Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic bowel disorder caused by a malfunctioning immune system. The immune system mistakenly attacks the cells of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to inflammation.

The disease is not contagious, but it tends to run in families. Genetics is a risk factor. People who develop IBD may struggle with poor/ decreased appetite, poor growth, and nutrient absorption.

This disease is one of the most common chronic illnesses in the UK, affecting around 300,000 people. This roughly corresponds to 1 out of every 210 people in the UK. Its unpredictable course has profound implications for people’s lives, including employment, education, and personal relationships.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Causes, Symptoms and Treatment: Video

Also, the pain and fatigue associated with frequent bowel movements can adversely affect one’s self-esteem and social functioning.

Inflammatory bowel disease can affect people of any age, though they are most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40. People living with the condition may also experience additional symptoms, such as painful red eyes and arthritis.

What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

An inflammatory bowel disease is a group of disorders that cause chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. Two types of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis affects only the colon, while Crohn’s disease affects the small intestine.

Untreated, IBD can lead to other serious health complications, including malnutrition, cancer, and in some cases, even death.

While there is no known cure for this condition, lifestyle changes can help reduce the symptoms. For example, if you have the condition, you should eat a variety of whole foods, drink plenty of fluids, and avoid foods that worsen the symptoms. Vitamin supplements, calcium, and vitamin D may be recommended.

People with IBD are also at risk for colon cancer. Having a colonoscopy every year is a good idea, as it will help identify any potential problems.

If a biopsy is necessary to diagnose IBD, the diagnosis may require an endoscope, which is a long thin tube with a camera attached. Colonoscopy involves inserting the endoscope through the anus and examining the colon for ulcers, bleeding, or inflammation.

MRIs are also useful in the diagnosis of IBD. Treatments may include changing your diet and lifestyle habits, as well as surgery.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms

Inflammatory bowel disease symptoms vary depending on the particular type of disease. Crohn’s disease, for example, may affect any part of the intestine, whereas Ulcerative colitis can affect all or part of the intestine.

The symptoms of IBD can cause significant economic and personal stress

The symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease vary in severity and duration. Some cases last for life, while others will come and go. People with inflammatory bowel disease can experience abdominal pain and diarrhoea, which may contain blood or pus.

Other symptoms may include anaemia due to blood loss. IBD is often accompanied by other medical conditions, including arthritis. If you suspect that you might have an inflammatory bowel disease, you really want to consult your doctor as soon as possible.

Inflammatory bowel disease may also increase the risk of colorectal cancer. As a result, it is important to keep track of the symptoms of this disease and seek treatment as soon as necessary.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Causes

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be caused by a variety of factors, including gastrointestinal infections, chemicals, burns, and trauma.

While the exact cause of IBD is unknown, there is a strong possibility that the disease is influenced by interactions between various environmental factors and immune dysregulation.

In a normal immune system, immune cells recognise and fight infections. However, immune dysregulation occurs when the body can’t control or restrain an immune response.

The body either underreacts to foreign invaders/ attackers, which can cause infections to spread quickly. Or overreacts to foreign invaders, causing the immune cells to attack healthy cells, tissues, and organs.

In addition to environmental factors, genetics can also influence the risk of developing IBD. People with a family history of Crohn’s disease may also be more prone to developing it.

The causes of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are similar but the latter is more severe. Both involve inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, with ulcerative colitis affecting the innermost lining of the colon.

People with both types of inflammatory bowel diseases will suffer from swelling and sores in different areas. Initially, diet and stress were thought to contribute to the development of these diseases. However, current research suggests that stress and diet are more likely to worsen the condition than cause it.

The disease tends to affect women more than men. Additionally, Smoking increases Crohn’s disease risk. It can also worsen the course of the disease, increasing the need to use steroids, immunosuppressants or re-operations.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Diagnosis

Inflammatory bowel disease is diagnosed through blood tests, which measure inflammation and C-reactive protein (CRP). Stool tests, scans, and biopsies can also be used to diagnose the disease.

Your doctor can make a diagnosis by examining your stool samples and comparing the results to that of other tests. They can order a CT scan or MRI to help rule out any other possible causes of the disease.

Your doctor may also perform a stool sample to check for blood.

In addition to testing stool samples, doctors may perform upper endoscopy or colonoscopy. The procedure involves inserting a long, thin tube with a camera down one’s throat and into the colon.

Endoscopy or colonoscopy can reveal signs of inflammation and bleeding, and may also identify ulcers or bleeding on the colon wall.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment

The primary goal of treatment for inflammatory bowel disease is to suppress the runaway immune response. This means reducing symptoms or pursuing active management of the disease. Anti-inflammatory drugs, or 5-ASA, will almost certainly be the first line of defence. They reduce the inflammation of the intestine and may lead to remission.

With inflammatory bowel disease, doctors often use a step-by-step approach to treat the disease. They begin by using the least toxic and most short-term drugs first, and then move to longer-term treatments. The goal of this approach is to treat the symptoms and minimise the risk of complications associated with IBD, while still allowing the body to heal.

Though there is no cure for IBD yet, treatment options often include antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and lifestyle changes. Medications include anti-inflammatory drugs and immunomodulators, which suppress the immune system.

Immunosuppressive drugs are used to suppress the immune system, reducing inflammation over a long period. These drugs are used alongside steroids, and often produce a positive response in two-thirds of patients. However, they are not without side effects and patients are required to undergo regular blood tests while taking them.

Sometimes doctors may prescribe anti-diarrheal medicine to people with milder cases. But these medications should only be used for a short period of time, as long-term use may worsen your symptoms.

IBD can be a painful, uncomfortable, and difficult condition to manage, but it’s not impossible to treat. Remember: there’s no single treatment for IBD. You’ll likely need a combination of treatments, so you’ll need to decide which is best for you.

Understanding IBD: Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: Video

The latest breakthroughs in IBD treatment focus on biological therapies. These drugs, derived from antibodies produced in the lab, target specific molecules responsible for inflammation.

Such agents include TNF blockers and integrin inhibitors. These agents may help to alleviate the symptoms of IBD, including diarrhoea, loss of appetite, dark-coloured urine, and nausea. However, there are some important risks associated with biological treatments. A thorough discussion with your doctor is necessary to make the best decisions for your particular case.

Biological therapies are based on monoclonal antibodies and fusion proteins that are highly effective in treating IBD. These drugs show a high rate of remission and reduce the need for surgery and hospitalisation. Biological agents may also include new cytokine blockers and migration inhibitors.

Current treatment options also include a wide range of pharmaceuticals. Currently, the majority of IBD patients are treated with immunomodulators, aminosalicylates, and corticosteroid (CS) treatments. However, many patients fail to achieve clinical remission. More clinical trials are needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of these medications.

In addition, new therapies, such as stem cell transplantation and apheresis therapy, are coming into view. However, these novel therapies are applied in experimental settings.

If your IBD is less severe cases, fast-acting anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, may be prescribed. They should only be used short-term for a flare-up though, as long-term use may worsen the condition.

It is advisable to keep a food diary. This will help you discover which foods are causing you discomfort. This way, you can minimise or avoid the foods that cause bowel pain and bloating. Also, during flare-ups, you may want to choose bland foods to prevent further discomfort. It is also wise to cut down on carbonated and caffeinated beverages, and to drink more water to avoid dehydration.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with IBD is to get treatment. Although the cause of the disease is unknown, the disease is common and can be treated.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Complications

Several complications are often associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These include bowel strictures – areas where the bowel wall becomes narrowed. And fistulas – abnormal passageways between organs, in which the bowel’s contents leak.

IBD also increases one’s risk of developing colon cancer. Some people with the condition also develop skin or joint problems. Some IBD patients may have blood in their stool.

The most serious complication of IBD is a perforated colon, which can be life-threatening. This is often a result of prolonged inflammation. The intestinal wall may tear or rip, resulting in peritonitis and blood poisoning.

Another dangerous complication of IBD is toxic megacolon, which is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of the disease. This is most common in people with Crohn’s disease, but it can also occur in people with ulcerative colitis.

Finally, women with the active disease should have a thorough evaluation before conception/ trying for a baby. The active state of the disease is a crucial factor in a healthy pregnancy.

Women with the active disease face numerous pregnancy complications, including premature birth, low birth weight, and a baby that is too small for gestational age. Cesarean delivery may also be necessary.

In addition to these pregnancy complications, women with active inflammatory bowel disease should undergo screening for other complication-prone conditions before pregnancy.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Conclusion

The set of causes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not fully understood, but several environmental factors are believed to cause an abnormal immune response that disrupts the underlying layers of the gastrointestinal tract and the intestinal mucosa.

These environmental factors may include genetics, smoking, antibiotics, and even oral contraceptives and appendectomy. Diet may also play a role in the development of the disease.

Current procedures for IBD diagnosis involve various diagnostic tests. Although many of these tests have some diagnostic value, they may not distinguish between Chron’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC).

Inflammatory bowel disease research should be more focused on patients’ perspectives and needs.  Ultimately, the goal should be to find an effective treatment for IBD.

Living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Video

There is a high probability that if you’re suffering from IBD, you are not only struggling to find effective treatments, but also to maintain your quality of life. The remedies discussed in this post will, hopefully, help you boost your immunity and achieve/ maintain the quality of life you are happy with!