Ulcer Medication Over the Counter

Before, we start looking at the various over the counter (OTC) ulcer medication, let us discuss what are peptic ulcers and mouth ulcers. Peptic ulcers are open sores which occur on the lining of stomach, esophagus or duodenum. Many people believe that peptic ulcers are caused by spicy food or stress. However, peptic ulcers are caused due to a specific type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. But, stress and spicy foods can worsen peptic ulcer. NSAIDs which are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen can also cause peptic ulcers. If you are experiencing symptoms like abdominal pain with a burning sensation, pain after few hours of eating, pain becoming worse on an empty stomach, pain relived by milk, heartburn, belching, nausea, indigestion, vomiting, weight loss or poor appetite, then these all point to peptic ulcer. To treat peptic ulcers, the doctor will prescribe you certain ulcer medication. Over the counter drugs and many lifestyle changes will also be advised.

Mouth ulcers are open lesions or sores in the mouth, and also called oral ulcer, stomatitis ulcerative, ulcer-mouth. Small open sores can be annoying and painful, which can be caused due to various reasons like injury to the mouth, stress or certain medical condition. If you have any open sores in the mouth or pain and discomfort in the mouth, then you can use certain over the counter medications for ulcer of mouth. However, if you tend to get mouth ulcers often, then you should visit the doctor to find out the cause, and treat the underlying cause for mouth ulcers. Here are some, mouth and stomach ulcer medicine available over the counter.

Peptic Ulcer

Antacids
These are very commonly used drugs to treat stomach ulcer. You can buy a good antacid in syrup or tablet form to cure peptic ulcer. Sometimes, the doctor might also prescribe an acid blocker with antacid. Antacids help to neutralize the existing stomach acid, and provide quick pain relief.

Proton pump inhibitors
To reduce stomach acids, one can shut down the pumps within the acid secreting cells. These drugs help to reduce acid by blocking the action of these tiny pumps.

Acid blockers
Certain acid blockers are available OTC. They are also called histamine (H-2) blockers, which reduce the amount of hydrochloric acid released in your digestive tract, that helps to relieve ulcer pain and encourage healing.

Mouth Ulcer

Topical Pastes/Gels
You can buy mouth ulcer medication in the form of paste or gel. Active ingredients like benzocaine (Orabase), amlexanox (Aphthasol) and fluocinonide (Lidex, Vanos) can help to alleviate pain and speed up the process of healing, when topically applied to the lesions as soon as they occur.

Nutritional Supplements
These are not medications to treat the mouth and tongue ulcers, but can greatly help in healing the mouth lesions faster. Nutritional supplements like folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 and zinc, are recommended.

Numbing Over the Counter Products
There are certain gels or creams which can be used to numb the painful areas in the mouth. These might not help in healing, but can greatly help to numb the area, and thus reduce painful sensation of ulcers.

Debacterol
This is a topical solution, which was specially made for treating gum problems and canker sores. This solution, by chemically cauterizing lesions, helps to reduce the healing time to about a week.

If you can get rid of stomach ulcers using some ulcer medications OTC, then it is good. However, if you have chronic symptoms or recurring stomach ulcers, then consult a doctor for treatment. Mouth ulcers can be easily treated with some nutritional supplement, and OTC creams or gels. However, if your symptoms worsen, see a doctor.