The treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves words as much as deeds and drugs. IBD is a transfiguring disease with humiliating symptoms, for which there have been few major therapeutic advances in the past 30 years. Pain may have its redeeming qualities, but diarrhea does not. It is important to distinguish objective disease from subjective illness and to remember that by his words and suggestions, the physician can help the illness almost as much as his drugs can help the disease.