The term “inflammatory bowel disease” (IBD) refers to a group of chronic intestinal disorders that cause a variety of digestive symptoms.
The disorder, which is more common in women and is typically diagnosed before the age of 30, affected over 5 million individuals worldwide in 2019.
IBD comes in two primary forms:
- Ulcerative colitis, a condition that inflames the colon and other large intestines.
- Crohn’s disease is characterized by inflammation in any area of the digestive system, however it usually affects the large and small intestines.
Numerous symptoms, such as discomfort, diarrhea, exhaustion, nausea, weight loss, appetite loss, intestinal hemorrhage, and anemia, are caused by both types. For brief times, the symptoms usually flare up before going into remission.
IBD has no known cure, although there are a number of medications that can help with the symptoms, including immune suppressants and anti-inflammatory drugs such corticosteroids and aminosalicylates.
Surgery may occasionally be necessary to remove badly damaged intestinal tissue.
