If you’re constantly dealing with bloating, gas, burning, burping, or stomach pain, it’s easy to brush it off as indigestion and reach for an antacid or quick relief medicine. For many people, that becomes the default fix – something taken whenever the discomfort flares up. But if the same symptoms keep returning again and again, they may be signalling something more than routine digestive upset. What feels like “just gas” on the surface could sometimes point to an underlying issue that needs medical attention rather than temporary symptom relief.
Dr Manan Vora, a Mumbai-based orthopaedic surgeon, health educator, and co-founder of NutriByte Wellness, is highlighting a common yet potentially dangerous mistake many Indians make when dealing with digestive discomfort. In an Instagram video shared on May 28, he points to our tendency to regard almost every stomach issue as “gas” – whether it’s bloating, acidity, burning, or stomach pain. However, he explains that these recurring symptoms may not always be routine indigestion, and in some cases could be linked to an underlying bacterial infection.
A common mistake Indians make
According to Dr Vora, one of the most common yet overlooked habits among Indians is labelling almost every digestive discomfort – whether it’s bloating, burning, burping, or stomach pain – as simply “gas.” However, he cautions that if these symptoms keep returning repeatedly, it may not be “just gas.” He points to a possible infection caused by H. pylori, a bacteria that lives in the stomach lining and can sometimes be the underlying reason behind persistent digestive issues.
{{/usCountry}}According to Dr Vora, one of the most common yet overlooked habits among Indians is labelling almost every digestive discomfort – whether it’s bloating, burning, burping, or stomach pain – as simply “gas.” However, he cautions that if these symptoms keep returning repeatedly, it may not be “just gas.” He points to a possible infection caused by H. pylori, a bacteria that lives in the stomach lining and can sometimes be the underlying reason behind persistent digestive issues.
{{/usCountry}}He highlights, “India has a dangerous habit of labeling every stomach issue as ‘gas’. Burning inside? Gas. Burping? Gas. Nausea after food? Gas. But if your ‘gas’ keeps coming back again and again, it may not be a normal gas issue. It might be H. pylori.”
What is H. pylori?
Dr Vora highlights that H. pylori is a bacteria that can enter the body through contaminated food or water, saliva, or poor hygiene, and then settle into the lining of the stomach. Once there, it can survive the stomach’s acidic environment and may lead to issues such as chronic gastritis, recurring acidity, ulcers, bloating, or indigestion. He notes that these symptoms are often mistaken for routine digestive discomfort, causing many people to self-medicate with acidity relief medicines. While those treatments may temporarily ease symptoms, they do not eliminate the underlying bacteria.
The surgeon explains, “H. pylori is a bacteria that lives in the lining of your stomach. It usually spreads through contaminated food, water, saliva, or poor hygiene, and once it enters, it can survive the stomach acid. That’s why this is not the same as regular bloating or indigestion. It can cause chronic gastritis, recurrent acidity, ulcers, bloating, burping, nausea and upper abdominal pain. And this is where people go wrong. They keep taking Eno, Digene, Pudin Hara or random acid tablets. These may reduce the burning for a few hours. But they do kill H. pylori. The treatment is not one antacid.”
How is H. pylori treated?
Dr Vora emphasises that if your digestive symptoms keep returning, it’s important to see a doctor and get evaluated for H. pylori. He explains that the infection is commonly diagnosed through a breath test, stool test, or in some cases, an endoscopy. If the test comes back positive, treatment usually involves a targeted course of antibiotics for around 14 days, often alongside acid-reducing medication. He also notes that even if symptoms improve after treatment, follow-up testing is important to confirm that the bacteria has been fully cleared.
The surgeon highlights, “If your symptoms keep coming back again and again, don’t keep treating it as normal gas. Go to your doctor and get it checked. To confirm H. pylori, your doctor may ask for a breath test, stool test or sometimes an endoscopy. And if it’s positive, it usually needs a proper antibiotic course with acid reducing medicine for about 14 days. And once the treatment is done, you should recheck to make sure the infection is actually gone. Because feeling better doesn’t always mean H. pylori is cleared. So if your gas keeps coming back, especially with burning, burping, nausea or upper stomach pain, stop self-medicating. See a doctor and find out what’s causing it.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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