Inflammatory bowel diseases
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (In-flam-ma-tory Bow-el Dis-eases, from the Latin inflammatio meaning "inflammation", bowel from the Old English būgan meaning "to bend", and disease from the Old French desaise meaning "lack of ease") are a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the colon and small intestine.
Overview
Inflammatory bowel diseases include conditions such as Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis. These diseases cause chronic inflammation in the digestive tract, which leads to a variety of symptoms including abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, and malnutrition. The inflammation caused by these diseases can be debilitating and sometimes lead to life-threatening complications.
Symptoms
The symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases vary depending on the severity of inflammation and where it occurs. Most people with these diseases experience periods of active disease followed by periods of remission. Common symptoms include:
Causes
The exact cause of inflammatory bowel diseases is unknown. However, it's believed that a combination of factors including genetics, the body's immune system, and environmental factors may play a role.
Treatment
Treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases usually involves drug therapy or surgery. The goal of treatment is to reduce the inflammation that triggers the symptoms. In the best cases, this may lead not only to symptom relief but also to long-term remission.
See also
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