What Are Colitis And Crohn's? Symptoms And Similarities

By Valerie Allan-Brown


Inflammatory Bowel Disease represents more than one condition, but is frequently used in reference to two similar disorders of the digestive tract which are serious, chronic, very painful and disruptive. People who are affected by these afflictions need to know precisely what Crohn's and Colitis are in order to effectively combat the results. Many sufferers share the common genetic factor of a northern European heritage.

Colitis is markedly unpredictable, for the most part flaring at the least convenient times. The pain and discomfort may be intense and are then followed by a remission. The seriousness of an episode varies from person to person. Even though not frequently fatal, complications can include dehydration, blood loss, a perforated colon, kidney stones and inflammation of organs in other parts of the body. There is also an increased probability of developing certain types of cancer.

Nevertheless, doctors diagnose this condition based on its location, frequently in the large intestine. It can involve a continuous segment of the sigmoid colon, causing an inflammation of the lining. Even though basic symptoms can imitate other diseases, a physician should be seen immediately if regular bowel habits all of a sudden change, accompanied by bloody diarrhoea, short-term fever and intermittent acute abdominal pain.

In the past, this condition was generally linked to stress, which is now known as a contributor to the discomfort, but not the actual cause. New findings have led most researchers to believe that the actual culprit is an out-of-control immune system, bringing about self-injury by aggressively attacking an antigen that can be bacteria, or even nothing medically discernible at all. A predisposition for this condition can be inherited.

Crohn's Disease also afflicts people with an inherited genetic predisposition. The symptoms for the most part include very severe diarrhoea accompanied by painful abdominal cramps and bleeding. This type of inflammation is not continuous inside the digestive tract but commonly occurs in segments located from the mouth to the anus. It affects several other organs and can stunt childhood growth and sexual development.

During remission, sufferers may be able to live more normally. When the disorder becomes active, tears in sensitive anal tissues, called fissures may develop. They can be accompanied by bleeding during bowel movements. The inflammation is also responsible for creating fistulas, or channels through intestinal tissue that force bodily waste and infection into other organs, or out of the body through abnormal openings in the skin.

Both conditions are idiopathic, meaning that the actual factors are not fully known. However, doctors are now sure that the immune system is a key player, forcing an internally destructive response even when there is no actual threat from any invader. Some present treatments attempt to suppress this uncontrolled immune reaction and clinical trials to test new or experimental drugs have been ongoing.

A healthy diet is important, but has little or no effect on Colitis. Nevertheless, Crohn's sufferers are greatly affected by the wrong foods and can be impacted severely by stress. Both illnesses have comparable symptoms, but the differences make it vitally important to be diagnosed correctly. Knowing exactly what Crohn's and Colitis are helps people with these afflictions experience a life not governed by discomfort and chronic pain.




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