We tailor your treatment entirely to your needs. Our primary goals are to reduce inflammation, relieve your symptoms and help your digestive tract heal. Depending on the type of IBD and how severe it is, your care plan may include: Medications: We frequently use medicines to calm the immune system and control inflammation. Options include aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, and immunomodulators. We also offer biologics, which are advanced treatments that target specific proteins in the immune system. Nutritional guidance: Specific dietary changes and nutritional support can help manage symptoms and promote healing. Surgery: If medications do not provide enough relief, surgery can help manage IBD effectively and improve your quality of life. We discuss all available treatment options with you to create a plan that fits your personal health needs.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Dr. Russell Cohen talking with an IBD patient

Find an IBD Specialist Request an Appointment

World-Class IBD Care: Trusted Research and Advanced, Personalized Treatments

The University of Chicago Medicine Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center balances personalized care with more than 85 years of research breakthroughs.
Our world-renowned IBD specialists combine the latest treatments with a team-based approach to help you reach remission and improve your quality of life.
As leaders in IBD research, UChicago Medicine can offer the most advanced treatments available to patients — often years before they are available elsewhere.

What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic condition that causes inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, which is also called your digestive tract. This is the group of organs that break down food in your body.

The two main types of IBD are:

Crohn's disease, which can affect any part of the digestive tract, most commonly the end of the small intestine (terminal ileum) and parts of the colon.
Ulcerative colitis, which specifically impacts the large intestine (colon and rectum).

Common symptoms include:

Frequent diarrhea
Abdominal pain and cramping
Blood in stools
Feeling unusually tired or weak (fatigue)
Weight loss
Malnutrition

Here's what sets us apart:

Research leadership: Our doctors lead groundbreaking clinical trials, giving patients access to promising new treatments years before they're widely available. UChicago Medicine is where tomorrow's ulcerative colitis treatments are developed today.
Multidisciplinary care: Gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, nutritionists and mental health specialists work together to address every aspect of your health.
Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease: We offer specialized care for children, adolescents and young adults.
Refractory IBD: We provide expert care for severe cases that are difficult to treat.
Personalized treatment plans: We don't believe in one-size-fits-all medicine. Your treatment plan is tailored to your unique symptoms, lifestyle and goals.
Comprehensive support: Living with UC affects more than your digestive system. We provide resources for managing the emotional, social and practical challenges of chronic illness.

Personal, Team-Based Treatment

Our IBD experts specialize in accurately diagnosing and effectively treating Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. We continually monitor your progress and quality of life, because years of experience has taught us that ongoing treatment is more effective than just treating flare-ups.

IBD Treatment and Care at UChicago Medicine

For our experts, treating inflammatory bowel disease means helping you:

Control your symptoms
Stop flare-ups before they start
Reach lasting remission

At UChicago Medicine, there is no one-size-fits-all plan for treating IBD. Your treatment plan is created specially for you, based on:

Your symptoms and diagnosis
Where the inflammation is inside your intestine
Your health history
Your health goals, lifestyle and personal preferences

Advanced Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment Options

Treatments for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have become more advanced over time. At UChicago Medicine, we offer the full range of options, from commonly used medications to the most advanced treatments available.

Biologic and Novel Small Molecule Medicines for IBD

Biologic medicines have become a standard treatment for moderate to severe IBD. Learn more about our IBD treatment options.

Intestinal Ultrasound: Real-Time Disease Monitoring

Intestinal ultrasound is a highly effective tool for monitoring inflammatory bowel disease. This quick, painless exam allows your care team to:

See the inflammation inside your intestines
Determine how well your treatment plan is helping
Decide whether to make changes to your treatment plan or not

Key benefits of intestinal ultrasound:

Safe and nonsurgical
No radiation exposure
Results available in real time

Importantly, intestinal ultrasound is the only test that can assess disease activity in real time — allowing your care team to adjust treatment immediately when needed. UChicago Medicine offers intestinal ultrasound for both adults and pediatric patients.

IBD Clinical Trials: Access Tomorrow's Treatments Today

UChicago Medicine offers patients access to clinical trials testing the most promising new therapies. Our researchers are actively studying:

New biologic and small molecule therapies
Personalized dietary interventions
Treat-to-target strategies for long-term remission

If you're interested in clinical trial options, talk to your IBD specialist about whether participation may be right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions About IBD

What do patients need to know about current treatment for inflammatory bowel disease?

What sets IBD care at UChicago Medicine apart?

What causes inflammatory bowel disease?

The exact cause of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not fully understood, but it generally involves the immune system. In a healthy body, the immune system protects against illness. With IBD, the immune system mistakenly attacks the digestive tract, causing lasting inflammation.

This typically happens in people who have a family history of the disease. Other factors, such as the natural bacteria in your gut or your environment, may also play a role. Learning you have IBD can feel overwhelming, but our team is prepared to help you understand your condition and guide you through your care.

What is the difference between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis?

How is IBD treated?

We tailor your treatment entirely to your needs. Our primary goals are to reduce inflammation, relieve your symptoms and help your digestive tract heal. Depending on the type of IBD and how severe it is, your care plan may include:

Medications: We frequently use medicines to calm the immune system and control inflammation. Options include aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, and immunomodulators. We also offer biologics, which are advanced treatments that target specific proteins in the immune system.
Nutritional guidance: Specific dietary changes and nutritional support can help manage symptoms and promote healing.
Surgery: If medications do not provide enough relief, surgery can help manage IBD effectively and improve your quality of life.

We discuss all available treatment options with you to create a plan that fits your personal health needs.

Why is monitoring important in IBD?

IBD is a long-term condition that can change over time. Keeping inflammation under control is essential to protecting your digestive tract, even when you feel well and have no symptoms.

Regular check-ins and monitoring allow us to make sure your current treatment is working effectively. By keeping a close eye on your health, we can catch even subtle changes early and adjust your medications before a flare-up happens. We partner with you for your ongoing care, providing the support you need to stay healthy and active.

How important are IBD clinical trials?

Whats new in IBD research?

Our doctors and researchers are studying the immune system, germs, genes and how the body works to learn more about IBD. They are looking at how a person's unique body code (genes) and the helpful bacteria in their gut might play a part in causing IBD. Whatever the area of IBD research, we all have the same goals: to develop better and more specific IBD treatments and ultimately to prevent and cure the disease.

Innovating Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment

What We Treat

Dr. Noa Krugliak Cleveland with a patient

Understanding IBD

Patient Stella from New Mexico traveled to receive inflammatory bowel disease care at UChicago Medicine

IBD Resources

What is Intestinal Ultrasound?

Intestinal ultrasound is a quick, painless exam for Crohn's and ulcerative colitis patients that allows your doctor to see inside your intestines, assess whether a disease is active, and whether you're responding to therapy.

Video Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] If you have inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, you may have an intestinal ultrasound exam. This quick, painless examination allows your provider to see inside your intestines, assess whether a disease is active, and whether you're responding to therapy. Your Chicago Medicine offers intestinal ultrasound for both adults and pediatric patients. Here's what you can generally expect from your first intestinal ultrasound exam. Before your appointment, you won't likely need any special preparation. Eating and drinking prior to the exam is actually encouraged. An intestinal ultrasound trained gastroenterologist will perform your ultrasound. They will greet you and explain the procedure. Hi, John. I'm Dr. Cleveland. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you, too. I'll be doing your intestinal ultrasound exam today. You will then lie on the examination table. And warm gel will be applied to your abdomen. The physician will then use a small handheld device called a transducer to send sound waves into your abdomen. The sound waves create images on the monitor in real time, allowing the doctor to evaluate your intestines. The examination is not painful. If there is inflammation in your small or large intestines, the physician will be able to see that on the monitor and even show it to you. The entire process usually takes under 30 minutes. Your gastroenterologist will use the results to monitor your Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, adjust your treatment plan as needed, and monitor for complications. So overall, I don't see any active inflammation. I think your therapy is working well. We don't need to make any changes. Intestinal ultrasound is a highly effective tool for monitoring your inflammatory bowel disease. It is safe, non-invasive, and does not expose you to radiation as other monitoring tools might. Importantly, this is the only test that can assess your disease activity in real time, allowing for rapid clinical decision-making. If you have any questions, be sure to ask your IBD provider for more information. [MUSIC PLAYING]

Recognized among the Best Hospitals for Gastroenterology

Nationally Ranked in Gastroenterology & GI Surgery

According to U.S. News & World Report's 2025-26 Rankings

U.S. News and World Report

World's Best Hospitals for Gastroenterology

Newsweek ranked UChicago Medicine as one of top 50 best hospitals in the world for gastroenterology care.

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