Understanding Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
When you or someone you know is first diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it can often lead to feelings of anxiety and confusion, a sense of being overwhelmed, and questions around what the future will look like. It’s worth remembering that many people with IBD are able to lead happy and productive lives. Building knowledge around IBD can help you tackle the condition and deal with it every day. It’s the first step towards effective treatment.
The information on this website is intended to give you an overview of IBD and provide answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. Please remember, that your healthcare professional should be the first person you talk to about more specific queries.
Key Topics
Insight into Crohn’s disease (CD), the types of CD, possible symptoms, the process of receiving a diagnosis, and steps you can take to manage the disease.
Insight into ulcerative colitis (UC), the types of UC, possible symptoms, the process of receiving a diagnosis, and steps you can take to manage the disease.
Information you need to understand how you can better manage IBD along with your daily life, the impact it may have on your relationships, how you can take care of your mental health, and tips on how you can support yourself.
Guidance on recommended dietary choices and how you can adapt your eating habits during remission and flare-ups.
If you have IBD and are planning a baby, it helps to work with your healthcare professional and keep a few factors in mind before, during, and after pregnancy.
While there is currently no cure for IBD, treatments are improving and being advanced. Information on the types of treatments that may be available to you.
Information of the medical procedure, endoscopy, its different types, the importance of endoscopic healing and what patients can expect before and after undergoing an endoscopy.
Helpful advice on what to expect when your child has been diagnosed with IBD and tips on how best to support them through their IBD journey.
What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder1 that involves long-lasting inflammation of the digestive tract.2
When your healthcare professional talks about IBD, they are usually referring to chronic (long-term or life-long) conditions such as Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC).3
Although IBD can develop at any age, there is a first peak onset of IBD during late adolescence or young adulthood, 4 and a second peak at ages over 60 years old.5 IBD in the elderly is generally more difficult to diagnose resulting in up to six years delay due to other diseases with similar symptoms, or treatment effects.5
There are two main types of IBD:6
- Ulcerative colitis (UC), which only affects the large intestine.
- Crohn’s disease (CD), which can occur anywhere in the GI tract between the mouth and anus.
What Causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
Although the exact cause of both UC and CD is still unclear, it is known that it involves a complex interaction between four factors:67
Genetics (family history)
The environment (e.g. diet, smoking, infection or antibiotic use)
The immune system
Bacteria in the gut
None of these factors alone are likely to cause the disease.
Although both forms of IBD share many similarities, there are also some important differences such as the symptoms they cause.8
IBD affects approximately 2.5 - 3 million people across Europe.9
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms
Symptoms of IBD can come and go, sometimes without warning, and they can be caused by triggers such as certain foods or stressful situations, which will be different for each person living with IBD. When the inflammation worsens, and you experience more symptoms of your condition, it is called a ‘flare-up’. The quiet or symptomless periods between flare-ups is called ‘remission’.3 In children, IBD can be more severe than in adults, and can have different effects such as delayed puberty and growth rate impairments.1011
For more information on symptoms and diagnosis, please visit:
A Guide to Symptoms, Diagnosis and Management
A Guide to Symptoms, Diagnosis and Management
