There are several types of breath testing utilized in our practice. A hydrogen breath test uses the measurement of hydrogen in the breath to diagnose the reason for gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, abdominal distention, flatulence (passing gas in large amounts), and diarrhea. Several medical conditions frequently cause these symptoms. These symptoms can arise from poor digestion of certain dietary sugars, such as lactose (referred to as lactose intolerance) and fructose (fructose intolerance) as well as bacterial overgrowth of the small bowel (SIBO), a condition in which larger-than-normal numbers of colonic bacteria are present in the small intestine. Hydrogen breath testing can also be used to diagnose rapid passage of food through the small intestine.

Another type of breath testing used at GastroNYC is called Urease breath test. It is used to diagnose the presence of Helicobator Pylori (H. Pylori) infection in the stomach. This infection is a common reason for peptic ulcers and gastritis.

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