OTC pain relievers can help you manage the pain of early ulcers.
You can gargle with saltwater as often as you like. For example, if you have severe ulcers, gargle every 1 to 2 hours.
If the ulcer makes you more sensitive to heat, eat warm or cold foods instead of hot foods.
For example, you could start your morning with warm tea rather than coffee.
You can brush your teeth more than 2 times a day, if you’re concerned about bad breath.
If you don’t want to quit smoking, consider temporarily stopping until your throat ulcer heals.
An open wound or wounds on your soft or hard palate A sore throat Discomfort while eating or drinking Fever and chills Joint pain Trouble swallowing or difficulty eating Heartburn or chest pain Bad breath Nausea or vomiting
It’s important to get medical treatment because your throat ulcer may be caused by an underlying medical condition that also needs treatment.
Gastrointestinal reflux (GERD) Injury Ingestion of corrosive agents Excessive vomiting Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy Bacterial infections Fungal infections such as thrush Viral infections Herpes simplex virus (HSV) HIV Inflammatory diseases Excessive coughing or use of voice
If your throat ulcer is caused by cancer treatments, the doctor may recommend changing your diet and they’ll talk with you about proper oral care. For example, you may need to brush your teeth and tongue 3 to 4 times a day and avoid eating spicy foods.
Be sure to follow the directions for use because some lidocaine mouthwashes are meant to be swished and then swallowed.
Nausea or vomiting Abdominal pain Weight loss Vomiting blood
To see inside your esophagus, the doctor may take an x-ray or do an upper endoscopy. During the endoscopy, they’ll insert a thin tube with a camera down your esophagus to look for ulcers.
Proton pump inhibitors Antacids H-2-receptor blockers
The doctor might want to do another upper endoscopy to look at the site of the ulcer.
Smoking and drinking may slow down your recovery time.
Spicy foods Fried foods Caffeine Tomatoes, onions, and garlic Citrus Mint
You might find that it’s easier to eat several small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large ones.
