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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Your course of treatment will be based on the cause of your peptic ulcer. Treatment typically involves taking acid-suppressing medications to kill H. pylori bacteria, if present, and to promote healing, as well as stopping any medications that are causing your peptic ulcer. You may also experience symptom relief from certain lifestyle measures.Medication OptionsIf your peptic ulcer is found to be caused by an H. pylori infection, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria in your digestive tract.Over-the-counter antacids like Mylanta, Maalox, or Tums can help you feel better, but they will not heal ulcers. If left untreated, complications from ulcers can occur.Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that block acid production and promote healing of peptic ulcers.PPI drugs include:Esomeprazole (Nexium)Lansoprazole (Prevacid)Omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid)Pantoprazole (Protonix)Rabeprazole (Aciphex)Acid blockers, also called H2 blockers, reduce acid production and heal ulcers. These include:Cimetidine (Tagamet)Famotidine (Pepcid)Nizatidine (Axid)Ranitidine (Zantac)Another option that your doctor may prescribe is a cytoprotective agent — a drug that protects the lining of your stomach and small intestine, which can help relieve symptoms of an ulcer.Alternative and Complementary TherapiesCertain lifestyle changes may help you recover from a peptic ulcer:Watch your diet. If you know that there are specific foods that make your ulcer feel worse, avoid them until your treatment is over. For many people, those include alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods, spicy foods, and chocolate.Stop smoking. Ulcers take longer to heal, and medications for ulcer treatment may be less effective, if you are a smoker. Scientists don’t know exactly why smoking has those effects.Use pain medications with caution. Pain relievers known as NSAIDs, which include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, can slow ulcer healing even if they didn’t cause your peptic ulcer. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) does not cause ulcers, so it may be a good substitute. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any of these medications; they may continue putting you on a PPI drug to prevent ulcer recurrences.Prevention of Peptic UlcersLimiting your use of NSAIDs may help prevent peptic ulcers. Taking an alternative pain reliever, such as acetaminophen, may help you avoid NSAIDs. If you need to take an NSAID, opt for the lowest effective dose and take it with a meal.Peptic ulcers caused by an infection with H. pylori are not usually preventable.Limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking may also help prevent peptic ulcers.
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