Q. What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
A. Inflammatory bowel disease is an autoimmune disorder involving chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. It includes:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
Q. Are they caused by any infection or anything in diet?
A. No, it is an autoimmune condition and does not include any infection or anything you eat. However, these factors can aggravate the inflammation.
Q. How to differentiate ulcerative colitis from Crohn’s disease?
A. Ulcerative colitis involves lesions along the lining of the large intestine i.e. colon and rectum only.
Crohn’s disease involves lesions anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract which often extends up to the deeper layers. It can cause ulcers in the large intestine as well as in the small intestine.
Q. Is IBD hereditary?
A. Yes, there is genetic predisposition to both the diseases.
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Q. How does the disease present itself?
A. The symptoms depend upon the severity of lesions and the site of inflammation. Initially the patients experience few episodes of active illness followed by periods of remission.
The signs and symptoms include-
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Abdominal colic
- Blood in stool
- Reduced appetite
- Weight loss
Q. Is there a cure for IBD?
A. No, there is no cure for this condition. The treatment can help in reducing the inflammation and the frequency of remission.
Q. How long will IBD last?
A. It is a lifelong condition.
Q. Do I have to take medicines forever?
A. IBD is a chronic disease and thus needs a supportive treatment to maintain the symptoms and reduce the frequency of flare ups.
Q. Why might I need a colonoscopy?
A. It is used to:
- Diagnose the condition
- Assess the flare ups
- Monitor the treatment
- Screening for early colon cancer
Q. Is IBS the same as IBD?
A. Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition involving abdominal cramps, diarrhea, bloating and constipation. It does not cause any inflammation of the bowels and blood in stool as IBD.
Q. Can IBD lead to colon cancer?
A. The main risk of cancer would be colorectal or cancer of the large intestine, that comes from the chronic inflammation of the colon.
Q. Does my diet affect IBD?
A. If the patient has narrow small bowel related to Crohn’s disease, stricture formation, diet becomes very important. If the diet includes too much rough food or fiber, the risk of obstruction becomes higher, leading to following signs and symptoms:
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Loud noises in the bowel
Q. Can I still get pregnant and have children?
A. Yes, but pregnancy is best avoided during active phase of IBD. It should be planned during remission. A few of medicines used to treat IBD can be harmful to a fetus, most are safe.
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