People of every race, sex and class all over the world have IBD. But researchers have found that IBD is more common among certain groups of people. These include: Smoking also seems to affect a person's risk of getting IBD. People who smoke are more likely to develop CD. On the other hand, smoking seems to reduce a person's risk of UC. More than 1 million people in the United States alone have IBD. About 30,000 people discover they have IBD each year in this country.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an ongoing or chronic health problem that causes inflammation and swelling in the digestive tract. The irritation causes bleeding sores called ulcers to form along the digestive tract. This in turn can cause crampy, abdominal pain and severe bloody diarrhea. There are two main types of inflammatory bowel disease: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). The diseases are very similar.

No one knows for sure what causes IBD. But, researchers think the following things may all play a role: Many researchers think that abnormal action of a person's immune system may trigger IBD. Normally, the immune system protects the body from infections caused by viruses or bacteria. Once the infection has cleared up, the immune system "shuts off." But in people with IBD, the immune system seems to overreact to something in the digestive tract.

Doctors treat IBD in order to improve symptoms and decrease the amount of inflammation. Treatment for IBD may include: People who have mild or no symptoms may not need treatment at all. But most people with IBD take medicine to control their symptoms. And many people with severe IBD need surgery to control the disease.

Sometimes severe IBD does not get better with medicine. In these cases, doctors may suggest surgery to fix or remove damaged parts of the intestine. There are different types of surgery used to treat IBD. About 75 percent of people with CD need surgery at some point in their life. Surgery can relieve symptoms and correct problems like blockages, fistulae or bleeding in the intestine. After surgery, some people are able to stop taking daily medicines for CD.

Not usually. Women with UC seem to get pregnant as easily as other women. But some studies suggest that women with active CD have more problems with fertility than other women. Plus, women who have had surgery for IBD, particularly an IPAA, have more difficulty getting pregnant than women in the general population.

Yes. Some women with IBD have pain or discomfort during sex. This can be caused by the disease itself, surgery, and emotional issues related to the disease. Women with IBD may have the following problems during sex: In women with CD, painful sex is often a sign of a fistula or abscess in the vagina or that the disease is affecting the perineal area. Most women with UC have relatively normal sex lives. But after surgery, sexual problems are more common in women with both UC and CD.

Treating IBD with medicine is complicated. You may need to take several different medicines before you find the one that works best for you. It is very important to keep track of how well the drugs are working, the side effects you are having, and report all details to your doctor. The following kinds of medicines are used to treat IBD: Most people with mild to moderate IBD are first treated with medicines called aminosalicylates. These drugs help control inflammation.

Studies are looking at the use of human growth hormone (HGH) combined with a high-protein diet to treat CD. Limited research shows that people treated this way have fewer symptoms after one month. But the long-term risks and benefits of HGH are still unknown. New medicines that block inflammation are being studied in people with both UC and CD. Researchers are also studying if a gene-based drug can help grow healthy tissue in people with UC.

Women with IBD should talk with their doctors before getting pregnant. If you think you might be pregnant, it is important to call your doctor immediately. Some of the medicines used to treat IBD may harm the growing fetus. Research shows that it is best for women with IBD to get pregnant while their disease is inactive (in remission). If the baby is conceived at this time, most women with IBD seem to have fairly normal pregnancies.

Yes. Many women with active IBD have irregular periods. When the disease goes into remission, regular periods sometimes return. No one knows for sure why. But inflammation does affect the hormones that cause periods. Nutritional problems may also interfere with the monthly cycle of women with IBD. Some women with IBD tend to feel worse right before and during their menstrual periods than at other times.

No. Inflammatory bowel disease, including UC and CD, is different from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Unlike IBD, IBS does not cause inflammation, ulcers or other damage to the bowel. Instead, IBS is a much less serious problem called a functional disorder. This means that the digestive system looks normal but doesn't work as it should. Symptoms of IBS may include crampy pain, bloating, gas, mucus in the stool, diarrhea and constipation. IBS has also been called spastic colon or spastic bowel.

No. Surgery for IBD is often seen as a "failure" by both the patient and her doctor. But studies show that it is sometimes the best choice for treating IBD. Surgery can give lasting relief from symptoms and may even eliminate the need for medicine. Many people with severe IBD suffer from ongoing pain for years in order to put off surgery as long as possible. Recent research shows that this may not be the best plan.

In terms of diet, there are no blanket rules. Dietary changes that help one person with IBD may not relieve symptoms in another. Talk to your doctor and nutritionist about what you should and should not be eating. Recommendations will depend on the part of your intestine that is affected and which disease you have. More than half of people who have CD in their small bowel develop narrowing of the lower small intestine (ileum).

Yes. IBD can increase the chances of cancer of the intestine by as much as five times. Even so, more than 90 percent of people who have IBD do NOT get cancer.

What we know about colon cancer and IBD comes mostly from studying people with UC. Less research has been done on the link between CD and cancer, but the few studies that have been done suggest the risk for cancer in people with CD is similar to the risk in those with UC. Even so, the things that affect the risk of cancer seem to be similar for both types of IBD. Also, people who have family members with colon cancer may have an even higher chance of getting the cancer.

Yes. People with IBD should talk to their doctors about when to begin checking for colon cancer, what tests to get, and how often to have them. Your doctor's suggestions will depend on how long you have had IBD and how severe it is. In people who have had IBD for 8 to 10 years, most doctors recommend a colonoscopy with biopsies every 1 to 2 years. This test checks for early warning signs of cancer in the cells of the colon lining. When cancer is found early, it is easier to cure and treat.

Inflammatory bowel disease refers to the condition that results when cells involved in inflammation and immune response are called into the lining of the GI tract. This infiltration thickens the bowel lining and interferes with absorption and motility (the ability of the bowel to contract and move food). With abnormal ability to contract and abnormal ability to absorb, the bowel's function is disrupted.

The first step in pursuing any chronic problem is a "metabolic database." This means a basic blood panel and urinalysis to rule out more biochemically widespread problems (such as liver disease or kidney disease) which could be responsible for the signs.

Unfortunately, the causes of inflammatory bowel disease are not well understood. Usually, a cause is not found. The basic theory is that "something" is leading to a chronic stimulus of inflammation. This could be an allergy against a food protein, the continuing presence of a parasite, inflammatory products produced by the normal bacteria living in the intestine or there may be an underlying problem with the immune system in affected individuals.

The cornerstone of treatment for inflammatory bowel disease is suppression of the inflammation. In milder cases of large intestinal inflammatory bowel disease, the immunomodulating properties of metronidazole (Flagyl) might be adequate for control but usually prednisone is needed. Prednisone will work on inflammatory bowel disease in any area of the intestinal tract. In more severe cases, stronger immune suppression is needed (as with cyclosporine or azathioprine).

IBD and gastrointestinal disorders have been diagnosed in cats and dogs. If you would like more information, there are a couple of articles at the "Official Site of Veterinary Medicine in Canada".

The first step in dietary management of inflammatory bowel disease is fat restriction. Fat prolongs the time food spends in the stomach which tends to promote nausea. There can also be undesirable interactions with fats and the bacteria of the intestine. The second step in using diet as therapy for this condition is to use a protein source with which the patient is inexperienced. Such a novel diet is considered "hypoallergenic" and removes any immunological stimulation by dietary properties.

A little vomiting or diarrhea here and there seems to be pretty standard for pet dogs and cats. After all, cats groom themselves and get hairballs. Dogs eat all sorts of ridiculous things they aren't supposed to. Still, many owners notice that their pets seem to have vomiting or diarrhea a bit more often than it seems they should.

Can inflammatory bowel disease cause colon cancer? The short answer is yes. People who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk for colon cancer because the tissue of the colon is inflamed for a long period of time. Most colon cancer occurs in people with no family history of the disease. But, colon cancer can run in the family. Whether you're at increased risk depends on which family member was diagnosed and at what age.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is characterized by chronic abdominal pain or discomfort, a change in bowel pattern, such as loose or more frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, and/or constipation. It is understood as a multi-faceted disorder. Sometimes Irritable Bowel Syndrome is referred to as spastic colon, mucous colitis, spastic colitis, nervous stomach, or irritable colon. Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or IBD, is a chronic inflammation disorder of the small and/or large intestine.