Know Your Gut's Feelings : Crohn's, Colitis and more

Know Your Gut’s Feelings: Crohn’s, Colitis and More

Our diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits along with environmental factors regulate our digestive health. Sometimes, a slight shift in bowel habits lasts for more than a few weeks — and can mean inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a general term used to describe inflammation of the digestive tract and is of two kinds: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Crohn’s vs. Ulcerative Colitis: What’s the Difference?

Both conditions share common symptoms including diarrhoea, constipation, rectal bleeding, abdominal cramps, fatigue, weight loss, decreased appetite, fever, and night sweats. Symptoms may alternate between flares (worsening) and remission (improvement).

The key differences:

• Location — Crohn’s can develop anywhere between the mouth and the anus (most often in the small intestine); UC occurs specifically in the colon

• Pattern — in Crohn’s, inflamed areas are interrupted by healthy ones; in UC, the pattern is continuous

• Unique symptoms — Crohn’s may cause mouth sores and anal ulcers; rectal bleeding is more common with UC

Causes and Risk Factors

The exact cause of IBD is not yet fully understood. Diet and stress can aggravate the condition but are not causative agents. A likely culprit is an abnormal immune response in the intestines. Heredity is also an important factor — IBD runs in families. A genome-wide analysis revealed 163 possible gene loci for IBD, with variants in NOD2, IRGM, ATG16L1, IL23R, and PTPN2 genes identified in relation to Crohn’s disease.

Treatment

IBD treatment has two goals: to alleviate symptoms that cause inflammation, and to prevent remission as far as possible. Drug therapy includes anti-inflammatory drugs, immune-system suppressors, antibiotics, and other medications. Lifestyle changes, diet modifications, smoking cessation, and stress management are recommended alongside drug therapy.

The First Week of December Is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week

This week is dedicated to creating awareness about IBD and highlighting the differences between the two conditions. IBD can be quite embarrassing, especially for teens. As family, you can encourage them to talk openly about it and tell them that it is nothing to be ashamed about.