Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease Overview
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease Causes
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Questions to Ask the Doctor
• Exams and Tests
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Medications
• Surgery
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Support Groups and Counseling
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Related inflammatory bowel disease articles:
  Inflammatory bowel disease - on WebMD

Inflammatory bowel disease - on MedicineNet

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Overview

The term inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) covers a group of disorders in which the intestines become inflamed (red and swollen), probably as a result of an immune reaction of the body against its own intestinal tissue.

Two major types of IBD are described: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD). As the name suggests, ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon (large intestine). Although Crohn disease can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus, it most commonly affects the small intestine and/or the colon.

Both ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease usually run a waxing and waning course in the intensity and severity of illness. When there is severe inflammation, the disease is considered to be in an active stage, and the person experiences a flare-up of the condition. When the degree of inflammation is less (or absent), the person usually is without symptoms, and the disease is considered to be in remission.