IBD is a chronic condition that is characterized by intermittent periods of active disease (flare-ups) and little or no disease activity (remission). The duration and severity of the active period varies widely from person to person. The goal of treating IBD is to quell the flare and get the IBD back under control -- hopefully into remission.
After a period of remission, or a time with few or little symptoms, IBD may flare-up, causing symptoms again. Symptoms that may have been gone for weeks or months become bothersome again. A flare-up will probably not resolve by itself, and treatment will be needed. Most people with IBD take a maintenance drug to help keep symptoms in check, even when the IBD is quiescent. Maintenance drugs will be continued during a flare-up, and other drugs, diet modifications, or other treatments may be prescribed by a gastroenterologist to bring the disease back under control. Surgery is also considered a treatment for IBD, and is typically considered only after all other options have been exhausted.
Sources:
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. "About Crohn's Disease." CCFA 2009. 01 Apr 2009.
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. "About Ulcerative Colitis & Proctitis." CCFA 25 Jul 2008. 01 Apr 2009.
