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Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Case:
Overcoming Steroid Side Effects and Joint Pain
A record of a man in his 20s who overcame both gastric ulcers and ulcerative colitis
Case of a Patient in Their 20s
Hello. We are HanStep Korean Medicine Clinic, having been researching and treating ulcerative colitis since 2007. This case involves a male patient in his 20s who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after symptoms began in February 2024. Although he initially showed improvement using Mezavant and Asacol suppositories, his symptoms recurred, and he sought treatment at our clinic after concurrently undergoing treatment at another Korean medicine clinic.
Main Symptoms at Presentation
- Bowel status: 2–5 loose stools per day, persistent blood in stool and mucus in stool
- Complications: Frequent stomatitis and autonomic nervous system imbalance (chest tightness)
- Digestive system: Diarrhea and indigestion when consuming cold or spicy food
- Test results: Calprotectin 440, occult blood reaction 1200 (positive)
Treatment Progress and Process
Symptoms improved after starting Korean medicine treatment, but there were significant difficulties during the process due to the misuse/overuse of steroids triggered by joint pain that occurred midway.
Treatment and Overcoming Side Effects
After taking Korean herbal medicine, the frequency of bowel movements and the presence of blood in the stool improved noticeably. However, due to knee joint pain that occurred midway, the misuse of steroid injections and prescriptions from another hospital actually worsened symptoms of depression, anxiety, and digestive side effects. At our clinic, we gradually tapered the steroids and concurrently administered prescriptions for joint pain and ulcerative colitis, ultimately achieving a stable state without the need for Western medication.
Complete Normalization
As of the February 2026 test results, the inflammation levels in the colon normalized completely to under 3.8, and it was confirmed through endoscopy that all signs of gastric ulcers and colonic inflammation had cleared up.
Advice from HanStep Korean Medicine Clinic
Treatment for ulcerative colitis is not short-term. Relying on the immediate overuse of strong drugs like steroids when symptoms appear can lead to greater side effects. The process of trusting the treatment, staying the course, and being patient is more important than anything else.