Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Description
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a group of medical disorders that cause chronic inflammation of the intestine due to an abnormal immune response to gut microflora. One of these disorders is Crohn’s disease which can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. The second disorder is ulcerative colitis which mainly affects any part of the large intestine. IBD can affect people of any age, however, it is typically detected between the ages of 15 and 40. The prevalence of Crohn's disease is slightly higher in women than in men, while ulcerative colitis seems to affect both sexes equally. IBD typically affects developed nations and regions with colder climates. IBD can run in families; however, it can also arise at random even if there is no family history of the condition.
Symptoms
- Persistent diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Rectal bleeding/bloody stools
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Swelling in the tummy
- Fever
- Anemia
- Anxiety and depression
The intensity of IBD symptoms differs over time; sometimes symptoms are severe, while there may be few or no symptoms for a long time.
If you experience any of these symptoms, visit your Gastroenterologist for proper diagnosis and treatment.
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View MoreCauses
The exact cause of inflammatory bowel disease is unknown. However, there are different factors that may increase your risk of having inflammatory bowel disease, like :
- If you have a close family member who has inflammatory bowel disease, you have a higher chance of developing it.
- Inadequate immune system response to environmental factors, such as a virus or bacteria, results in gastrointestinal tract inflammation.
- Being a smoker doubles your risk of getting inflammatory bowel disease.
Diagnostics
A combination of endoscopy or colonoscopy and imaging tests, such as :
- X-ray
- Ultrasound
- MRI scan
- CT scan
- Stool samples
- Blood tests
Treatment
There is no cure for inflammatory bowel disease. Treatment includes particular diets, lifestyle modifications, medications, and surgery with the goal of symptom relief and preventing recurrence.
Types of common medications to treat IBD :
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (such as : mesalamine, balsalazide, olsalazine)
- Immune system suppressors (such as : azathioprine, mercaptopurine, methotrexate)
- Biologics (such as : infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab, certolizumab, vedolizumab, ustekinumab, risankizumab)
- Antibiotics (such as : ciprofloxacin, metronidazole)
- Medication to help slow or stop severe diarrhea (loperamide)
- Medications to control mild pain (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin)
Surgeries to remove damaged parts of the gastrointestinal tract :
- According to estimates, 1 in 5 individuals with ulcerative colitis experience severe symptoms that do not get better with treatment. In these circumstances, surgery may be required to remove a big intestinal segment that is inflamed (colon).
- About 60 to 75 percent of those who have Crohn's disease will require surgery to manage its complications and repair damage to their digestive systems.
