Understanding IBD: Recognizing the Symptoms of Crohn's & Ulcerative Colitis

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two types of inflammatory bowel diseases that affect as many as four million adults and children. Both diseases have similar symptoms, and doctors normally run a series of diagnostic tests to pinpoint the cause of inflammation and swelling in the bowel. Recognizing the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease is important. If left untreated, this digestive problem can damage the intestines and increases the risk of developing certain types of cancers.

Instructions

• 1

  Feel abdominal cramps or pain. Inflammatory bowel diseases cause chronic abdominal discomfort. Stomach cramps may develop after eating a meal, and the pain can linger for hours. Intestinal ulcers and gas are often the underlying cause of ongoing abdominal pain.

• 2

  Deal with alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation. The small and large intestines respond differently to inflammation and swelling. Diarrhea can occur when the colon empties rapidly. On the other hand, inflammatory bowel diseases can cause slow intestinal contractions, which results in constipation.

• 3

  See traces of blood in stool. Several gastrointestinal problems cause bloody stools. These include conditions such as hemorrhoids and anal fissures, and serious illnesses such as colon and rectum cancer.

• 4

  Have a low blood count. A routine blood test can identify a low blood count or anemia, and signal a potentially serious problem. Due to blood loss from bleeding ulcers and bloody stools, inflammatory bowel disease can lower a person’s blood count and cause fatigue.

• 5

  Develop a fever. A fever is the body’s way of fighting diseases, and people with inflammatory bowel diseases may detect a rise in body temperature during flare-ups.

• 6

  Start to lose weight or experience loss of appetite. Because inflammatory bowel diseases can cause nausea and diarrhea, weight loss is a common symptom. In serious cases, sufferers lose their appetites.