This may cause a narrowing of the centre of the stomach which can be relieved by surgery or endoscopy. Like mouth ulcers, peptic ulcers tend to come and go. Without treatment recurrence is quite common. The treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection provides a cure from further trouble for most but not all patients. For the rest, care should be taken to avoid factors likely to provoke recurrence such as irritant drugs, smoking, alcohol to excess, or stress.
Self help is important.
For such people drugs to reduce acid production by the stomach are helpful. Although many of the factors leading to peptic ulcers are known, they are very complicated and much more needs to be discovered. Current research is identifying how Helicobacter pylori causes ulcers in some people and not in others. Research is also finding how Helicobacter infection is acquired and how it can most effectively, simply and cheaply be eradicated. Perhaps unidentified dietary factors are important which might explain the odd world-wide distribution of the problem.