Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic illness that can be difficult to diagnose because of the many different symptoms it causes. Inflammatory bowel diseases are caused by inflammation of your digestive tract, and there are two major types: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
This article will discuss what inflammatory bowel disease is, how you can tell if you have it, and some treatment options for these conditions.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term used to describe disorders that involve chronic inflammation of your digestive tract. Inflammation in the intestinal lining can cause discomfort, pain, and cramping as well as other symptoms related to food not being digested properly.
Types of IBD include:
Ulcerative colitis – Inflammation and ulcers are located at the top layer of the large intestine; known for causing bloody diarrhea because it also affects the colon’s surface cells. It may be caused by a bacterial infection or idiopathic which means no one knows why this has occurred but many people with Ulcerative Colitis have had previous surgery on their intestines.;
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel illness. Inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract, which can often affect the deeper layers of the digestive tract, is the hallmark of this type of IBD.
Inflammation may lead to ulcers, pain, and diarrhea. Inflammatory bowel disease can involve any part of your digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.;
IBD is an umbrella term used to describe disorders that involve chronic inflammation of your digestive tract. Types include:
Ulcerative colitis – Inflammations generally affect only one segment of the intestine at a time; it causes bleeding which can be severe enough that you need surgery.;
Crohn’s Disease – Inflammasomes are immune cells found in tissues where there has been damage or infection by bacteria or viruses. The Inflammasome activation induces the release of cytokines (chemicals) like IL-18 that will promote inflammation markers such as TNF.
Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease consist of this inflammation, along with pain in the abdomen and rectum.
Type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Ulcerative Colitis vs. Crohn’s disease
The symptoms for ulcerative colitis are usually limited to just one segment of your colon or small intestine (whereas people with Crohn’s disease can have it anywhere from their mouth to their anus). Inflammasomes are immune cells found in tissues where there has been damage or infection by bacteria or viruses that result in cytokines like IL-18 being released which produce inflammation markers such as TNF. Symptoms consist mainly of inflammation but also include abdominal pain and diarrhea among other things.
Inflammatory Bowl Disease: Symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are very different, so it is important to get them diagnosed properly by a doctor. For people with Inflammatory Bowl Disease, the treatments depend on which type they have: either Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease.
If you have any of the signs and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, or if you notice a persistent change in your bowel movements, see your doctor. Irritable bowel illness is a severe condition that can lead to life-threatening consequences in certain circumstances.