Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a broad term that describes conditions that cause ongoing inflammation of your intestinal tract. The most common types of IBD include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Ulcerative colitis means that you have ulcers or small sores throughout the inner lining of your large intestine and rectum. If you have Crohn’s disease, you wind up with chronic inflammation of the intestinal lining.
Medical experts aren’t clear as to why some men and women are more likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease; several issues likely play a role.
Immune system issues can lead to IBD, for instance. When your immune system fights off a foreign invader, it unintentionally attacks the lining of your digestive tract at the same time. This can lead to chronic inflammation.
In addition to your genetics, any of the following factors can increase your risk of inflammatory bowel disease:
Without proper treatment, inflammatory bowel disease can lead to serious complications, including joint problems, blood clots, and colon cancer. Because of these concerns, early intervention with Lone Star Gastroenterology is essential.
The severity of inflammatory bowel disease symptoms varies dramatically. You may experience occasional abdominal pain or diarrhea, all the way up to unplanned weight loss and blood in your stool. In any case, your Lone Star Gastroenterology provider spends time carefully evaluating you and conducting diagnostic testing to get to the root of your condition.
Depending on the details of your inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis, your provider may recommend any of the following treatments:
These conservative therapies aren’t always effective for more severe cases of inflammatory bowel disease. For more serious issues, your physician could recommend surgery to remove the damaged portion of your colon or rectum.
If inflammatory bowel disease is starting to impact your quality of life, call Lone Star Gastroenterology or book an appointment online today.