How Is Ulcerative Colitis Treated?

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributor
Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on March 26, 2025
How Is Ulcerative Colitis Treated?
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How Is Ulcerative Colitis Treated?

There is no cure for ulcerative colitis, but you can ease your symptoms with certain treatments. These include medications, changes to your diet, or in extreme cases, surgery.

Medications
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Medications

Medications are often the first step in treating ulcerative colitis. Drugs such as mesalamine or olsalazine can help lower inflammation. If these aren't effective, corticosteroids or immunosuppressants might be used to control your symptoms.

Biologics and New Treatments
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Biologics and New Treatments

For more severe cases, biologics such as adalimumab and infliximab may help lower your inflammation. You can also try JAK inhibitors or S1P receptor modulators to reach remission faster. But these come with some risks, so it's important to talk to your doctor first.

What Should You Eat?
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What Should You Eat?

Changing your diet can also help your symptoms. Try to avoid high-fiber foods and dairy. Eat smaller, more frequent meals that include essential vitamins and minerals. Drink lots of water every day. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated drinks, as these can add to your diarrhea and gas.

When Is Surgery Necessary?
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When Is Surgery Necessary?

If your ulcerative colitis is severe enough, you may need surgery. This could include a colectomy (removal of your colon) and creating an ileal pouch to connect to your anus. When other treatments don't work, this can help you find relief.

This content was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
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