About this topic
Inflammatory bowel disease is also known as IBD. You may have this problem all of your life. You may have swelling and irritation of your digestive tract. This includes your stomach, food pipe or esophagus, and bowels. It is also called your GI or gastrointestinal tract. IBD is a term that is used for all diseases that cause this kind of swelling. These include: ‚
- Crohns disease: Swelling of any part of your GI tract
- Ulcerative colitis: Swelling and tiny open sores in any part of your large bowel or rectum
There is no cure for IBD. There are things you can do to help manage the signs. Drugs, changes in lifestyle, and surgery are all ways to help manage or control your signs. ‚
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What are the causes?
There is no known cause for this problem. Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis tend to run in families. ‚
What can make this more likely to happen?
- Having a family member with IBD
- Ulcerative colitis is most common between ages 15 and 30
- Crohns disease is most common between 13 and 30
- Ulcerative colitis is more common in Caucasians and people of Jewish descent
What are the main signs?
- People with Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis may have:
- Belly pain or cramps
- Loose stools or blood in the stool
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Upset stomach or not feeling hungry
- Feeling tired
- Low red blood cells. This is anemia.
- Joint pain
- People with ulcerative colitis may also have:
- Pain in the rectum
- Urge to have a bowel movement but not able to do so
- Loose stools and belly pain tend to come and go
- Ulcers in the bowels
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
Your doctor will take your history and do an exam. The doctor will focus on your belly area. Your doctor may also do a rectal exam. During a rectal exam, the doctor will put a gloved finger into the rectum to feel for any problems in that area. The doctor may order tests like: ‚
- Stool sample
- Blood tests
- Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy
- Special x-rays
- CT or MRI scan
- Capsule endoscopy
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
Treatment is based on what part of the GI tract is affected, how bad your problems are, and if there are any problems outside the GI tract. The doctor may suggest: ‚
- Drugs
- Changes to your diet
- Surgery
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Control belly muscle spasms
- Treat loose or hard stools
- Ease belly pain
- Fight an infection
- Suppress the immune system
What changes to diet are needed?
- There is no one best diet for people with IBD. Talk to your doctor or dietitian for a personal diet plan. This can help manage your signs.
- You should work toward eating a healthy well-balanced diet.
- Keep a journal or notes of what you eat. Be aware of foods that may increase your signs and avoid them in the future.
- Eat small meals more often. This may help lower stomach pain and cramping.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. You are more likely to need extra fluids if you are having stools more often.
- Your doctor may suggest you eat a low fiber, low residue diet. This means avoiding things like raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts.
- You may also want to avoid food that causes gas like broccoli, beans, nuts, and bran.
What problems could happen?
- Bowel obstruction
- Fistulas
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Colon cancer
- Malnutrition
- Weak bones
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
There is no known way to cure or prevent IBD. You can stay away from the foods that trigger the signs of your illness. Less stress in your life can prevent flare-ups of IBD. ‚
Where can I learn more?
FamilyDoctor.org ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/symptoms.html ‚
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse ‚
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/crohns_ez/index.aspx ‚
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/colitis/index.aspx ‚
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Womens Health ‚
https://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/inflammatory-bowel-disease.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚