days.
How does the breath test work?
The test determines the individual amount of 13C exhaled in the air. The urea consumed in the second part of the test contains 13C carbon. When your breath samples are taken again, you can measure the amount of 13C in them and compare it with the first samples. InfectionHelicobacter pyloriwill mean a difference between the baseline 13C and the 30-minute difference greater than 4 per mille.
How much does the test cost and where can it be done?
The breathing test is currently not reimbursed by the National He alth Fund and must be performed privately after receiving a referral from a doctor. Detection breath test prices forHelicobacterpylorirange from 250 to 320 PLN. In Warsaw, the test is performed by several institutions, including Spółdzielnia Pracy Specjalnej Xgenologów at ul. Waryński and the Multi-Med Medical Diagnostics Center.