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WHAT IS INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a medical term that describes a group of conditions in which the intestines become inflamed (red and swollen).

Two major types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis affects the large intestine (colon) whereas Crohn's disease can occur in any part of the intestines.

Symptoms may include:

  • Abdominal cramps and pain frequent
  • Watery diarrhoea (may be bloody)
  • Severe urgency to have a bowel movement
  • Fever during active stages of disease
  • Loss of appetite and weight loss
  • Tiredness and fatigue anaemia (due to blood loss) 

People of any age can get IBD, but it's usually diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40.

The conditions are chronic and cannot be cured so treatment usually relies on medication and lifestyle changes to manage the symptoms, but may include surgery.

IBD is thought to affect some three million people in the US, over 300,000 Britons, and 85,000 Australians.

Source: Crohn's & Colitis Australia

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