Complete Guide to Inflammatory Bowel Disease

November 10 11:55 2015 by Mike Morgan Print This Article

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) at first looks like a problem with stomach and the digestive system but in fact it is not just based on one reason or medical problem. It is the outcome of several issues related to digestive system that together cause inflammation in entire digestive tract. Many people experience this problem irrespective of age and gender. There are some underlying lifestyle reasons and also some health reasons that together may have caused this problem.

Those suffering from this type of digestive disorder may experience inflammation in part of the digestive tract consisting of mouth, esophagus, small intestine, large intestine, and stomach. The inflammation in the digestive tract may range from normal to severe. The painful condition may also become life-threatening at times.

Causes of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

There is no one reason backing the occurrence of IBD and usually there are several causes that together form this condition. The immune system and heredity are the two main causes of IBD and other associated conditions.

Proactive Immune Response

The healthy immune system attacks the pathogens and other foreign invaders. The virus and bacteria are attacked by the immune system and once the infection is cured or pathogens are killed, the immune system gets back to normal.

The proactive immune system acts in altogether different way. Here the immune system starts fighting even when there is no infection and in that case the healthy body cells are invaded by the body’s own immune system. Such proactive response given by the immune system is called autoimmune response.

IBD in Heredity

The chances of developing IBD increase considerably in those having family history of the disease. The trend of the disease and its hereditary occurrence have proved that the cause of this disease may also have genetic reasons behind it.

Symptoms of IBD

The symptoms of IBD are mainly related to digestive system but in some cases it can go beyond that. The common symptoms experienced by those suffering from IBD are;

Hematochezia – Finding blood in stool due to the bleeding of ulcers. The color of the blood would be bright red and it would be fresh (not coagulated) if it is because of external ulcers.
Diarrhea – This would be observed for prolonged period. The affected part of the bowel would not function properly, resulting into improper water absorption. Medical help would be vital when such situation is experienced for a prolonged period.
Weight Loss – When the nutrients from the food are not absorbed properly, there would be significant weight loss. The children suffering from this disease would also show delayed growth and may suffer from anemia.
Abdominal Cramps –Abdominal cramps and bloating are the common symptoms experienced by those suffering from IBD as there would be considerable thickening of intestinal walls blocking the fecal material from passing easily.

Treatment

The treatment follows the diagnosis that consists of series of tests like stool test, colonoscopy, blood test, X-Ray, and endoscopy. Once the underlying problem is detected, the doctor would suggest ways like anti-inflammatory drugs, immune suppressants, multi-vitamins, and certain lifestyle changes.

The lifestyle changes would go a long way in stopping the reoccurrence of the problem in future.

Carol writes on health and overall wellness subjects. She has composed many articles on these subjects. Currently she is writing articles for Nutra Pure HCG Diet, an online store for HCG weight loss diet program for weight loss seekers.