Ulcerative colitis is a complex disease, and its treatment mainly depends on how intense or severe the ailment is. It normally includes changes in diet, medications, and surgery in some extreme cases. Some people suffer from symptoms that are painful and long-lasting, which requires extensive doses of medications. In ulcerative colitis treatment, you will first have to treat other complications such as infection or anemia. Children and adolescents would have to take nutritional supplements for restoring normal growth and sexual development. However, it is important to mention here that in case the symptoms are negligible, then you would not have to undergo any treatment.

How does the ulcerative colitis treatment depend on the symptom?

In case you have any symptom of ulcerative colitis, they can be efficiently managed with the help of medicines that are capable of putting the disease in remission. It is easier to keep the disease in a remission state than treating a flare-up.

When the symptoms are mild, they can be treated with suppositories or enemas, which have medicines, antidiarrheal medicines, and aminosalicylates and steroid medications. The aminosalicylates can help in relieving inflammation of the intestine and are capable of keeping the disease in the remission state while steroid medicines can control existing health problems. Besides, alterations in the diet are extremely crucial.

Nonetheless, when the symptoms range between moderate and severe, you will have to take steroid medications for controlling inflammation. The dose would invariably be higher than that required for treating milder symptoms. When the inflammation starts reducing, you will have to take aminosalicylates to keep it under the remission state.

If the symptoms of ulcerative colitis are extremely severe, your specialist may prescribe any of these to keep the problem in check.

The most common Ulcerative Colitis Treatment options

Immunomodulator medications or cyclosporine: These are powerful medicines that can suppress the immune system for prevention of inflammation.

Biologics: These medications can block the inflammatory response in the body and help in reducing the inflammation of the colon. These medicines can be used only when other medications fail to control the symptoms.

Surgery: Removal of the large intestine or the colon can cure ulcerative colitis. But the surgical intervention will not be able to cure all the problems in the body like joint and liver problems. Surgery may also be considered the last resort for treating problems like toxic megacolon and bleeding.

What kind of medications is used in treating ulcerative colitis?

In most cases, anti-inflammatory medications are the first step in treating ulcerative colitis. But before you take them, it is important to know more about them:

Aminosalicylates: As stated before, these medicines are extremely effective in treating the symptoms of ulcerative colitis, but you must be aware of the side effects as well such as a headache and digestive problems. Some of them are available in both enema, and oral forms and your doctor would prescribe one on the basis of the parts of the colon that have been affected. These medicines have rare connections with pancreas and kidney problems.

Corticosteroids: Medications like hydrocortisone and prednisone fall under this category and are great for treating mild to severe ulcerative colitis. They can be given intravenously and orally on the basis of the location affected. These medications have various side effects as well such as excessive facial hair, puffy face, insomnia, night sweats and hyperactivity. Sometimes, these medicines can have more severe side effects such as high blood sugar, high blood pressure, glaucoma, osteoporosis, fractures, cataracts and increase in the risk of infection. They are not generally administered for a long term.

Cyclosporine: This medication is typically given to people who have failed to respond to other medications. It also has potential side effects like kidney and liver damage, fatal infections, seizures and is not meant for long-term usage. There is also a scant risk of developing cancer, and therefore, you should let your doctor know if you previously had cancer.

Vedolizumab: This medicine has been recently approved for the ulcerative colitis treatment for people who are not able to tolerate biologics or other treatments. It functions by blocking the inflammatory cells from reaching the site of infection.

Is it required to have ulcerative colitis treatment in the hospital or specialized healthcare facility?

You may have to take the ulcerative colitis treatment in the hospital in case you have a severe form of ulcerative colitis where you are affected by symptoms outside the digestive tract like anemia or fever. The treatment includes replacement of fluids as well as electrolytes that have been lost owing to severe diarrhea.

Your doctor may want to see your follow-up after every six months while your condition becomes stable. You may have to visit your GP more often in case you are still having problems. Many people become so familiar with their symptoms and conditions that they can handle mild flare-ups themselves.