7 Ways to Ease Ulcerative Colitis Cramps

Not all over-the-counter pain medications are created equal for people with ulcerative colitis. Unlike acetaminophen (Tylenol), narcotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, can actually worsen your symptoms, says Amar Naik, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) program at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. You should also talk to your doctor about the underlying cause of your stomach cramps, he says. In general, though, acetaminophen is considered safe for use in ulcerative colitis and is not associated with flares.

If your cramps tend to flare up after a meal, your body is probably struggling to digest something you ate. Trigger foods can worsen inflammation and gas, which increases stomach pain, Dr. Naik says. Keeping a food log can help you spot any culprits, which may include dairy, carbonated drinks, and processed foods, according to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Try eating soft, bland foods like bananas and toast while you figure out your personal triggers.

Available over the counter, these remedies, such as simethicone (Gas-X), break up the gas bubbles in your digestive tract, helping to reduce gas, says Dr. Vemulapalli, although they may not be effective for everyone. You can also ask your doctor whether an antispasmodic medication may relieve your stomach cramps, she says.

Heat helps relieve muscle pain, which can be caused by straining your bowels on the toilet, Naik says. To ease cramps when you have ulcerative colitis, try holding a warm water bottle against your belly; just make sure it’s not hot enough to burn or scald your skin. You can also wrap it in a towel until it cools off.

Practicing yoga can be another way to ease the abdominal pain of ulcerative colitis. One study found that people with IBD who added one hour of daily yoga to their treatment plan felt less abdominal pain after eight weeks than people who didn’t do yoga.

Another study concluded that people with ulcerative colitis who did weekly 90-minute sessions of yoga for 12 weeks reported having less disease activity — and fewer flare-ups — than those who tried other techniques, such as reading self-care books.

People who have IBD, including ulcerative colitis, have a higher risk of anxiety and depression compared with those who don’t have IBD, according to a study. And depression and anxiety might make your abdominal pain worse, according to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Depression can cause you to feel sad, hopeless, or isolated. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), other signs of depression include:

• A sudden change in appetite
• Altered sleeping patterns
• A loss of interest in people or in activities you once enjoyed

Anxiety can cause you to feel restless, on edge, irritable, or have difficulty concentrating, says the NIMH. Other anxiety symptoms can include:

• Muscle tension
• Difficulty controlling worried feelings
• Sleep problems and fatigue

If you think you may have depression or anxiety, talk to your doctor, who may refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Make sure you’re taking your medication exactly as prescribed, Vemulapalli says. If your symptoms, such as stomach pain or cramps, are frequently flaring up despite your drug regimen, though, call your doctor. They might have you try a new treatment for your ulcerative colitis or prescribe a different dosage.

“A well-healed colon is a happy colon,” Vemulapalli says.