Thursday, February 21, 2013

What Are Colitis And Crohn's Disease? Similarities And Symptoms

By Valerie Allan-Brown


Inflammatory Bowel Disease represents more than one disorder, but is in most instances used in reference to two comparable diseases of the digestive tract which are serious, chronic, very painful and disruptive. People who are plagued by these illnesses need to know precisely what Colitis and Crohn's Disease are in order to effectively combat the results. A number of victims share the common genetic factor of a northern European heritage.

Colitis is markedly unpredictable, most commonly flaring at the least convenient times. The pain and discomfort can be intense and are then followed by a remission. The severity of an episode varies from person to person. Although not most commonly fatal, complications can include blood loss, dehydration, a perforated colon, kidney stones and inflammation of organs in other parts of the body. There is also an increased likelihood of developing certain types of cancer.

However, doctors diagnose this illness based on its location, generally in the large intestine. It can involve a continuous segment of the sigmoid colon, causing an inflammation of the lining. Although basic symptoms may imitate other disorders, a physician should be seen immediately if regular bowel habits suddenly change, accompanied by bloody diarrhoea, short-term fever and intermittent acute abdominal pain.

The factors triggering a flareup used to be linked generally to stress. increased, stress is no longer believed to be the primary factor but more of a contributor. Many researchers today believe that an overly aggressive immune system response to an unknown antigen causes the body to attack its own organs. It can be triggered by a virus, bacteria, an allergen, or even nothing at all. It tends to run in families indicating there may be a hereditary issue.

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

This condition also goes into remission between bouts allowing a return to normal life. Nevertheless, complications may factor serious developments including anal fissures or tears in the tissue, resulting in bleeding accompanied by intense pain and discomfort during bowel movements. Inflammation also encourages the development of fistulas or tunnel-like channels that divert infectious waste into other organs or empty it out through skin openings.

Science today characterises both illnesses as idiopathic, meaning that the true causes 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 present forms of treatment try 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 excess stress or tension. Knowing exactly what Crohn's 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.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment