Dealing With
Crohn’s Flare-ups
Symptoms can be difficult. But know that you can get what you need to reach remission.
When you have Crohn’s, you may be thinking, “Will my condition flare up?” “What can I do when it does?” “How will I cope?” You’re not alone in those thoughts. Here, you’ll find helpful info that can help answer some of those questions you may be asking yourself.
First Things First: What Is a Flare?
When you have Crohn’s, a flare is the reappearance or worsening of disease symptoms. With inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (UC), specific symptoms will depend on which condition you have and the part of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract that’s inflamed. With Crohn’s, once the inflammatory response is triggered, this is what can lead to a symptom flare.
Symptoms of a flare can include:
Crohn’s is unpredictable. And over time symptoms can change or get worse—meaning that the disease is progressive. Of course it’s important to talk to your doctor when experiencing a flare. But it’s also important to be specific about changes or differences in symptoms over time. Remember to communicate when you feel like you need a change—discussing with your doctor whether or not your treatment plan is working for you.
How much of your time is your Crohn's impacting? Find out and make a personal action plan.
What Can Affect Crohn’s Flares?
Here are a few factors that may impact a flare or make symptoms worse:
- Missing, skipping, or taking the wrong dose of medication—Flares can happen when medications aren’t taken as prescribed. If you’re taking your medication as prescribed and are still experiencing a flare, speak to your doctor about possibly changing the dose, frequency, or type of medication.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—These include aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen. They can lead to bowel inflammation—making symptoms worse.
- Antibiotics—Good for treating bacterial infections, but they also alter the bacteria in the intestine. Changes to intestinal bacteria may cause diarrhea or inflammation. Tell your doctor if you’re taking an antibiotic and experience a flare of Crohn’s symptoms.
- Stress—Physical and emotional stress do not cause Crohn’s—but they can impact symptoms.
- Foods that irritate your GI tract—There’s no evidence that food can cause or cure Crohn’s, nor is there any evidence that it can cause a flare. But if a flare is present, what you eat can affect your symptoms. Every person with Crohn’s is different when it comes to foods or drinks that may aggravate symptoms.
9 Tips for Managing Flare-ups of Crohn’s Disease
You can’t always prevent flares, but you can be proactive about your health.
1
Always take your treatment as prescribed
2
See your doctor regularly—and have open conversations about your symptoms
6
Maintain a well-balanced diet and consider vitamins or mineral supplements
If you’re not feeling better, maybe try something different, whether that’s a different doctor or a different treatment.
