Fast Facts: Inflammatory Bowel Disease for Patients and their Supporters: Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease

By F. Shanahan

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is in fact two long-term conditions – ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease – that cause problems in the digestive system. No two patients with IBD have the same experience. How the disease progresses, the type of complications and the response to treatment all differ from person to person. The information in this booklet is designed to help you and your family better understand your IBD, its treatment and how you can help yourself. With simple clear illustrations, explanation of medical terms and space to write down the questions you want to ask your doctor or nurse, this resource will help you take control of your condition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S. Karger
• Release date: Oct 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9783318065428

Book preview

What is IBD?

There are two main forms of IBD:

• Ulcerative colitis

• Crohn’s disease

They are both chronic (long-lasting) conditions, with cycles of flare ups (relapses) and periods of inactivity (remission).

The flare ups are caused by excessive inflammation in the gastrointestinal (digestive) system.

TERMINOLOGY TIP

Inflammation is similar in every organ. Think of sunburned skin – hot, red, swollen, tender and sometimes peeling or ulcerated.

Medical students learn the classic features of inflammation in Latin: calor (heat), rubor (redness), dolor (pain), tumor (swelling) and functio laesa (loss of function). In IBD, some or all of these features occur inside the gastrointestinal system.

Is IBD the same as IBS?

No! IBD is not the same as the more common irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The gastrointestinal system is not inflamed in IBS.

Who gets IBD?

Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease can occur in both men and women of any age but are most common in late adolescence or early adulthood. These disorders can be controlled, and patients live full productive lives.

Modern medicine has greatly improved the outlook for people with IBD and there is a lot that you can do to help yourself … read on!

FAST TEST

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). True or False?

Answer: False. IBS is a different disorder from IBD.

What is ulcerative colitis?

Bloody diarrhea is the most common symptom. You may also notice slime (mucus) in your stools and have cramping pain when you have a bowel movement.

The severity of symptoms ranges from a few blood-stained bowel movements to a lot of diarrhea with dehydration and anemia from loss of blood. When inflammation is in the rectum only (proctitis), you may have bleeding with formed stools. Ulcers only occur in a few patients and only when the condition is severe.

The inflammation begins in the rectum. It may extend higher to a variable extent or involve the entire colon.

What is Crohn’s disease?

Symptoms depend on the part of the gut affected by the disease.

Patients with the most common pattern of disease usually notice pain and/or tenderness in the lower right abdomen, and may have diarrhea and weight loss.

FAST TEST

Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the digestive tract. True or False?

Answer: True. It can occur anywhere from the mouth to the anus.

Complications in Crohn’s disease