Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Treatment Options

While there isn’t a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the goals of treatment are to increase periods of time that are symptom-free, prevent flare-ups and improve quality of life. There are a number of different medications and surgical treatments that have been proven to help control IBD.

Medical Treatment
Medications are available that help control and relieve inflammation, abdominal pain, diarrhea and rectal bleeding. Also taking nutritional supplements and vitamins will help restore lost nutrients due to poor absorption, diarrhea and reduced appetite.

Dietary Treatment
Maintaining a proper diet is very important to manage IBD and to prevent malnutrition and extreme weight loss. The goal of dietary treatment is to find a healthy diet that does not add to the gastrointestinal distress. However, keep in mind that sometimes the course of IBD is inconsistent, and a diet and treatment plan that works for a period may need to be modified periodically.

Surgical Treatment
Surgery is reserved for patients who have not positively responded to medical therapy and have a severe or life-threatening disease, or have recurrent Crohn's in the small and large intestines. In many patients, surgery can be performed utilizing a minimally invasive technique, which means smaller incisions, faster recovery and a shorter hospital stay.