Inflammatory Bowel Disease represents more than one illness, but is for the most part used in reference to two comparable disorders of the digestive tract which are severe, chronic, very painful and disruptive. People who are affected by these illnesses need to figure out precisely what Colitis and Crohn's Disease are in order to effectively combat the results. Most victims share the common genetic factor of a northern European heritage.

Colitis is markedly unpredictable, often flaring at the least convenient times. The pain and discomfort may be intense and are then followed by a remission. The severity of an episode varies from person to person. Although not generally 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 a greater likelihood of developing certain types of cancer.

This condition is diagnosed commonly by its location, which is often in the sigmoid, or lower colon. Inflammation often exists within a continuous segment of inner bowel tissue, rather than appearing in unrelated areas. Although some symptoms can mimic other gastrointestinal disorders, people should be concerned if normal bowel habits all of a sudden change, accompanied by fever and bloody stool.

In the past, many medical researchers blamed stress for causing a flareup of inflammation. Today, stress is known to be a contributor to the discomfort, but is not actually the root cause. The main culprit is thought to be an uncontrolled immune system attack in response to a perceived, but usually non-existent antigen of some kind. This damaging attempt at defence may have genetic roots and tends to run in families.

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

During remission, sufferers may be able to live more normally. When the illness becomes active, tears in sensitive anal tissues, called fissures can 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.

Science at present characterises both illnesses as idiopathic, meaning that the true reasons are not fully understood. However, it is certain that the immune system is the main culprit, attacking and inflaming the digestive tract in a misguided defence response. Some current forms of treatment attempt to suppress that overreaction and ongoing experimental programs are testing new drug therapies.

Eating a healthier diet is always important, but can not prevent a Colitis flareup. Nevertheless, certain foods do actually cause difficulty for Crohn's sufferers as does tension or excess stress. Comprehending exactly what Crohn's Disease and Colitis are helps many people control their symptoms more effectively. Whilst the two forms of inflammation are similar, being correctly diagnosed is an important first step toward living a more comfortable life.