When Crohn’s is active with symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhoea, corticosteroids are usually required in the short term to settle down the intestinal inflammation, which in turn reduces or completely settles the symptoms being experienced. However if you are already taking this sort of medication or another type of medication used in Crohn’s and you are still experiencing pain and diarrhoea, or if it improved initially with medication, but the symptoms have now returned, you need to discuss this with your gastroenterologist. Sometimes other anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating medications have to be used in combination. These medications are also used over the longer term to help keep the Crohn’s in check. It may also be necessary to investigate whether the pain is due to a fibrotic stricture (scarring), in which case your gastroenterologist would then advise you of the treatment you require. In the meantime a low fibre diet and taking paracetamol might help to make it a little more comfortable. Stronger pain killers or anti-diarrhoeal medications should only be used with the advice of your doctor.
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