How to Find Relief During a Crohn’s Flare
Updated on March 5, 2026
ON THIS PAGE
ON THIS PAGE
Even the most well-managed cases of Crohn's disease can flare up occasionally. This means that you’ll need to step up your treatment regimen to bring your inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms under control.
Once your doctor has done testing to assess the severity and location of your inflammation, they will need to adjust the dosage of your medications, or have you take other medications.
While you’re waiting for treatment to kick in, here are things you can do to get relief from symptoms.
Next up video playing in 10 seconds
5 Tips for Managing Crohn’s Pain
Try these 5 tips to manage Crohn’s pain.
Crohn’s Disease Symptoms You Can Manage
Try the tips below to manage the most common Crohn’s disease symptoms.
Dehydration
Avoid dehydration by making sure you’re getting enough fluids. “The best thing people with Crohn’s disease can do is to be able to make lots of clear urine by drinking plenty of fluids,” says Peter Higgins, MD, PhD, the director of the inflammatory bowel disease program at University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor.
Drinking at least 2 liters, or about 68 ounces (oz) of water a day can help, but you may need more to make up for any fluid loss due to diarrhea. You should also avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can cause you to lose more fluids through urine than you take in. Ask your doctor if you can stay hydrated well enough on your own or if you need to be rehydrated with intravenous (IV) fluids.
Discomfort From Diarrhea
Frequent bowel movements can create irritation in and around the anus. For relief, try the following:
- Use moistened wipes, making sure they’re alcohol free and safe for sensitive skin.
- Avoid using soap in the area until it heals, as soap can be drying.
- Avoid tight clothing and wear breathable cotton underwear.
- Wash around the anus after bowel movements by using a bidet, showering, or using a moistened wipe.
- Talk to your doctor about whether or not you can use an ointment or barrier cream to help ease itching or pain.
Abdominal Pain
Cramps, bloating, and gas can be painful. Up to 70 percent of people with IBD experience abdominal pain during a flare, and that pain can persist in as many as half of them, even after they achieve remission.
Try these steps to reduce discomfort.
- Eat smaller meals, but eat them more often to get enough calories — the healing process increases your body’s energy requirements.
- Eat refined grains like white bread, pasta, and rice, and low-fiber fruits including bananas and cantaloupe.
- Avoid trigger foods, which differ from person to person, but often include high-fiber foods, anything with lactose, fried foods, caffeine, and alcohol.
Nausea
Talk with your doctor if nausea is keeping you from eating, drinking, or taking medications. Dr. Higgins says that some people might need anti-nausea medications that either dissolve slowly in the mouth, come in patch form, or are available as suppositories. You can also try to relieve nausea naturally by eating foods or drinking herbal teas with ginger, or trying aromatherapy using peppermint oil.
Weight Loss
A Crohn’s disease flare can keep you from eating and drinking enough, and even if you do, your gut may not be absorbing nutrients properly, so weight loss can be a serious concern.
Try these steps to maintain a healthy weight.
- Work with a dietitian on an eating plan for when you are in a flare.
- Look for high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods you can tolerate. Consider peanut butter, bananas, white rice, canned fruits, and cooked fish.
- Make sure you’re getting plenty of protein, as your body requires more protein to heal inflamed tissue.
- Keep a food diary or use a smartphone app to keep track of the calories you take in.
- If you don’t eat enough for more than a few days or you experience rapid weight loss, you may require immediate medical attention, so keep your doctor informed.
Fever
Active inflammation can cause a fever, but this symptom will likely decrease as your treatment starts to work. Avoid taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) without your doctor’s approval because they can sometimes upset the digestive system, says Cyrus Tamboli, MD, a gastroenterologist at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Acetaminophen is usually safe as long as you don’t exceed the recommended dosage.
Fatigue
Higgins says fatigue should improve if you stay hydrated, manage your diet, and stick to your treatment plan, which should include maintaining adequate iron and B12 levels.
Mouth Sores
If mouth sores — aka canker sores or mouth ulcers — are part of a Crohn’s disease flare, ask your doctor about using prescription lidocaine jelly to manage discomfort, Higgins says. You might also be advised to use medicinal mouthwash for some mouth sores.
Make sure you don’t do anything to irritate the sores, such as eating acidic, salty, or spicy food or drinks. Eating softer foods might help avoid irritation, as well as using a straw.
Eye Complications
About 10 percent of people with Crohn’s disease experience eye complications, which can include symptoms such as blurred vision, eye pain, dry eye, and sensitivity to light. Make sure your eye doctor knows you have Crohn’s, and ask if treatment may help you manage your symptoms and protect your eyes from inflammation.
These self-care steps should help you feel more comfortable during a flare of Crohn’s disease symptoms.
What to Ask Your Doctor
Your doctor can help you determine if the flare is due to a worsening of the disease or the development of complications.
“People who’ve lived with Crohn’s all their lives get to know their symptoms and flares very well, but even the most experienced can get confused,” says Dr. Tamboli. A Crohn’s disease flare implies a worsening of inflammation, but symptoms can occur for other reasons, namely complications of the disease. “This can include an infection, an abscess, or, rarely, a tumor in the colon,” Tamboli says.
If you're experiencing complications or an infection rather than a flare, that would require a different treatment plan than a flare, such as antibiotics or surgery. If you have a complication that requires surgery, you’re not alone — nearly 50 percent of people with Crohn’s will need a surgical procedure within 10 years of diagnosis. Talk to your doctor about what to expect before and after surgery, such as when you can return to work or specific activities.
As many as 20 percent of people with IBD experience skin complications. These can include tender red bumps on the legs, skin tags, anal fissures (small tears in the anus), and fistulas, or tunnels from the intestine to the skin, among others. If you develop a skin condition, it is best to speak with your doctor to determine the cause before trying any over-the-counter medications; different conditions will require different treatments.
The Takeaway
- While a Crohn’s flare will mostly be treated with medication to reduce inflammation, there are things you can do to ease some of the symptoms of a typical flare, such as abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss, among others.
- It’s important to get relief for symptoms like nausea, for example, so you can take medications and eat enough to get the nutrients your body needs to heal.
- Work with your doctor and a registered dietitian to find ways to alleviate symptoms — both before and after they pop up — to make things more bearable.
Additional reporting by Kaitlin Sullivan.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Cushing K et al. Management of Crohn Disease: A Review. JAMA. January 5, 2021.
- Maher L. Diet in Active Disease State (During a Flare). Crohn’s & Colitis Ireland.
- Symptom Management: Anal Itching and Irritation. Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.
- Takahashi K et al. Post-inflammatory Abdominal Pain in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease During Remission: A Comprehensive Review. Crohn’s & Colitis 360. October 2021.
- Food. Crohn’s & Colitis UK. April 2025.
- Managing Nausea and Vomiting at Home. American Cancer Society. June 26, 2024.
- Roncoroni L et al. Nutrition in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. February 10, 2022.
- What Should I Eat With IBD? Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
- Tian C et al. Crohn Disease. StatPearls. December 1, 2025.
- Fields TR. Guidelines to Help Reduce the Side Effects of NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs). Hospital for Special Surgery. December 3, 2025.
- Mouth Ulcers. NHS. March 11, 2024.
- Extraintestinal Complications of IBD. Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
- Uveitis. Cleveland Clinic. March 25, 2024.
- Crohn’s Disease. Mayo Clinic. December 4, 2025.
- Scow JS. Modern Surgery for Crohn's Disease: When to Divert, Impact of Biologics on Infectious Complications, and Surgical Techniques to Decrease Post-Operative Recurrence of Crohn's Disease. Surgery Open Science. June 2024.
Meet Our Experts
Yuying Luo, MD
Medical Reviewer
Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care ...
Madeline R. Vann, MPH, LPC
Author
Madeline Vann, MPH, LPC, is a freelance health and medical writer located in Williamsburg, Virginia. She has been writing for over 15 years and can present complicated health topic...