Treatment for inflammatory bowel disease aims to control symptoms and reduce inflammation in the bowel and throughout the body. Controlling inflammation is important to manage complications and improve quality of life. Hospitalization may be needed to control symptoms of severe flare-ups.

Treatment involves the following:

Lifestyle changes
Medications
Surgery
Alternative and complementary therapies for Crohn's disease
Alternative and complementary therapies for ulcerative colitis

Other experimental therapies are still being studied for use in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. These therapies are not yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You may want to ask your doctor about taking part in a clinical trial.

REFERENCES:

Crohn disease in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/crohn-disease-in-adults. Updated May 16, 2018. Accessed December 21, 2018.

IBD. American Gastroenterological Association website. Available at: https://www.gastro.org/practice-guidance/gi-patient-center/topic/inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd. Accessed December 21, 2018.

Treatment options in IBD. Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America website. Available at: http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/resources/treatment-options-in-ibd.html. Accessed December 21, 2018.

Ulcerative colitis in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/ulcerative-colitis-in-adults. Updated October 26, 2018. Accessed December 21, 2018.

Last reviewed September 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review BoardDaus Mahnke, MD  Last Updated: 11/24/2020