9 OTC Medicine Cabinet Essentials for People With Crohn’s
Digestive HealthCrohn's Disease

9 OTC Medicine Cabinet Essentials for People With Crohn’s

9 OTC Medicine Cabinet Essentials for People With Crohn’s
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Updated on March 16, 2026
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If you have Crohn’s disease, your medicine cabinet is probably well stocked with prescription medications, including immunosuppressants, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatories such as corticosteroids. But it’s also a good idea to keep certain over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and supplies on hand to treat symptoms and the discomfort they bring.

Stock these essential nonprescription supplies at home to ease your symptoms.

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10 OTC Essentials for People With Crohn’s

Explore 10 nonprescription supplies that can help manage Crohn's disease symptoms.

1. Antidiarrheal Medications

Diarrhea is a common symptom of an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s, and OTC antidiarrheal treatments like loperamide (Imodium) and fiber supplements can help in some cases. Antidiarrheals are contraindicated with Crohn’s, however, during flares and when you have strictures or certain infections. Talk to your doctor before taking any new OTC medications or supplements, and be sure to follow the dosing directions.

2. Pain Relievers

Pain is an all-too-common symptom of a flare, and people with Crohn’s often turn to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) to help control it. But there is some data showing that NSAIDs are associated with side effects like worsening gut symptoms. As a result, they’re not a long-term solution.

A better option is usually acetaminophen (Tylenol), says Louis Cohen, MD, an assistant professor of gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York City. Still, always ask your doctor which pain reliever is right for you.

3. Sitz Bath Supplies

Anal fissures and fistulas, which can occur during a Crohn’s flare, can cause soreness and painful bowel movements. To relieve the pain and muscle spasms, bathe the area in warm water using a sitz bath, which involves submerging just your hips and buttocks in warm water, for 10 to 20 minutes at least once a day, preferably after a bowel movement.

“Even if you’re just in the shower and allow the warm water to rinse through your bottom, it can help you to feel better,” says Dr. Cohen.

4. Wet Wipes

If you’re experiencing perianal complications such as a fistula or abscess, Cohen says that meticulous hygiene helps ease symptoms and speed recovery. Try using unscented baby wipes instead of toilet paper to clean and soothe irritated skin. Wet toilet paper will also work.

5. Electrolyte Solution

Diarrhea during a Crohn’s flare can cause dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration include thirst, darker urine than usual, dry mouth, headaches, and fatigue.

Loose stools can cause you to lose sugars and sodium, which help you stay hydrated. Your doctor may recommend sipping on an OTC oral rehydration solution to replenish your stores. Note that many sports drinks and electrolyte powders are not as useful as a true rehydration solution because they are low in sodium.

You can also ask your doctor how to make one at home using table salt, sugar, and water, although Cohen describes the taste as off-putting to many people. You can make homemade oral rehydration solution more palatable by using a powdered drink mix or liquid flavor drops.

6. Thermometer

During a Crohn’s flare, you may start to run a fever. It’s helpful to have a thermometer on hand so that you can keep track of your temperature for your next doctor’s appointment. Seek emergency medical attention if your fever is over 100.3 degrees F and accompanied by chills, which could indicate an infection.

7. Heating Pad

Up to 30 percent of people with Crohn’s disease experience arthritis, or pain and swelling of the joints. Microwaveable moist heat packs or heating pads that can be used with water can help relieve joint discomfort. “Heating pads can really help with abdominal pain and cramping as well,” says Cohen.

8. Ointment for Skin Irritation

Crohn’s flares can irritate the skin around the anus. Using a skin protectant (also called a barrier cream), such as one that can prevent diaper rash, can offer relief. Cohen also recommends using an OTC topical anesthetic jelly like benzocaine (Orajel) or lidocaine, which numbs to help ease discomfort.

9. Nutritional Supplement Shakes

It’s a good idea to stock several bottles of your favorite nutritional supplement shakes (also called meal replacement shakes). “In the short term, while you’re trying to get symptoms under control with medication,” says Cohen, “it’s important to ensure that you get adequate calories without eating foods that can cause symptoms.” A nutritional supplement “can have a profound impact [in terms of] helping you to weather the storm,” he says.

Talk to your registered dietitian or doctor about which ones might be best for you, as some contain ingredients that may trigger additional digestive symptoms.

Additional reporting by Zachary Smith.

The Takeaway

  • When you have Crohn’s disease, making sure that you have basic over-the-counter medications and supplies on hand can go a long way toward providing symptom relief.
  • Stocking items in advance such as acetaminophen, sitz bath supplies, and electrolyte solutions, among others, so that you have them on hand when you’re not feeling well can be helpful.
  • Having other items on hand, like wet wipes, ointment to treat skin irritation, and nutritional shakes to supplement your diet when symptoms make it hard to eat, can also make life a little easier.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
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Resources
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  10. Homemade Oral Rehydration Solutions. University of Virginia Nutrition. November 2023.
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  15. Fecal (Bowel) Incontinence. Cleveland Clinic. October 10, 2023.
  16. Anal Fissures. University of California San Francisco Health.
  17. Food. Crohn’s & Colitis UK. April 2025.
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Yuying Luo, MD

Medical Reviewer

Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.

Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.

She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.

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Colleen de Bellefonds

Colleen de Bellefonds

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Colleen de Bellefonds is a freelance journalist and editor who covers science, health, and parenting. Her reporting and writing regularly appears online for Well+Good, The Bump, and What to Expect, as well as in U.S. News & World Report, Women's Health, Self, and many other publications. She lives in Paris with her husband and two kids.
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