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What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease? |
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Crohn's
disease and ulcerative colitis are forms of Inflammatory Bowel
Disease (IBD). IBD is a chronic inflammatory condition of
the digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis involves inflammation
of the inner lining of the colon and rectum. Crohn's disease
may involve inflammation anywhere in the digestive tract from
the mouth to the rectum.
The
following table describes some of the differences and similarities
between ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's
disease (CD).
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Ulcerative
Colitis |
Crohn's
Disease |
| Average
age at time of onset |
Late
teens and twenties |
Late
teens and twenties |
| Inflammation
location |
Colon
and rectum |
Anywhere
from the mouth to the rectum; most commonly in the small
and/or large intestines |
| Method
of diagnosis |
Colonoscopy,
upper and/or lower gastrointestinal barium x-ray series,
sigmoidoscopy, etc. |
Colonoscopy,
upper and/or lower gastrointestinal barium x-ray series,
sigmoidoscopy, etc. |
| U.S.
patients with IBD |
About
500,000 |
About
500,000 |
| Common
symptoms during active stages of the condition |
Bloody
diarrhea, abdominal pain/cramping, rectal bleeding |
Diarrhea,
abdominal pain/cramping |
| Alternative
treatments for the condition |
Specific
Carbohydrate Diet, hydrotherapy, stress-reduction,
exercise, yoga. |
Specific
Carbohydrate Diet, hydrotherapy, stress-reduction,
exercise, yoga. |
| Mainstream
treatment of the condition |
Azulfidine,
5-ASAs, steroids, 6-MP, Asacol, Keflex, Cephalexin, and
other medications as prescribed by your doctor. Surgery
as a final option. |
Currently,
no drugs are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) to treat symptoms of mild Crohn's. However, your
doctor will nevertheless prescribe many of the drugs used
in treatment of UC to assuage CD's symptoms. Surgery as
a final option. |
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