Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Medical Author:
William A Rowe, MD
Coauthor:
Shehnaz Shaikh, MD
Medical Editor:
Jonathan Adler, MD
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
BS Anand, MD
Inflammatory Bowel Disease OverviewThe 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's disease (CD). As the name suggests, ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon (large intestine). Although Crohn's 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's 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. Viewer Comments & ReviewsInflammatory Bowel Disease: Intestinal Problems - Describe Your ExperienceThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:Please describe the inflammatory bowel disease you suffer from. Inflammatory Bowel Disease TreatmentThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What are the symptoms of your inflammatory bowel disease? |
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Diet and Nutrition in Crohn's Disease »
Why is good nutrition such a challenge for people with Crohn's disease?
Most of us know that good nutrition is essential to good health. Good nutrition is even more important to people whose health is compromised by a chronic disease. When you have Crohn's disease, maintaining good nutrition can be a real challenge.
Several factors contribute to nutritional problems in people with Crohn's disease. When inflamed, the small intestine is not able to do its main job, which is absorbing nutrients from food. The degree of this impairment, called malabsorption, depends on the extent of inflammation and damage in the intestine.
To make matters worse, the intestinal inflammation and pain of the disease reduce your appetite, so you probably do not eat enough to supply your nutritional needs. Diarrhea further depletes important nutrients. Compounding the problem is the fact that people with a chronic illness such as Crohn's disease require more calories and c...
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease »
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic disease, probably involving an immune reaction of the body to its own intestinal tract.
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