health

Mild cases of colitis may be treated by changing diet; eating frequent
smaller meals; and avoiding caffeine, carbonated drinks, and spicy, high
fat, or gassy foods. Often medications are used to slow intestinal contractions
or stop diarrhea. Anti-inflammatory drugs (traditionally sulfabased
drugs or mesalamine, which has fewer side effects) are prescribed.
Corticosteroids* may be an alternative to reduce swelling, but these also
have side effects. In cases in which colitis originates with the immune
system, immune-system suppressors are used. Infliximab has been used
successfully for some hard-to-treat cases of ulcerative colitis. Antibioticactivated
colitis is treated with antibiotics (metronidiazole) to fight the
“bad” bacteria and allow the “good” bacteria to recover. In severe cases
persons may be hospitalized and fed intravenously (through the veins) to
give the colon a chance to rest and heal. In cases in which damage cannot
be reversed (usually ischemic or ulcerative colitis), sections of or the entire
colon may be surgically removed.