How Does Infusion Therapy Work to Treat Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a condition that affects the colon and rectum, causing symptoms such as diarrhea (often with blood or mucus), abdominal pain and cramping, rectal bleeding, tenesmus (a persistent urge to pass stool even when the bowels are empty), fatigue, and fever.

The first line of treatment for ulcerative colitis is lifestyle changes combined with oral medications. However, in some cases, oral medications fail to provide adequate relief. With this condition, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues in the colon, leading to ongoing inflammation, infections, ulcers, and, in severe cases, tissue death.

You may be asking, what’s the next step? At Carolina Digestive Health Associates, our experts explain how infusion therapy can relieve the symptoms of ulcerative colitis when oral medications fall short.

Treatments available for colitis

Patients with ulcerative colitis often begin with oral medications or rectal suppositories containing anti-inflammatory agents like mesalazine or steroids. While these options can be effective for mild to moderate cases, they may not work for everyone.

Limitations of oral medications include:

• Inadequate inflammation control in severe cases
• Significant side effects, including weakened immunity and gastrointestinal upset
• Complications linked to prolonged steroid use, such as bone density loss and high blood pressure

The goal of ulcerative colitis treatments is to reduce inflammation and achieve remission.

Why consider infusion therapy?

For patients with moderate to severe colitis who don’t respond well to oral treatments, biologic infusion therapy offers a more targeted approach. Biologics are designed to interact with specific proteins, cells, or pathways in the immune system that drive inflammation in ulcerative colitis.

Unlike broad treatments like steroids, which suppress the immune system as a whole, biologics focus on the root causes of inflammation. Infusion therapy delivers biological medications directly into your bloodstream via an intravenous (IV) line. These medications target specific proteins or immune cells responsible for gut inflammation.

Key biologics used for ulcerative colitis include:

• REMICADE® and AVSOLA®: Block TNF-alpha, a protein linked to inflammation.
• STELARA®: Targets interleukins (IL-12 and IL-23), proteins that drive inflammation.
• ENTYVIO®: Reduces white blood cells in the gut to lower inflammation.

During an infusion session, you’ll sit comfortably in a medical clinic while the medication is administered via an IV. Depending on the medication, sessions typically last 30 minutes to a few hours. 

The process is virtually painless, with only minor discomfort at most. Many patients choose to read, relax, or listen to music during the session.

Recovery and results

Infusion therapy requires no sedation or downtime, so you can resume your normal activities immediately afterward.

Many patients notice an improvement in symptoms within weeks of starting treatment, and ongoing infusions help maintain remission.

Learn more about infusion therapy

If oral medications fail to provide relief or have significant side effects, contact us to schedule an appointment at one of our offices in Belmont, NC, or Charlotte/Uptown, Charlotte, North Carolina. Our team will take all the necessary steps to determine the best course of treatment to put your ulcerative colitis in remission.