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ABOUT THE CONDITION
What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are similar — so similar that they're often mistaken for one another. Both diseases cause inflammation of the lining of your digestive tract, and both may result in severe bouts of diarrhoea and abdominal pain.2
Crohn's disease can occur anywhere in your digestive tract, often spreading deep into the layers of affected tissues.
Ulcerative Colitis, on the other hand, usually affects only the innermost lining of your large intestine (colon) and rectum.
Inflammation causes cells in the affected areas of your intestine to secrete large amounts of water and salt. Because the colon can't absorb this excess fluid, you develop diarrhea. Altered intestinal contractions also can contribute to loose stools. Diarrhoea can range from mild to severe.3
Diarrhoea can also be a symptom of Ulcerative Colitis. However, patients with ulcerative colitis tend to experience bloody diarrhoea and also something called tenesmus. Tenesmus is the sensation of having to move one's bowels.4
The exact cause of Inflammatory Bowel Disease remains unknown. One possible cause is an immune system malfunction. When your immune system tries to fight off an invading virus or bacterium, an atypical immune response causes the immune system to also attack the cells in the digestive tract.1
Usually, treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease begins with medical therapy and there are also several surgical options your doctor may discuss with you.
