Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors, Diagnosis And Treatment

Tuesday, October 6, 2020, 12:19

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term used to describe two conditions: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, which causes chronic inflammation in your digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis only affects the large intestine and Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus [1].

Inflammatory bowel disease affects more people in North America and Europe than Africa or Asia. Studies have shown that IBD is common among people aged between 15 to 30 years and about 25 per cent of patients develop this condition by adolescence [2].

Prevention Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

What Causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

The exact cause of IBD is not known; however, genetics and a weakened immune system is said to be the cause of IBD.

Genetics - If you have a family history of IBD, you are more likely to develop this condition [3].
Immune system - Normally, the immune system functions by attacking foreign germs such as bacteria and virus to protect the body. In IBD, an abnormal immune response causes your immune system to attack its own cells, causing inflammation in the digestive tract [4].

COVID-19 & Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): What You Need To Know

Types Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Ulcerative colitis - This type of IBD causes long-term inflammation and sores in the large intestine (colon) and the rectum [5].
Crohn's disease - This type of IBD can cause inflammation in any part of the digestive tract (from the mouth to the anus). However, it mostly affects the tail end of the small intestine [6].

Symptoms Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abdominal pain
Diarrhoea [7]
Weight loss
Bloody stools
Fatigue
Low appetite

Risk Factors Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Age - Most people who develop IBD are diagnosed at around 15 to 30 years of age.
Gender - Ulcerative colitis is common among men, whereas Crohn's disease is more common among women [8].
Ethnicity - The risk of IBD is higher among people who are of Jewish descent [9].
Genetics - If you have a family history of IBD, you are at a higher risk of developing this condition.
Smoking - Cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing Crohn's disease [10].
Geographical region - The risk of developing IBD is higher among people who are living in urban areas and industrialised countries.
Diet - Consuming foods that are high in fat increases the risk of Crohn's disease [11].
Medications - Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and birth control pills elevates the risk of developing IBD [12].

Complications Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Colon cancer
Malnutrition
Ulcers in the digestive tract
Fistulas
Anal fissure
Bowel obstruction
Rectal bleeding
Dehydration
Skin, eye and joint inflammation

When To See A Doctor

If you experience any of the above signs and symptoms or a persistent change in your bowel habits, you must consult a doctor immediately.

Diagnosis Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

To diagnose IBD, your doctor will first ask you about your family's medical history, ask about the signs and symptoms and your daily bowel habits. Then the doctor will conduct some tests to help confirm the diagnosis. These tests include the following: [13]

Blood test to check for anaemia or infection.
Stool samples to check for hidden stool in your blood.
Imaging procedures like X-ray, MRI and CT scan are done to check the colon and small intestine.
Colonoscopy test is done to examine the large intestine.
Endoscopy test is done to examine the stomach, oesophagus and the first part of the small intestine.

Treatment Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Medications [14]

Anti-inflammatory drugs are often the first choice of treatment for IBD, which helps lower the inflammation in the digestive tract.

Immunosuppressant drugs are given to reduce inflammation. It works by preventing the immune system from attacking the cells in the digestive tract.
Antibiotics are also given to treat IBD. They work by killing the bacteria that may aggravate the symptoms of IBD.

Other medications and supplements that are used to treat IBD are:

Anti-diarrheal medications
Pain relieving medications
Iron supplements
Calcium and vitamin D supplements

Diet

Your doctor may recommend a special diet to help treat your IBD. The nutrients will be given through a feeding tube or it will be injected into a vein. This will provide you nutritional support and allow your bowel to rest.

Surgery

If medications and diet can't lower the symptoms of IBD, your doctor may recommend surgery. A surgery can be done to widen a narrow bowel or remove any fistulas. People with ulcerative colitis may need to undergo surgery to remove the large intestine and rectum. And people with Crohn's disease may need to undergo surgery that removes the affected portions of the intestine.

Prevention Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

If the cause of IBD is due to genetic factors, it can't be prevented. However, you may be able to lower the risk of developing IBD by implementing these lifestyle changes: