Managing Crohn’s Disease: 7 Ways to Soothe Your Gut

Even with a solid treatment plan for managing Crohn’s disease symptoms, you may feel pain from time to time, says Ashkan Farhadi, MD, a gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. Causes can include the following:

• Ongoing inflammation
• Swelling (distention) caused by narrowing or blockages in the intestine
• Cracks and tears (fistulas) in membranes in the intestines
• Abdominal cramps
• Perceptions of pain that may be rooted in the stress of managing Crohn’s disease

Whatever the cause, it’s important to find strategies to help you feel better. These seven home remedies might help you find relief.

1. Heating Pads

If the pain is because of inflammation or ulcerations, you may want to reach for something soft or warm, such as a heating pad or a pillow, Dr. Farhadi explains. The pressure and heating that comes from a heating pad to your stomach may help with relieving cramping or gut discomfort. “In any form of physical or somatic pain, the heating pad relieves the pain in the body but is a double-edged sword,” he says. Heating pads provide temporary relief, but it is not long-lasting. Consider using a heating pad for a maximum of 15 minutes to relieve your pain.

2. Over-the-Counter Medication

A group of medications known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — incuding ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and high-dose aspirin — are helpful in relieving body pain by blocking the production of inflammation. But Farhadi says that for people with Crohn’s disease, NSAIDs can further aggravate ulcer formation or the inflammatory process. Instead, people with Crohn’s disease may find relief with acetaminophen (Tylenol).

3. Probiotics

Your gut is home to more than a trillion microorganisms that have profound effects on health. The more diverse your microbiome, the more likely you’ll have a variety of good bacteria hard at work to keep the body in a state of equilibrium. But this isn’t the case for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A study published in February 2021 in the journal Gut found that people with Crohn’s have a less diverse microbiome, making them less stable. A review published in January 2020 in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology noted that an unstable microbiome in patients with IBD can drive the development of intestinal inflammation and disease progression.

A diet focused on adding good bacteria and maintaining a diverse microbiome might improve gut health, but the research is still inconclusive. That doesn’t mean you should discount the potential benefits of probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, miso, and kombucha.

“Anecdotal data shows probiotics improved the immune function, and it makes sense that it may help with all immune-related problems like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease,” Farhadi explains. However, more research is needed as noted in a study published in 2020, which found that the use of probiotics in improving Crohn’s is inconclusive.

4. Dietary Changes

You might find relief and avoid Crohn’s disease pain by “identifying foods or situations that trigger abdominal pain,” says James F. Marion, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. It might help to keep track of foods that heal and harm your stomach in a food diary.

Although there's no one diet for Crohn’s disease, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation advises cutting down on discomfort by eating four to six small meals throughout the day, avoiding greasy or fried foods, reducing or avoiding dairy, and avoiding high-fiber foods, such as nuts and popcorn. Additionally, Farhadi says that starchy foods such as potatoes and rice can make inflammation worse.

When in doubt, listen to your gut. “I typically advise patients with irritable bowel syndrome that there is no specific diet for you. The judge is your gut. If something bothers you, don't fight it — just take it out of your diet,” Farhadi says. Over time, you may be able to pinpoint certain foods that are triggers for you.

5. Medical Marijuana

The jury is still out on whether medicinal marijuana can relieve tummy troubles associated with Crohn’s disease. The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation reports that some small studies have shown that medical marijuana improves IBD symptoms, such as nausea and loss of appetite. But one study published in 2020 found that the results were too limited and inconclusive in marijuana’s benefits in improving Crohn’s.

Farhadi explains that marijuana has potential to help people with Crohn’s disease. However, more research studies and clinical trials are needed to see if medical marijuana is effective in relieving every Crohn’s disease symptom.

Talk to your doctor if you are interested in learning more about this option.

6. Exercise

Research published in October 2019 in Frontiers in Pediatrics shows that stress can aggravate digestive issues, and some patients with Crohn’s disease may experience stress-related pain. One of the best ways to manage stress is regular exercise. “Stress is always out there,” Farhadi says. “You have to be cognizant of it and manage it head-on.” He explains that exercise works because it lubricates the joints and releases chemicals called endorphins, which reduce pain perception and increase mood. One study, published in 2020 in Crohn’s and Colitis 360, found that exercise can relieve symptoms from Crohn’s though more research is needed on its overall health benefits.

When it comes to the best exercise for people living with Crohn’s, you’re better off with a low-impact or moderate aerobic activity, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. A low-impact exercise such as yoga, brisk walking, or swimming gets the body moving while minimizing the risk of injury.

“I encourage people with Crohn’s disease to stay active, and yoga and meditation count,” Dr. Marion says.

7. Meditation and Mindfulness Training

Meditation and other mindfulness-based activities are other ways to manage stress and improve your quality of life. A study published in April 2020 in Scientific Reports found that patients with IBD who engaged in mindfulness exercises had lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers, signs associated with inflammation. Another study published in April 2020 in Neurogastroenterology and Motility evaluated digestive symptoms of patients with IBD who underwent mindfulness-based stress reduction training. Patients who completed the training reported an improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms and their overall quality of life. Similarly, a study published in 2021 found that cognitive behavioral and mindfulness-based stress reduction therapies “significantly reduced disease activity” in Crohn’s patients. Farhadi says that meditation is an important technique to learn and can be combined with exercises such as yoga or Pilates.