Treatments for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
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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 United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You may want to ask your doctor about taking part in a clinical trial.
References:
American Gastroenterological Association website. Available at: http://www.gastro.org/ . Accessed March 6, 2006.
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America website. Available at: http://www.ccfa.org/ . Accessed March 6, 2006.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website. Available at: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ . Accessed March 6, 2006.
Primary Care Medicine . 4th ed. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2000.
Rakel RE, Bope ET. Conn's Current Therapy 2001 . 53rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company; 2001.
Last reviewed March 2009 by Daus Mahnke, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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