“Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a broad term that describes conditions with chronic or recurring immune response and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two most common inflammatory bowel diseases are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.”

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder that is limited to the large bowel (the colon)… The first symptom of ulcerative colitis is a progressive loosening of the stool. The stool is generally bloody and may be associated with cramping abdominal pain and severe urgency to have a bowel movement… Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss are common, as is fatigue.”

Crohn’s disease is a condition of chronic inflammation potentially involving any location of the gastrointestinal tract, but it frequently affects the end of the small bowel and the beginning of the large bowel… Symptoms include persistent diarrhea (loose, watery, or frequent bowel movements), cramping abdominal pain, fever, and, at times, rectal bleeding… Two-thirds to three-quarters of patients with Crohn’s disease will require surgery at some point during their lives.”

Mar. 26, 2013