Ulcerative Colitis

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The term inflammatory bowel disease (IDB) covers a group of disorders in which the intestine becomes inflamed probably due to an immune reaction of the body against its own intestinal tissue.

Inflammatory bowel disease refers broadly to two chronic diseases namely ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Although the two diseases have some common aspects, they are quite different from each other.

The basic difference lies in the fact that ulcerative colitis, as the name suggests, is limited to the colon (large intestine) only. Whereas, in case of Crohn's disease, any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to the anus can be affected. Crohn's disease causes inflammation that extends much deeper into layer of the intestinal walls unlike ulcerative colitis.

Causes

Inflammatory bowel disease is a disease with an unknown cause. An unknown factor is believed to trigger the immune system of the body to cause inflammation in the intestine tract resulting in bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Current evidences suggest that genetics, environment and diet are some contributive factors that influence the likelihood of development of IDB. The problem in the people with the disease is that the inflammation is turned on easily, but is turned off with difficulty.

Symptoms

The symptoms of the disease may range from mild to severe. These include abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, loss of appetite, anemia, fever, and fatigue. Inflammatory bowel disease can also cause health problems that occur outside the digestive system. Some patients may show signs of inflammation in eyes, liver, and skin. The cause of problems remains unknown as yet.

Other problems

Because of the heavy loss of nutrients and fluid from the body due to diarrhea, the disease may often result in the growth problems in kids and teens.

Diagnosis

One should immediately see the doctor, if the above mentioned symptoms prevail. It is not necessary that you are suffering from the disease. So opt for a proper diagnosis which first and foremost includes a physical test and a medical history. In case of severity, a blood test, x-ray or colonoscopy may be adopted. The best method of diagnosis is endoscopy.

Drug treatment

This is the main method adopted for relieving a patient from the symptoms of both the diseases. With great progress in the development of medications in recent years, drug treatment doesn't cure the disease completely but suppresses the abnormal inflammation. Once the symptoms are controlled, the medications are further used to reduce the flare ups and maintain remission.

In case, the patient doesn't respond to either of the medications used, the doctor may suggest surgery. The surgical process for both the diseases is quite different from one another. Surgery is generally a permanent cure for ulcerative colitis as it is limited to the colon only. But it is not the case with Crohn's disease.

With a balanced diet, learn to manage stress, quit smoking and be relaxed. Inflammatory bowel disease is a serious condition, but with proper care and treatment, one can definitely enjoy a productive and normal life.