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 care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Talk to your family and friends about your illness. Explain how they can help.
- Learn how to manage stress caused by IBD. Join support groups to get to know other people who have coped with the IBD.
- Take your drugs as ordered by your doctor. Always take your drugs on time.
- Avoid taking any drug that contains aspirin, as this may increase your signs.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. You may need to have more tests like colonoscopy, CT scan, or MRI to check on your progress.
- Talking with a counselor about your worries and questions with IBD can be helpful.
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
Will physical activity be limited?
Exercise may help your overall health get better. Talk to your doctor about the best things for you to do. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
- There is no one best diet for people with IBD. Talk to your doctor or dietitian for 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. ‚
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Very upset stomach or throwing up
- Black, tarry, or bloody stools
- Throwing up blood
- Very bad belly pain
- Very bad dizziness
- Joint pain or swelling
- You cannot control your loose stools with diet or drugs
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what changes I need to make with my diet or drugs.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have black, tarry, or bloody stools or I have very bad belly pain.
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. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚