There is no cure for Crohn’s Disease, but it can be managed with long-term care from a gastroenterologist, and medications that suppress the immune system or interrupt inflammatory processes to prevent damage to the intestinal lining and, in some cases, initiate remission. One noteworthy class of drugs is TNF-alpha inhibitors, such as infliximab.[1]
Anti-diarrheal medications and acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol or the brand name Tylenol) can be used to treat diarrhea and abdominal pain, and antibiotics are used to treat infections that might occur (such as abscesses). Fistulas, anal fissures, and ulcers can be treated with medication and dietary modifications, but in some cases, severely damaged sections of the intestine may need to be surgically removed and rerouted or attached to a reservoir to enable the passage of stool.
Severe symptoms may also require bowel rest, which can involve partial enteral nutrition — using specific liquid formulas to meet a patient’s dietary needs — or delivering nutrients intravenously to bypass the GI tract completely. Partial enteral nutrition may help to prevent flares when a patient is in remission, especially when fed through a nasogastric tube that delivers the formula directly into the stomach through the nose.[2][3]