What Are the Treatments for an Ulcer?
Medications are usually used to treat mild-to-moderate ulcers. If the cause is bacterial, antibiotics can cure the ulcer. For recurrent, severe cases that do not respond to medication, surgery may be necessary. Although alternative therapies have been shown to aid in the relief of symptoms as well as in the healing of ulcers, they should be used only as supplements to conventional treatment. You should not treat an ulcer on your own without first seeing your doctor. Over-the-counter antacids and acid blockers may relieve some or all of the pain, but the relief is always short-lived. With a doctor’s help, you can find relief from the ulcer pain as well as a lifelong cure from the disease. Proton-pump inhibitor drugs such as Prilosec are the most cost-effective treatment options for peptic ulcers. The chief goals of treatment are reducing the amount of acid in the stomach, strengthening the protective linings that come in direct contact with gastric acids, and — if your ulcer is caused
