10 Home Remedies to Ease Symptoms of a UC Flare

When you're having an ulcerative colitis (UC) flare, it's crucial that you keep taking your medication as directed by your doctor. But you can also take steps on your own to make yourself more comfortable and ease the discomfort of diarrhea, belly pain, weakness, and stress. Here are 10 things you can try.

A heating pad, hot water bottle, or a hot towel can soothe belly pain. Applying heat at the spot where you feel internal pain can activate heat receptors in the area, which then temporarily block your body's ability to detect pain at that spot. That warmth on the belly can also keep the intestines moving as they should, which releases painful pressure in the area.

A sitz bath is just a warm bath that you sit in to relieve discomfort in your nether regions. A warm soak can relax your anus and increase blood flow to tissues in the area. This aids in healing and eases the pain, itching, and irritation you might have after frequent bouts of diarrhea. Don't have a tub? No problem! You can get an inexpensive sitz bath kit that allows you to soak your bum in a shallow basin that sits over your toilet bowl.

Diarrhea can leave you feeling raw and irritated. A barrier cream on the anal tissue can help protect delicate skin from further assault. Try zinc oxide creams or petroleum jelly. Gently clean the area with warm water and a gentle cleanser that doesn't further irritate the area before applying the ointment or cream.

Yoga can help you relax, relieve stress, improve blood flow, and potentially ease discomfort. Start with child's pose. Kneel on a mat. Keeping your butt to your heels, lean forward until your forehead touches the mat. Stretch your arms forward on the floor. Hold for 10 long, slow, deep breaths. If you like how that feels, online UC patient forums and yoga videos suggest many other yoga poses that could help you feel better, such as legs on the wall and cat-cow.

PMR may help relieve stress and various types of pain. Lie on your back and go through the list of areas below. For each one, tense the area for five seconds, then relax it. Pay attention to the difference in these two feelings. Repeat two to three times per group, but with less tension each time. The areas of focus are your fists, biceps, triceps, forehead, eyes, jaw, tongue, lips, neck, shoulders, lower back, buttocks, thighs, calves, and ankles.

Non-caffeinated herbal tea can help keep you hydrated during a flare. Certain herbals might also help with symptom relief. Fennel and ginger may reduce gas and bloating. Peppermint and chamomile may relax muscles in the digestive tract to ease pain and cramping.

It may go without saying that when you're in a flare, you don't want to eat anything you've already identified as a trigger. If you're new to UC and you haven't identified your unique triggers yet, these are some of the most common ones: 

• High-fiber foods
• Dairy 
• Sugar alcohols and other artificial sweaters
• Sweets
• High-fat foods
• Spicy foods
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Sugar-sweetened drinks

You may not have much of an appetite, but you do need to eat during a flare to keep up your strength. Just keep meals small. It'll ease digestion and not create extra work for a digestive tract that’s already in turmoil. 

The "brat" diet – bananas, rice, applesauce and toast – works because these are low-fiber foods that are easy on the gut. They leave little undigested material behind in your digestive tract. This slows down bowel movements and reduces the amount of stool in your intestines. Make sure the rice and bread are white to keep fiber to a minimum. Other low-fiber foods – such as soft fruits, well-cooked, peeled veggies, and lean proteins like eggs and fish – are welcome, too. 

Diarrhea can dehydrate you fast, which will only make matters worse. Keep yourself hydrated with Gatorade, Pedialyte, or other electrolyte-rich sports drinks.