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Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease (which is not the same thing as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS) refers to two chronic diseases that cause inflammation of the intestines: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Although the diseases have some features in common, there are some important differences. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the large intestine, also called the colon, and can develop ulcers. It’s often the most severe in the rectal area, which can cause frequent diarrhea. Mucus and blood often appear in the stool if the lining of the colon is damaged. Crohn's disease differs from ulcerative colitis in the areas of the bowel it involves - it most commonly affects the last part of the small intestine and/or parts of the large intestine. However, Crohn's disease isn't limited to these areas and can attack any part of the digestive tract. Crohn's disease causes inflammation that extends much deeper into the layers of the intestinal wall than ulcerative colitis does. Crohn's disease generally tends to involve the entire bowel wall, whereas ulcerative colitis affects only the lining of the bowel. Medical research hasn't determined yet what causes inflammatory bowel disease. But researchers believe that a number of factors may be involved, such as the environment, diet and genetics. Current evidence suggests that there are genetic defects that affects how our immune system works and how the inflammation is turned on and off in those people with inflammatory bowel disease, in response to an offending agent, like bacteria, a virus or a protein in food. The problem in people with the disease is that the inflammation gets turned on, but it doesn't get turned off. In Crohn’s Disease, the normal intestinal bacteria are a target for the inflammation. Medical evidence also indicates that smoking may enhance the likelihood of developing Crohn's disease. The most common symptoms of IBD are diarrhea and abdominal pain. Other common signs can include:
It is important to call your doctor if you see blood in the stool, have a change in bowel habits that last more than 10 days, or if you have any of the following symptoms that do not improve with over-the-counter medicines:
How Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Treated? Here at the Center for Digestive Diseases we treat IBD in order to improve symptoms and decrease the amount of inflammation. Your treatment plan could include:
The personalized treatment plan we make with you depends on the type and severity of symptoms, location of disease and possible complications. People who have mild or no symptoms may not need treatment at all; however, most people with IBD take medicine to control their symptoms. Many with severe IBD need surgery to control the disease. What Types of Surgery Are Used to Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)? There are different types of surgery used to treat IBD. Surgery for Crohn's Disease Over half of people with CD need surgery at some point in their life. Surgery can relieve symptoms and correct problems like blockages, fistulae or bleeding in the intestine. After surgery, some people are able to stop taking daily medicines for CD. Surgery can help relieve the symptoms of CD but cannot cure it. The inflammation tends to return next to the part of intestine that was removed. So, people considering surgery for CD should carefully weigh the risks and benefits. Types of surgery for CD include:
Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis About 20 to 40 percent of people with UC need surgery at some point in their lives. The types of surgery for UC include:
To schedule an appointment with a Johns Hopkins gasteroenterologyist or hepatologist at any of our locations, call 410-550-0790 or fax a referral to 410-550-7861. | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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