Overview
The treatment of enteropathic arthritis usually involves medication, exercise and good posture practices. Both the IBD component and arthritis component must be treated, and there are medications now available that can treat both. A rheumatologist is the type of physician who most commonly will help outline a treatment regimen for enteropathic arthritis, but a gastrointenologist may also be needed to help treat the IBD component of the disease.

Medication
With most forms of arthritis and spondylitis, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are commonly used to help reduce the pain and stiffness in the joints. However, these medications are often not an option for some people with IBS because they can irritate the intestinal lining and actually intensify the inflammation.

Other medications such as sulfasalazine can effectively control not only pain and joint swelling in the extremities, but also the intestinal lesions in IBD. The drug is less helpful in treating arthritis of the spine for those who do have spinal involvement.

A newer class of biologic medications, the TNF inhibitors, have shown great promise in treating spondylitis. One of these medications, Infiximab (Remicade), has been approved by the FDA in the treatment of Crohn's disease as well as for ankylosing spondylitis. It has been shown to be effective in reducing the joint inflammation associated with enteropathic arthritis.

Other medications are also available. Please visit the Enteropathic Arthritis Medications section for more information.

Exercise & Posture
Regular daily exercises can help create better posture and flexibility as well as help lessen pain.

A properly trained physical therapist with experience in helping those with ankylosing spondylitis and related diseases can also help with treatment and can be a valuable guide in regards to exercise. Click here to learn more about exercise in our Patient Resources section.

Practicing good posture techniques can help avoid some of the possible complications of enteropathic arthritis, especially in those with spinal involvement. Click here to learn more about posture in our Patient Resources section.

Heat/Cold
Applying heat to stiff joints and tight muscles can help reduce pain and soreness. Applying cold to inflamed areas can help reduce swelling. Hot baths and showers can also help provide relief.

Other Symptom Management Tools
Feel free to visit the alternative treatments page for more options.