When symptoms improve, it's important to look deeper. This stage explores how remission can be described, what tests and measures may be reviewed, and the questions that help guide the right next steps with your care team.
01
What remission can mean
Remission in IBD can be described in different ways — clinical, biomarker, endoscopic, and histologic.
02
What your care team may measure
Symptoms, blood and stool tests, endoscopy or imaging, and other information.
03
Questions to explore together
Talking about what matters most to you helps your care team understand your goals.
Remission can be looked at on several levels — from how you feel to healing seen inside the bowel.
"Remission is more than feeling better — it can mean healing you cannot always feel."
01 · Aim deeper
What remission can mean
Remission in IBD can be described in different ways — it's not just about how you feel. Your healthcare professional may look at several levels of information together to understand your condition more completely.
How you feel
Looking at your symptoms, daily activities, and overall wellbeing.
What tests show
Reviewing blood tests, stool tests, and other biomarkers of inflammation.
What scopes or imaging show
Examining the inside of your bowel, or using imaging to assess the bowel wall.
What microscopic healing means
In some cases, a biopsy can show how inflamed or healed the bowel lining is.
A fuller picture
These different levels help your care team understand your condition more completely and guide conversations about your care.
Talk with your healthcare professional
Ask what remission means for you — they can explain which measures they use and why they matter.
You may hear different types of remission — each looks at your condition in a different way. Your healthcare professional considers all of these, together with your symptoms and overall health.
Histologic remission looks at healing in the bowel lining under a microscope.
Clinical remission
Looks at how you feel — fewer symptoms and improved daily life (less abdominal pain, fewer bowel symptoms, better wellbeing).
Biomarker remission
Looks at signs of inflammation in blood or stool tests (e.g. calprotectin); lower levels may suggest the condition is under control.
Endoscopic remission
Looks inside the bowel with a scope — little or no visible inflammation, with the lining appearing more normal.
Histologic remission
Looks at a tissue sample under a microscope — minimal or no inflammatory cells, indicating healing at a microscopic level.
Important to know
These different types of remission help your team make informed decisions. Your treatment goals are personal and may change over time.
Talk with your healthcare professional
Always discuss what's right for you.
03 · Aim deeper
Questions about treatment goals
There's no one-size-fits-all goal — what matters most can be different for everyone. These questions can help you start a conversation about your goals for care.
What are realistic goals right now?
What improvements should we look for together?
How will we know it's working?
What signs or tests will help — and how often should we review them?
What would success look like?
If my condition is improving, how will we know if my goals have been reached?
How might goals change over time?
What factors could affect them — and what are my options if goals aren't met?
Notes for your next appointment
Write down what's important to you so you can have a helpful conversation.
A partnership
Your healthcare professional is your partner. Together, you can set goals that are right for you.
This guide is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always talk with your healthcare professional about your condition and treatment.
