Treatments
Disclaimer: Make sure to talk to your health care provider about different medications. These are overly simplified descriptions to provide an overview. All medication here are listed by their brand names.
The treatment goal for inflammatory bowel disease is to reduce the inflammation triggering its symptoms. These different treatments can lead to symptom relief, as well as long-term remission.
1. Anti-inflammtory drugs: these are typically the first choice of treatment for IBD. This includes corticosteroids and aminosalicylates.
The treatment goal for inflammatory bowel disease is to reduce the inflammation triggering its symptoms. These different treatments can lead to symptom relief, as well as long-term remission.
1. Anti-inflammtory drugs: these are typically the first choice of treatment for IBD. This includes corticosteroids and aminosalicylates.
- corticosteroids: these are not used for long term relief, this is because they are not able to heal the mucosa (lining of the intestine). Instead, they are used to decrease the initial inflammation. This treatment is typically a capsule. Some examples are:
- Prednisone
- Medrol
- Proctofoam, Cortenema
- Entocort, Uceris
- aminosalicylates: these are similar to corticosteroids in that they are taken orally or topically. In contrast, these are used for more long term remission. Some examples are:
- Colazal, Giazo
- Asacol, Canasa, Rowasa
- Dipentum
- Alzulfidide
- Biologics: work by neutralizing a protein produced by your immune system
- Integrin blockers: Entyvio
- Cytokine blockers:
- TNF-alpha blockers: Remicade, Humira, Simponi
- Biosimilar: Resima, Inflectra
- Interleukin blockers: Stelara
- TNF-alpha blockers: Remicade, Humira, Simponi
- Cipro
- Flagyl
- Antidiarrheal medications: relieve different degrees of diarrhea. Some examples are:
- Metamucil
- Citrucel
- Imodium A-D
- Pain relievers: for mild pain doctors recommend:
- Tylenol
- Advil, Motrin IB, Aleve, Voltaren are said to make symptoms worse (ibuprofin).
- Iron supplements: if there is severe intestinal bleeding, iron deficiency anemia may develop.
- Calcium & Vitamin D supplements: some of the steroids mentioned above increase the risk of osteoporosis. This makes these supplements needed in some cases.