What medicines are used to treat inflammatory bowel disease?
Medicines for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) reduce the inflammation, relieve symptoms, and prevent flare-ups. Every patient is different. What may work for one person with IBD may not work for another. You may need to try several different medicines before you find one or more that work best for you. You should keep track of how well the drugs are working, any side effects, and report all details to your doctor. The following kinds of medicines are used to treat IBD: Aminosalicylates Most people with mild to moderate cases of IBD are first treated with medicines called aminosalicylates (uh-MEE-noh-suh-LISS-uh-layts). They are given as pills, through an enema, or in a suppository, depending on which part of the digestive tract is inflamed. Possible side effects include nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, and headache. Corticosteroids Corticosteroids (KOR-tih-koh-STEER-oids) are powerful and fast-acting drugs that suppress the immune system. They are given for short period
