Inflammatory bowel disease IBD is an umbrella term used to describe disorders that involve chronic inflammation of your digestive tract. Types of IBD include:. Both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease usually are characterized by diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, fatigue and weight loss.
IBD can be debilitating and sometimes leads to life-threatening complications. Inflammatory bowel disease symptoms vary, depending on the severity of inflammation and where it occurs. Symptoms may range from mild to severe.
You are likely to have periods of active illness followed by periods of remission. See your doctor if you experience a persistent change in your bowel habits or if you have any of the signs and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. Although inflammatory bowel disease usually isn't fatal, it's a serious disease that, in some cases, may cause life-threatening complications.
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You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. The exact cause of inflammatory bowel disease remains unknown. Previously, diet and stress were suspected, but now doctors know that these factors may aggravate but aren't the cause of IBD.
One possible cause is an immune system malfunction. When your immune system tries to fight off an invading virus or bacterium, an abnormal immune response causes the immune system to attack the cells in the digestive tract, too. Heredity also seems to play a role in that IBD is more common in people who have family members with the disease. However, most people with IBD don't have this family history. However, they do know some people are more at risk for the condition.
People at a higher risk include:. The most common symptoms of microscopic colitis are:. Allergic colitis is a condition that can occur in infants, usually within the first months after birth.
The condition can cause symptoms in infants including:. One of the most popular theories is that infants with allergic colitis have an allergic or hypersensitive reaction to certain components in breast milk. Eosinophilic colitis is a type of allergic colitis that can also show up in infants with these symptoms. Doctors will often recommend an elimination diet for the birthing parent, which involves slowly cutting out certain foods known to contribute to allergic colitis.
If the baby stops having symptoms of allergic colitis, these foods were likely causing the problem. In severe cases, monoclonal antibodies, such as those used to help treat inflammatory bowel disease IBD , may also be another treatment option. Other causes of colitis include infection from parasites, viruses, and food poisoning from bacteria. You may also develop the condition if your large intestine has been treated with radiation.
A doctor may ask about the frequency of your symptoms and when they first started. The doctor will perform a thorough physical exam and use diagnostic tests such as:. Limiting what you consume by mouth can be useful, especially if you have IC. Taking fluids and other nutrition intravenously may be necessary during this time. Your doctor may prescribe various medications to help manage colitis symptoms.
These may medications include:. Surgery for colitis could include removing part or all of your colon or rectum. These surgeries could include:.
The only definitive way to prevent a colitis flare-up is to have surgery. While every person may experience diarrhea and abdominal cramps from time to time, speak with a doctor if you have diarrhea that does not seem to be related to an infection, fever, or any known contaminated foods. In all cases, early detection is critical to recovery.
Many cases require little more than symptomatic care, including clear fluids to rest the bowel and medications to control pain.
Patients who have become acutely ill often need intravenous fluids and other intervention. If a hole forms, a large amount of bacteria can spill into the abdomen and cause infection. Fulminant colitis: This includes the damage of the thickness of the intestinal wall. The normal contractions of the intestinal wall stop temporarily. Eventually, the colon loses muscle tone and begins to expand. X-rays of the abdomen can show trapped gas inside the paralyzed sections of the intestine.
Toxic megacolon: The colon dilates and loses its ability to contract properly and move intestinal gas along. Resulting abdominal distension can be severe, and patients should seek medical attention immediately. The goal of treatment is to prevent the bowel from rupturing. Increased risk of colorectal cancer: The risk of colorectal cancer increases with the duration and severity of the disease.
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