Keeping a food journal might help you track which foods in your diet are better or worse for your IBD. The below suggestions can also help ease symptoms or help keep your body healthy during a flare-up. Drink water: In UC, the large intestine can have a hard time absorbing water and salt, which can contribute to diarrhea and dehydration. Drinking plenty of water or an electrolyte replacement drink can help avoid dehydration if you're experiencing a flare.
Eat plain, easy-to-digest foods: During a UC flare, it's common to lose your appetite. To keep your energy levels up and avoid malnutrition and weight loss, it's important to continue to fuel your body with food.
Unfortunately, fruits and vegetables, particularly when raw, are bothersome for many people with UC. Avoid fatty and greasy foods as well. Your doctor may also suggest meal replacement drinks if you're losing weight from UC flare-ups. Get some exercise: If you're experiencing symptoms like stomach pain and diarrhea, exercise may sound like the last thing you want to do.
But in addition to the well-known mood and health-boosting benefits of exercise, a workout can also have specific benefits for UC symptoms.
Biologic medicines are medicines that reduce inflammation of the intestine by targeting proteins the immune system uses to stimulate inflammation. They may be used to treat adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis if other options are not suitable or working. Some biologic medicines may also be used to treat children or young people aged 6 to 17 with severe ulcerative colitis.
They are given in hospital as an infusion through a drip in your arm every 4 to 12 weeks, or as an injection every 1 to 4 weeks. The treatment is given for 12 months unless the medicine is not working well. Biologic medicines affect your immune system and can increase your risk of getting infections.
Talk to a GP if you have any symptoms of a possible infection, such as coughs, a high temperature or a sore throat.
Find out more about biologic medicines from Crohn's and Colitis UK. It also works by targeting the immune system, but does this in a different way from other medicines. The tablets are recommended for people with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis if standard treatments or biologics have not worked or are not suitable.
Tofacitinib is not recommended for use in pregnancy. Women should use reliable contraception when taking it, and for at least 4 weeks after finishing the course. If you have frequent flare-ups that have a significant effect on your quality of life, or you have a particularly severe flare-up that's not responding to medicines, surgery may be an option. Surgery for ulcerative colitis involves permanently removing the colon a colectomy.
Once your colon is removed, your small intestine will be used to pass waste products out of your body instead of your colon. Ileoanal pouches are increasingly used because an external bag to collect waste products is not required. Desi adds. Flares come with different levels of intensity. You may be able to manage a mild flare-up of symptoms on your own. But a more severe flare may be a warning sign of an ulcerative colitis complication that needs immediate attention. Theodore J.
Saclarides, MD , a colon and rectal surgeon at Rush University Medical Group in Chicago, suggests calling your doctor if you have any of these ulcerative colitis symptoms:. Your doctor may help you deal with a flare by changing your medications or offering new ones. After the flare has subsided, physicians recommend one or two checkups a year to manage the disease. When an ulcerative colitis flare strikes, you have options for getting your life back on track. And remember to always let your doctor know when new or persistent symptoms arise.
By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Your doctor will work with you to treat your flare and help return your UC to a more manageable state. Particularly if your UC is active, you may have a greater risk for:. Ideally, having a conversation with your doctor prior to getting pregnant can allow them to prepare a UC treatment plan in advance that can be revised, if and as needed, during your pregnancy. When you first notice a flare, talk with your doctor to determine the cause.
They may adjust your medication or suggest other treatment options. During flare-ups, use wipes rather than toilet paper to reduce irritation. You can also apply a skin protectant at night and take acetaminophen to manage pain.
Every person with UC has different triggers. Below is a list of some of the most common triggers:. Flares may not always be linked to a trigger. Still, being familiar with your triggers may help you reduce and manage flare-ups. A modified diet may help you manage and reduce your UC symptoms. Depending on the person, specific foods may trigger flare-ups or worsen symptoms.
Your doctor and a dietitian can work with you to find a diet that best manages your symptoms while providing the nutrition you need.
Severe UC flares may keep your body from effectively absorbing enough nutrients. Enteral nutrition, which generally involves a liquid diet given through a tube, can provide needed nutrients while helping your body heal. A research review suggested that a liquid diet may benefit people with IBD, including severe UC. No specific foods will cure UC or completely stop flares. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet.
However, their high fiber content when raw may worsen a UC flare. Cooking fruits and vegetables can help you keep them in your diet without the impact on your UC.
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