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Corticosteroids for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
How Well It Works
Corticosteroids improve or stop the symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. These medicines are used to put the disease in remission (a period without symptoms). They are not used long term. When the disease has gone into remission, your doctor will gradually reduce the strength and the amount of corticosteroid you are taking.
Only people who do not get better with other medicines—less than half of people with IBD—need to take corticosteroids. Of these people, many go into remission after taking corticosteroids.Reference 1, Reference 2 Some people with IBD may need to keep taking a small dose of corticosteroids to help keep them in remission.
Steroid enemas may be especially helpful for inflammation in the lower colon and the rectum.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: October 8, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Arvydas D. Vanagunas, MD - Gastroenterology |
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