A Emergency Flare up Guide for IBD

Important tips for emergencies when having a flare

Flare-ups are a sudden source of extreme pain for those living with Crohn’s. Flare-ups can inflame you from top to bottom with canker sores, cramps, nausea, diarrhea, anal aches, joint pain, and skin that’s sore to the touch.  Most people know what to look out for, for a start of a flare up. For myself it is aching joints, abdominal cramps and canker sores on my tongue and episcleritis of the eyes. 

Flare up triggers include consuming food or drink that upsets the stomach i.e. Hot and spicy curries, smoking tobacco, taking ibruprofen and making mistakes with medicine dosages. Stress has been shown to worsen and even prolong the misery of flare-ups.

What to pack in your emergency kit?

Remedies for Crohn’s flare-ups range from topical solutions to over-the-counter medicines.

You can survive flare-up attacks by readying a portable kit supplied with antibacterial cleanser, antiseptic mouthwash, protective ointment, non-prescription pain relief i.e. Paracetamol or Cocodamol and antidiarrheal medications, plus disposable wipes.

Here’s what to keep within reach in the event of a Crohn’s flare-up: 

·       Relieve pain such as codiene or paracetamol, and ask for alternative pain management recommendations i.e. Breathing techniques or natural pain relief (speak to your doctor first before taking natural products as some react with the Crohn's and UC medications).

·       Control bouts of diarrhea with anti-diarrheal medication, such as Imodium or Pepto-Bismol, under the guidance of your doctor.

·        Wipe away anal irritation with a soothing moist towelette rather than toilet paper, which can feel abrasive to tender skin tissue like sandpaper to wood.

·         Slather on vitamin-enriched ointments or nappy rash creams like Sudocrem for relief from anal itching.

·         For anal fissure or fistula soreness, soak the affected area in warm salt water.

·         Wash your anal area thoroughly by using a hand-held showerhead with a mild perianal cleanser.

·        Rinse and gargle with medicinal mouthwash to dilute the pain caused by canker sore ulcers. Listerine or other strong mouthwashes can do the same job without getting a prescription for medicinal mouthwashes. 

·         Apply moist heat to alleviate joint discomfort, followed by rest.

·        Consult a physotherapist about healing hurting joints with range-of-motion maneuvers.

Preventive Measures

There are preventative measures to keep in place to ensure that you stay healthy and strong. Every day, remember to exercise (but do not overdo it) and get a good night’s sleep (approximately 8hrs).  Be sure to eat a nutritious balanced diet, and take multi-vitamin/mineral supplements.  Also taking any regular medications your doctor has prescribed you for your Crohn's or UC

Don’t become a smoker, but if you already are, take steps to quit. Smoking ignites flare-ups, which can lead to serious tissue damage and even cancer (usually mouth, throat or lung). E-cigarettes are also not good for us as it cause do the same as normal cigarettes as well as popcorn lung.

Start a log to track your flare-ups by date, rate their level of intensity, and provide detailed descriptions of your symptoms along with what relief actions you took. Give a copy to your doctor to add to your file of medical records, and reserve another copy for accident and emergency visits.  This copy will come in handy as most doctors in accident and emergency departments do not have time to read your full notes (depending on if they can access them if you go to the same hospitals emergency department as you Gastro Doctor). 

Your dedicated efforts will go a long way toward lessening your stress levels and the frequency of your flare-ups.  This will take a while to manage to figure out but the efforts will go a long way and hopefully you can have a flare free time to enjoy yourself and do things you like doing like gardening or partying with friends.