Symptoms Of Crohn’s And Ulcerative Colitis

Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The goal of Dr. Bharat Pothuri and our team at GastroDoxs is to effectively manage your inflammatory bowel condition to help control your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

No single treatment works for everyone with Crohns or ulcerative colitis, so treatment is highly individualized. Dr. Pothuri may recommend medication to reduce inflammation, suppress the immune system, or control symptoms like diarrhea. In some cases, surgery is necessary.

To take advantage of Dr. Pothuris expertise, call our office to schedule an appointment, or use our online booking form. GastroDoxs proudly serves Cypress, Texas, and the surrounding areas.

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Crohns Disease And Anemia

Crohns disease can cause inflammation anywhere in the digestive tract. Most nutrient absorption happens in the small intestine. Active Crohns disease in the small intestine affects the bodys nutrient absorption sites.

The small intestine includes three parts: the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Most iron gets absorbed in the duodenum. Some iron is also absorbed in the jejunum and ileum.

If these areas are inflamed, iron cant be absorbed normally. This can lead to anemia. About 70 percent of people with Crohns disease require surgery to remove affected areas in the digestive tract. Surgery can put the disease into remission to reduce future blood loss.

Active disease comes back within 5 years in 33 percent of people who have surgery for Crohns disease. This can cause anemia if iron levels drop again.

Treatments For Ibs And Ibd

Treatment is very different for IBS and IBD. If you have IBD, you will take medications that lower the inflammation in the GI tract such as anti-inflammatory medications, biologic agents, and immunomodulators which can reduce the damage IBD is causing.

Treatment of IBS is different. You and your providers will focus on treating the specific symptoms you are having. Changes to your diet and exercise habits are a good first step.

Heres a few examples of some foods to avoid when you have IBS:

If diarrhea is one of your main IBS symptoms, you might take medications that reduce the diarrhea, such as rifamixin and eluxadoline . If you are more often constipated, you might take medications that help keep the GI tract moving, such as lubiprostone , linaclotide , or plecanatide .

You might also need treatment of stress, anxiety, or depression with medications or therapy if you and your provider think this is playing a role in your IBS.

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Diagnosing Inflammatory Bowel Disease

In inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, there is persistent inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. The condition causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, constipation, and an urgent need to have a bowel movement. The most common types of IBD are Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.

Gastroenterologists at NYU Langone’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center are experts in the gastrointestinal tract and can recommend the appropriate diagnostic tests to determine the cause of your symptoms. There is no single definitive test to confirm the presence of IBD, so the condition is diagnosed based on a combination of tests, including endoscopy, biopsy, and imaging tests.

Abdominal And Rectal Pain

People with ulcerative colitis often experience rectal or abdominal pain. Having a large amount of abdominal pain may be a sign that youre having a flare-up or that your condition is getting worse. Pain can range from mild to severe and may also affect your rectum.

Pain may be accompanied by persistent muscle spasms and cramping.

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Do I Need To Be Screened For Colon Cancer

Yes. Everyone needs to be screened for colon cancer beginning at 50 years old. But if you have IBD, your risk of colon cancer is higher. You might need to be screened at a younger age or more often than people without IBD.

• Talk to your doctor about when to begin colon cancer screening, what tests to get, and how often to have them.
• Your doctor’s suggestions will depend on your family health history, how long you have had IBD, whether your colon is affected by your IBD, and how severe it is.
• If you have had IBD for 8 to 10 years, your doctor may recommend a colonoscopy with biopsies every 1 to 2 years. This test checks for early warning signs of cancer.

Crohns Disease And Ulcerative Colitis And Diet

Diet and food allergies do not cause IBD, and long-term special diets are not effective in treating IBD. However, adjusting your diet can help manage some of your symptoms, and can help IBD medications work better. A person with IBD has to pay close attention to their diet, since they may have malnutrition.

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Crohns And Ulcerative Colitis Pose Special Concerns For Women

Karen Nitkin Spring/Summer 2020

About 1.5 million Americans slightly more women than men live with Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, the chronic gastrointestinal disorders collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease .

Both men and women with IBD experience painful and potentially damaging inflammation of the digestive tract. IBD has no cure treatments focus on controlling and preventing future flare-ups with medications and treating symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever or diarrhea.

Yet IBD affects women in unique ways, says Aline Charabaty, clinical director of gastroenterology and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital. It can interfere with menstruation and childbirth and intensify anemia and osteoporosis, she notes.

Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are not exactly the same. Crohns disease is characterized by inflammation in any part of the gastrointestinal tract, with symptoms that can include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, delayed growth, weight loss, fever and anemia. Ulcerative colitis affects the inner lining of the large intestine and rectum, with symptoms that often include bloody diarrhea, frequent bowel movements, abdominal and rectal pain, fever, weight loss, joint pain and rashes.

Here are four ways IBD poses particular concerns for women:

How Serious Is Ulcerative Colitis

Serious complications are possible. Complications of UC are referred to as local or systemic.

• Local refers to complications involving the large intestine
• Systemic refers to complications that affect other organs or the whole body

Complications may occur when intestinal inflammation is:

• Extending beyond the inner lining of the intestines

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When To Talk To Your Doctor

Since people with IBD are at a higher risk for developing kidney dysfunction, you should work with your doctor to continuously monitor for signs and symptoms of kidney disorders no matter what medications you are taking.

Tell your gastroenterologist if you have any symptoms associated with kidney dysfunction. Your health care team can test your kidney function using blood and urine tests.

Ulcerative Colitis And Anemia

Ulcerative colitis can occur throughout the large intestine as well as the rectum. Blood loss from a colitis flare is a significant contributor to anemia.

Even if your symptoms are in remission, its still worth getting your iron levels checked. One small study suggested that more than half of people with ulcerative colitis in remission have anemia.

About a third of people with ulcerative colitis require surgery. The most common surgery removes the colon and rectum. This surgery is considered a cure because it removes the area that the disease affects.

Without ongoing inflammation and blood loss, it can be easier to maintain normal iron levels.

Low iron can affect your health in many ways. Some studies show it can affect your overall sense of well-being. If youre admitted to the hospital for IBD, research suggests anemia is associated with a longer stay.

Signs and symptoms of anemia include:

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Signs And Symptoms Of Ulcerative Colitis

Recognizing the symptoms of ulcerative colitis is your first step toward knowing when your disease is in a flare and when to seek medical attention.

The symptoms of ulcerative colitis vary from person to person and about half of all ulcerative colitis patients experience mild symptoms. If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your healthcare provider.

• Loose and urgent bowel movements

• Persistent diarrhea accompanied by abdominal pain and blood in the stool

What Supplements Should You Take For Crohn’s Disease Vs Ulcerative Colitis

Crohn’s disease nutritional diet deficiencies

• Your need for vitamin and mineral supplements depends on several factors, your diet, which parts of your digestive tract are affected, and whether you have had surgery on your small intestine.
• The most common vitamin deficiencies are
• vitamins D and B-12.

Ulcerative colitis nutritional deficiencies

As with Crohn’s disease, nutrition is important if you have ulcerative colitis because symptoms of diarrhea and bleeding can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and loss of nutrients. It may be necessary to take nutritional supplements if your symptoms do not allow you to eat a nutritionally balanced diet. Talk to your healthcare professional about what supplements to take.

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Can You Drink Alcohol With Crohn’s Disease

• Drinking alcohol is not recommended for most people with Crohn’s disease.
• Alcohol may irritate the lining of the intestinal wall, causing or worsening symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding.
• It also may contribute to malabsorption, further complicating nutritional deficiencies.
• Alcohol interacts with many medications, causing side effects that may be serious.
• Alcohol disrupts sleep cycles and can leave you feeling tired, and irritable the next day. However, if alcohol is well tolerated and does not cause any complications, it can be consumed in moderation.
• Chronic diarrhea can lead to dehydration very easily.
• Dehydration makes you feel weak, tired, light-headed, or just blah.
• Alcohol can cause headaches, abdominal pain, and other symptoms. It also can place a dangerous strain on your kidneys.
• Dehydration can be avoided by making a special effort to take in plenty of nonalcoholic fluids.
• You should take at least 8 full glasses of fluid every day.
• Try to stick to water, diluted fruit juice, sports drinks, decaffeinated beverages, and fruit and vegetable drinks.
• Avoid caffeinated beverages and sodas.

How Is Ibd Diagnosed

• A combination of endoscopy or colonoscopy and imaging studies, such as:
• Contrast radiography.

• Types of common medications to treat IBD:
• 5-aminosalicyclic acids.

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Ibs Vs More Serious Causes Of Intestinal Symptoms

Even though IBS can significantly impair your quality of life, it is usually not considered a serious illness, and it doesnt lead to life-threatening complications.

However, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider if you experience any symptoms that could point to a more serious condition, including:

• New, long-lasting constipation or diarrhea
• Shortness of breath
• Change in quality of stool

What Foods Can You Eat On A Ulcerative Colitis Diet

If you have ulcerative colitis you may need to modify your diet to help manage the symptoms. There is not a single diet or meal plan that fits everyone with ulcerative colitis, and diets are individualized for each patient.

Depending on symptoms different types of diets may be recommended, such as:

• a high-calorie diet

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Effects Of Crohns Disease And Ulcerative Colitis

Every person responds differently to IBD. The severity of symptoms will vary from time to time and from person to person. IBD is not a progressive disease . Rather, flare-ups can range from mild to severe and back to mild again. Some people will experience periods of relief from symptoms in between flare-ups.We cannot predict how long a person will stay free from symptoms, or when their next flare-up will occur. Some flare-ups settle down quite quickly with treatment. Other times, it may take months for a persons symptoms to respond to treatment.IBD interferes with a persons normal body functions. Signs and symptoms can include:

• pain in the abdomen
• delayed or impaired growth in children.

Crohns Disease Vs Ulcerative Colitis: Differences In Symptoms Causes And Treatment

Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are part of the group of conditions known as inflammatory bowel diseases . Prior to the 20th century, before the rise of hygiene and urbanization, inflammatory bowel disease was quite rare. Currently, IBD is found in developed countries and is believed to be caused by a lack of germ resistance development although the exact cause is still unknown.

For those living with IBD, their immune system mistakes food and bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract for an allergen or foreign substance, so it sends out cells to destroy it. The result of these attacks is chronic inflammation.

Although the exact causes of Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are unknown, genetics and environmental factors are believed to play a role. Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are often interchanged for one another, but we will outline the differences between the two, including symptoms, causes, and treatments in order to provide you with a better understanding of either condition. Continue reading

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What Are The Differences And Similarities Between The Signs And Symptoms Of Crohn’s And Ulcerative Colitis

Differences between symptoms and signs of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

There are a few differences in the symptoms between ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Frequently, doctors cannot diagnose the cause of either disease by symptoms alone. However, for people with ulcerative colitis, the abdominal pain is often confined to the left side of the abdomen, while Crohn’s disease may have abdominal pain anywhere in the abdomen.

Similarities between symptoms and signs of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have many similar symptoms.

Doctors and researchers do not know what causes both diseases, but they speculate that several factors such as genetics, heredity, mucosal immunity, gut microbes, diet, environmental factors, vascular problems, psychosocial problems, and certain drugs may be triggers that may participate in causing these diseases.

Because the diseases have unknown causes, it is difficult to know what triggers their development. However, if you carefully note in a diary when symptoms reappear in Crohn’s disease orworsen in ulcerative colitis, you may be able to identify triggers that affect your disease.

Differences Between Ulcerative Colitis And Crohn’s Disease

The differences between ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are:

• In Crohn’s disease, there are healthy parts of the intestine mixed in between inflamed areas. Ulcerative colitis, on the other hand, is continuous inflammation of the colon
• Ulcerative colitis only affects the inner most lining of the colon while Crohn’s disease can occur in all the layers of the bowel walls

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Can I Test My Gut Microbes For Ibd

If youve taken the Atlas Biomed Microbiome Test, you can click on the links below to access your results for Crohns, ulcerative colitis and relevant features like gut microbial diversity. If you would like to know more about our technology, keep reading.

Microbiome testing like we do at Atlas Biomed is the same researchers use to conduct studies like youve been reading about. Our test results include summaries of all the bacteria identified in your sample and how they correlate with health and disease protection.

Weve designed food recommendations that are totally personalised to your results. The aim is to help increase diversity and abundance of beneficial species that are involved in maintaining a stable and healthy microbiome environment.

We also recently added a new Probiotic and Beneficial Bacteria report and tailored recommendations for food and probiotic supplements that can enhance your gut microbiome.

Are Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Different From Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Yes! IBD and IBS are very different, even though the symptoms can be similar. Most importantly, the treatments are not the same. Working with your provider to figure out what condition you have is important so that you can find the best treatment.

IBS is much more common than IBD. About 11% of people have IBS. That makes it about 10 times more common than IBD.

Fortunately, its also less serious. IBD is caused by inflammation and damage to the GI tract. With IBS, this isnt the case. IBS is a collection of gut symptoms caused by unusual functioning of the bowel.

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In Other Parts Of The Body

According to the Crohns and Colitis Foundation, other parts of the body that complications of Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis can affect include:

• Joints: Up to 30% of people with Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis experience arthritis, or swelling of the joints. Examples include peripheral arthritis, axial arthritis, and ankylosing spondyloarthritis.
• Skin: Around 20% of those with Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis experience complications that involve the skin, including flushed skin, bumps, sores, skin tags, and ulcers.
• Bones: Among people with IBD, 3060% have low bone density. This can lead to conditions such as osteoporosis.
• Eyes: Roughly 10% of people with Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis experience complications involving the eyes, such as dry eyes or inflammation.
• Kidneys: The more serious the kidney condition, the rarer it is as a complication of IBD. However, people may experience kidney stones, inflamed kidneys, or obstructions in the kidneys.
• Liver: Conditions of the liver can affect 5% of people with IBD. These conditions may include fatty liver disease, hepatitis, or gallstones.
• Blood: Around 1 in 3 people with IBD have a low red blood cell count. This can lead to anemia.

IBD occurs when a persons immune system reacts inappropriately to their intestinal flora, which is the community of bacteria that live in their intestine.

Scientists are still conducting research to find out the exact cause of this condition.